MATT. XXVII. raiment on him, and led him away to cru32 cify him. And as they 21 came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. MARK XV. clothes on him, and LUKE XXIII. 26-33. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewail28 ed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and 29 for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never 30 bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.2 31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in 32 the dry? And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,2 They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they 36 cast lots. And sitting down they watched 37 him there; and set up over his 26 head his accusation written, 20 diers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top 24 throughout. They said therefore among them selves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. a super- 19 -And ON over, OF THE JEWS.3 : OF JOHN XIX. THE Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF JEWS.3 THE This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and 21 Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King 22 of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. 1 Isa. 53. 12. 2 Psa. 22. 18. 3 On the difference in the copies of the title on the cross, see Note on § 15. § 154. THE JEWS MOCK AT JESUS ON THE CROSS. HE COMMENDS HIS MOTHER TO 39 MATT. XXVII. 39-44. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 29 If 30 31 40 and saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. thou be the Son of God, come down from the 41 cross. Likewise also the chief priests mockinghim, with the scribes 42 and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he 32 be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we 43 will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him :" for he said, I am the Son of 44 God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.3 25 JOHN.-Jerusalem. And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the cross. Like- 35 wise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Is- 36 rael descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they were crucified And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,1 37 and saying, If thou be the King of the Jews, 39 save thyself. - And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save But the other answering rebuked him, saying, that Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same con41 demnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing a42 miss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when 43 thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day thou shalt be with me in paradise.5 JOHN XIX. 25-27. 4 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, 26 Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith un 1 On this vinegar, see Note4, § 155. 2 Comp. Psa. 22. 7, 8. 3 According to Matthew and Mark, both the malefactors reviled Jesus; while, according to Luke, one was penitent. In the former evangelists, there is here an enallage of number; the plural being put for the singular. This is often done, where the predicate relates strictly to one subject, while yet the writer expresses the idea generally. So Matt. 26. 8, comp. John 12.4; Matt. 2.20; 9, 8; Mark 7. 17, comp. Matt. 15. 15; Mark 5. 31, comp. Luke 8. 45; Matt. 24. 1, comp. Mark 13. 1; John 19. 29, comp. Matt. 27. 48, &c. In John 19. 25, the marginal reading of the English version is the proper one, viz. Clopas instead of Cleophas. It is strictly a Greek form of a Hebrew name, which is elsewhere represented_by Alpheus.-The Cleopas of Luke 24. 18 is a different name, of regular Greek derivation, and belongs to another person. 4 2 Cor. 5. 9. 5 Comp. 2 Cor. 12. 4; Rev. 2. 7. JOHN XIX. 27 to his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. § 155, DARKNESS PREVAILS. MATT. XXVII. 45-50. 46 And about the ninth 34 47 CHRIST EXPIRES ON THE CROSS.-Jerusalem. Sixth Day of the Week. MARK XV. 33-37. And when the sixth 44 hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the LUKE XXIII. 44-46. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until And ninth hour. And at 45 the ninth hour. the sun was darken- Some of them 35 forsaken me? And that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for 48 Elias. And straight- 36 way one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar,* and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. 49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. MATT. XXVII. 50 Jesus, when he 37 some of them that MARK XV. And Jesus cri- 46 In Matt. 27. 46, Eli is the Hebrew for my God; and in Mark 15. 34, Eloi is the correspond ing Aramæan word for the same. 2 Psa. 22. 1. 3 Comp. Psa. 69. 21. 4 The vinegar, in Matt. 27. 48, and the parallel verses, is here the posca or common drink of the Roman soldiers, namely, cheap acid wine mingled with water. In Matthew and Mark the sponge is said to be put upon a reed; in John, upon hyssop. Here, probably, a stalk or stem of 29 LUKE XXIII. JOHN XIX. 28-30. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were nowaccomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. JOHN XIX. And when Je- 30 When Jesus sus had cried therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. § 156. THE VEIL OF THE TEMPLE RENT, AND GRAVES OPENED. THE CENTURION. JUDGMENT OF THE WOMEN AT THE CROSS.-Jerusalem. MATT. XXVII. 51-56. 51 38 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom;1 and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints 53 which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared un54 to many. Now when 39 the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of 55 God. And many wo- 40 men were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering 56 unto him: 3 among which was Mary Mag- § 157. THE TAKING DOWN FROM THE CROSS. rion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. THE BURIAL.-Jerusalem. Sixth Day of the Week. 2 31 JOHN XIX. 31-42. The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day' was 1 Comp. Heb. 10. 19-22. ? Matt. 27. 55, 56 and the parallel places refer to a later point of time than John 19. 25, sq. Mary and the other women had now retired to a distance from the scene of suffering. 3 Luke 8. 3. 4 Comp. Deut. 21. 22, 23. 5 On the phrase that sabbath day was a high day, John 19. 31, see Introductory Note, p. 149. |