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saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

[before Pilate.

16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

EXPOSITION.

from insanity, or infidelity. In the former case it is much to be pitied; and all who have the care of persons constitutionally melancholy, owe a duty of constant vigilance over them, since we have an enemy who, like a roaring lion, seeketh whom be may devour," and is never negligent in seizing such opportunities of doing mischief. The writer knew an instance of a

good man-a minister of irreproachable character-who, in such a season of depression of mind, being alone, seized a razor and cut his throat; but immediately, as his friends came about him, he uttered this memorable sentence: "The Lord hath left me but one moment, and see what I have done!" Let us not be too severe in judging acts of unpremeditated suicide. But it is much to be feared that the far greater part of self-murders are the fruit o infidelity. Among the higher classes of society, the writings of Hume, who justified the crime, may have deluded many; but among the lower classes, those of Paine have probably led astray many more. Not that he absolutely denied a future state; but he laboured to remove all the barriers of Christianity, and to persuade himself and others that there is nothing to be dreaded beyond the grave.

The suicide of an apostate is, of all others, the most awful; and that of Judas the most dreadful crime of this class.

"Here we behold the rebel dead; Under the curse of God he lies; He seals the curse on his own head,

And with a double vengeance dies!" (Watts.)

But what did the hypocritical priests, to dare not put it into the treasury of the temwhom the money was returned? They ple, because, they said, "It is the price of blood!" thus acknowledging that they had received it as the purchase of the blood of Jesus! But they aim to cover their flagitious crimes by an act of charity; they will buy with it" the potter's field, to bury strangers in." Ah! this was in perfect con

sistence with the character of their nation. They are famed for having killed the prophets, and then raised sepulchres to their memory (chap. xxiii. 29, 30). They now buy a field to bury foreigners in, with the price of the blood of their own Messiah ! Alas! how many professing Christians are there, who attempt to cover the sins of a whole life of injustice and oppression by a post-obit act of charity? very benevolently giving away that property which they can by no possibility retain a moment longer! Such is the charity of legacies, in innumerable cases.

But God accomplishes his own will as well by the crimes as by the virtues of mankind; and those who oppose it with all their might, do but thereby fulfil it. This act of hypocrisy and villany had been predicted some centuries before. (See Note on ver. 9.) "Wherefore it was called the field of blood unto this day;" the time when Matthew wrote his Gospel, and probably much later. Indeed, the memorial is still preserved by tradition.

NOTES.

Ver. 15. At that feast (the Passover) the governor was wont to release.... a prisoner. This was, it seems, in memorial of their being released from Egyptian Bondage. The like custom, it seems, prevailed among some of the Greeks. Orient. Lit. No. 1241.

Ver. 16, 17. Barabbas-a thief, guilty also of mur.

der and sedition. Origen says, that in many copies of his time, Barabbas was also called Jesus; and the Armenian version reads, "Whom will ye that I deliver up unto you, Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? Calmet and Michaelis.

Ver. 18, 19. For he knew, &c.-Campbell considers these two verses as a parenthesis.

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(Q) Ver. 11-25. Jesus brought before Pilate, who orders him to be crucified.The Sanhedrim having condemned Jesus, would scarcely, we think, have hesitated to stone him immediately, according to their law, but that they were restrained by the Roman power from capital execution, without the sanction of the governor; and no inferior punishment would satisfy the malice of the chief priests and scribes. They therefore bring Jesus before Pilate, and, in order the more to prejudice him against the prisoner, instead of accusing him with calling himself the Messiah, aud the Son of God, to which Pilate was not likely to pay much attention, they bring another charge against him, more likely to offend the Romans, namely, that he styled himself" the king of the Jews." The first question, therefore, which Pilate proposes to Jesus is, "Thou art the king of the Jews, then?" Jesus admitted this under the explanation (John xviii. 36) that his kingdom was not of this world;" which seems so far to have satisfied Pilate, that he laboured hard for his discharge, and therefore proposed, as it was customary for him to release to them a prisoner at the passover, that Jesus should be the man: they, however, were so bitter against their Messiah, that they prefer a robber and a murderer.

When the governor had again" sat down upon the judgment seat," his wife sent to intreat him to "have nothing to do with that just man (Jesus), for (added she) I have suffered much because of him in a dream this day." The chief priests and elders, who had always great influence with

NOTES-Chap.

Ver. 24. He washed his hands before the multitude. This rite of "washing the bands in innocency," appears to have originated in a Mosaical institution, Deut. xxi. 6, 7, is alluded to by David, Ps. xxvi., and was copied by the Gentiles. Ovid Fast. 1. 2.

Ver. 26. When he had scourged Jesus. This punishment was used both by the Jews and Romans,

the multitude, persuaded them, however, to ask for Barabbas, and for the death of Jesus; insomuch that Pilate at length, in opposition to his own conscience, and to the entreaties of his wife, consented to their request, lest the Jews, who were prone to insurrection, should raise a tumult, which being reported to the emperor, might be fatal to his interests, and occasion his re call.

We cannot, however, omit to regret that any man who was a governor aud a judge, should sacrifice an innocent person (to say no more) to the clamour of a mob. The scene must one day be reversed. Pilate must stand at the bar of Jesus, and can it then be pleaded in extenuation of his guilt, that he was obliged to crucify Christ to save himself? We have nothing to do with the Roman Governor now, but mention this merely to introduce the question -Have we, in any instance, sacrificed truth or justice to our temporal interests? "God knoweth."

But O, how awful is the imprecation of the multitude: "Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children!"" It may be recollected, that it was but a few days before, that "this same Jesus," whom they now execrate, was ushered into the city amidst the hosaunas of " a very great multitude" (chap. xxi. 3), many, very many of whom, it is to be feared, now joined in the cry of "Crucify him! crucify him!" So uncertain, so fleeting, is the breath of popular applause! But what mean they by this imprecation, "His blood be upon us and upon our children?" Many perhaps, knew not what they said; none, certainly, knew

XXVII. Con.

the latter being administered by military executioners, was no doubt severe, and some think it might be the more so in this instance, as Pilate hoped that the Jews, when they saw him scourged, might be pacified, without insisting on his crucifixion; but nothing could satisfy these cruel bypocrites, short of death, in its most tremendous form, See Doddr..

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half the vengeance which they were now calling down from heaven upon themselves, and upon their country. This imprecation appears to have been remarkably fulfilled in the circumstances connected with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus. Bp. Newton traces a striking correspondence between their sin and punishment, "They put Jesus to death when the nation was assembled to celebrate the passover; and when the nation was assembled to celebrate the passover, Titus shut them up within the walls of Jerusalem. The rejection of the true Messiah was their crime; and the following of false Messiahs to their destruction, was their punishment. They sold and bought Jesus as a slave; and they themselves were afterwards sold and bought as slaves at the lowest prices. They preferred a robber and a murderer to Jesus, whom they crucified between two thieves; and they themselves were afterwards infested with bands of thieves and robbers. They put Jesus to death, lest the Romans should come and take away their place and nation; and the Romans did come, and took away their place and nation. They crucified Jesus before the walls of Jerusalem; and before the walls of Jerusalem they themselves were crucified

in such numbers, that it is said room was wanting for the crosses, and crosses for the bodies. I should think it hardly possible for any man to lay these things together, and not conclude the Jews' own imprecation to be remarkably fulfilled upon them; his blood be on us, and on our children!'

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"We Christians cannot, indeed, be guilty of the very same offence in crucifying the Lord of glory: but it behoves us to consider whether we may not be guilty in the same kind, and by our sins and iniquities 'crucify the son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame' (Heb. vi. 25), and therefore whether, being like them in their crime, we may not also resemble them in their punishment. They rejected the Messiah, and we, indeed, have received him; but have our lives been at all agreeable to our holy profession? or rather, as we have had opportunities of knowing our Lord more, have we not obeyed him less than other Christians? And have not some of us (as in Heb. x. 29) even trodden under foot the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith we are sanctified, an unholy thing, and done despite unto the Spirit of Grace?'" (Newton's Dissert. vol. ii. Diss. xxi, pt. 4.)

NOTES.

Ver. 27. The common hall.-Gr. (or rather Latin) Pretorium; Eng. Margin, "The house of the gover nor," or Prætor. The whole band what we might call his "body guard."

Ver. 28. Put on him a scarlet robe- that is, no doubt, a decayed and left off robe. Mark calls the robe purple. See Mark xv. 20. Such pieces of mockery were not uncommon in those times. When Herod Agrippa wished to display his royal dignity to the people, the mob, in ridicule, dressed up a half crazy man, with a pasteboard crown, a reed for a sceptre, and a robe of matting. Orient. Lit. No. 124; compare No. 1243.

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-The species of Ver. 29. A crown of thorns. thorns here employed is doubtful, and of no consequence. The object was, to inflict pain and ridicule but, query, Have not all crowns more thorns than jewels in them?-Areed-most probably a common walking cane. (Calamus.)

123

Ver. 20. They spit upon him.-See Note on chap.

xxvi. 67.

Ver. 31. And led him away.-Capital punishments were, both by Jews and Romans, generally inflicted without their cities; especially crucifixion. Orient. Cust. No. 1230.

Ver. 32. To bear his cross.-St. John informs us, that at first Jesus went forth bearing his cross; it may be, however, this referred only to the transverse beam, and that Simon carried the upright part after him; or if the cross was formed, that Jesus fainted under the weight, and it was then laid on Simon.

Ver. 33. Golgotha .... a place of a scull-Camp. "of sculls;" supposed to be so called from its having been a place of public execution. It is more usually called Mount Calvary; but of the mount there are no remains, nor do the Scriptures mention it; though as a place of execution it might probably be an ele vated spot; and some think its shape, being round,

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a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

36 And sitting down they watched him there;

37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

[and crucified.

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the

cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. (R)

45 T Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

EXPOSITION-Chap. XXVII. Continued.

(R) Ver. 26—44. Jesus scourged, mocked, and crucified.-Were this narrative anonymous, or were it wrought into a scene in one of our most popular novels, how would it affect our sympathetic feelings! Were it then converted into history, and the name of some dear relative or friend inserted, to fill up the blank, how greatly would its interest be increased? But were it also discovered, that all this suffering had been occasioned by some fault of ours, and that all these miseries had been endured on our account, which of us could then read the narrative without agony and tears? That we can now read it with so

little feeling or effect, can be attributed to nothing so justly as our want of faith. Not that we are positive infidels, or reject the facts of Scripture history as fabulous; but we want that faith of appropriation that might enable each of us to say, "This was my friend, or brother! and all this he endured for me!"

"Twas for my sins, my dearest Lord
Hang on the cursed tree;
And groan'd away a dying life

For thee, my soul, for thee!"

(Watts.)

Let us, by divine help, attempt briefly to review his sufferings under these impressious. 1. They preferred Barabtas! Ah! was

NOTES-Chap. XXVII. Con.

like a human skull, was the true origin of the name Golgotha. The present Calvary is covered with religious buildings, pretending to enclose our Saviour's tomb, and other Christian antiquities, all of which are doubtful, and some gross impositions; though they afford a rich revenue to monks and priests, both Greek and Roman Catholic. See Dr. R. Richardson's interesting Travels along the Mediterranean," vol. ii. pp. 322–333.

Ver.34. Vinegar........mingled with gall--The LXX use the same Greek word for wormwoo. Mark says, "Wine mingled with myrrb; probably sour wine (used as vinegar) mingled with myrrh, bitter as gali. Myrth itself, says Dr. Harris, is extremely bitter." Nat. Hist. of the Bible. This mixture, or something like it, is said to have been given to criminals to deaden the sense of pain; which might be the reason why our Lord refused to drink it. See Orient. Lit. No. 1249.

Ver. 35. That it might be fulfilled.-Psalm xxii. 18. See our Exposition. Persons crucified were always stripped of their clothes, which became the perquisites of the executioners. Orient. Lit. No. 1250. This quotation, according to Campbell, is "wanting in a very great number of MSS. in which the most valuable are included; in the works of some an

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Ver. 42. We will believe him. So unbelievers argue. Could they see a miracle, they would believe; but our Lord says they would not, and facts confirm his words. They saw Lazarus raised from the dead, yet would not believe. See John xi. 46. Compare Luke xvi. 41.

Ver. 44. Cast the same in his teeth.-Doddr. "Upbraided him with the same reproach;" Camp. " In the same manner."

Ver. 45. Now from the sixth hour.-It is evident that Matthew and Mark reckon from sunrise, which at this time (about the equinox! was six o'clock, by our reckoning. Christ was then crucified at nine in the morning (the third hour, Mark xv. 25); the darkness came on at noon, the sixth hour, and continued till three in the afternoon, which was the ninth hour. But John (if there be no mistake) reckoned differently. See John xix. 14.

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that wretch, who had been convicted of insurrection, robbery, and murder, released in preference to my dear and benevolent friend? the worst of men spared, and the best given up to punishment, and all to appease an infatuated mob? O how are our resentments kindled at such base injustice!

2. They scourged Jesus? Who? The soldiers! Much has been said of the severity of military punishments, even when justly inflicted, and upon hardy soldiers; but was this severity exercised upon an innocent and benevolent individual, upon my dearest friend and benefactor? Alas! what language is sufficient to express our compassion and our grief!

Again, 3. They mocked him. Yes; while bleeding from the lashes of the Roman Scourge, and from the crown of thorns with which his temples were environed, they array him in the faded and dirty robe, probably of some former Roman governor, and having placed a reed, or cane, in his right hand, by way of sceptre, they bow the knee, and hail him as their king, in ridicule. Thus injury is heaped on injustice, and insult upon injury, till they amount to an accumulation of crime altogether unprecedented. Yet this is but the beginning of sorrows! For,

Lastly, They crucify him. With the form of the cross, painters have made our eyes familiar; and they seem generally correct. Arrived at the place of execution, the pieces of the cross being put together, the criminal was laid naked upon

it, and commonly nailed to it, through the nerves and sinews of his hands and feet. After being thus fastened, the cross was raised erect, with exquisite agony to the sufferer. Yet these wounds being all at the extremities, life departed but very slowly. Cicero calls crucifixion a "most cruel and horrid punishment; a punishment which must be far, not only from the body of a Roman citizen, but also from his eyes, and even his thoughts." It was indeed never inflicted, but upon the vilest criminals and the basest slaves. (See Orient. Lit. No. 1246.)

And is this the manner in which our friend, our brother, and our Saviour died? And was he thus tortured" for us men, and for our salvation?" "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, they that passed by him, mocked him, wagging their heads and saying, Save thyself;" also the chief priests, and scribes, and elders (who ought to have been far from this scene) said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save!" This, indeed, is the only truth they uttered; for had he saved himself, he could not have saved us. Also one of the thieves crucified with him, and at first probably both of them joined in the reproach and ridicule, even in their dying moments. But let us confine our present meditation to the illustrious sufferer in the centre. There he hangs !

NOTES

Ver. 46. Eli, Eli, &c. -This is a quotation from Ps. xxii. 1. These are not the precise Hebrew words, but in the Syro-Chaldaic dialect, which accounts for the words being misunderstood by some of the bystanders (ver. 47), who probably came from a distance, and did not well understand the dialect spoken at Jerusalem.

We have said this darkness could not proceed from an eclipse; but we are not therefore bound to assign a cause. Earthquakes have often been preceded or accompanied by dark fogs, as at Lisbon and in London, which might possibly be the case here. See the article Earthquake, in the Encyclo. Brit.

Ibid. Why hast thou forsaken me? In the application of this psalm to Christ, the words must not be understood as the language of unbelief; but as Bp. Horne explains them, Christ complains "that

"See from his head, his hands, his feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down: Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?" (Watts.)

he was deprived, for a time, of the divine presence, and comforting influence, while he suffered for our sins."

Ver. 48. With vinegar-or sour wine (see Note on ver. 34), which was used (as small beer with us) for the drink of the poorer classes. The method of giving this in a sponge to quench the thirst, appears to be still practised in Egypt. It is said that the thirst occasioned by crucifixion is the greatest of its torments, a circumstance, we believe, common to persons that bleed much. Orient. Lit. No. 1252.

Ver. 50. Yielded up the Ghost Doddr. "Dismissed his spirit." But Campbell remarks, the same phrase is used by the LXX respecting Rachel, Gen. Xxxv. 18; also frequently by Josephus, and other Greek writers.

Ver.5). The vail was rent.-Ancient writers tell us

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