35. § 154. The Jews mock at Jesus on the cross. He commends

| CH. XXVII. 39-44. 39 And they that passed by, reviled him, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroy- est 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, | CH. XV. 29-32. 29 And they that passed by, railed on him, wagging their heads, and say- ing, Ah, thou that destroyest the tem- ple, and buildest it in three days, 30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking, said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. |

| --- | --- |

$^{a}$ Isa. liii. 12.

secondary circumstances, as could turn their thoughts absolutely and exclusively to them. This is plain from instances to the contrary. One Evangelist is sometimes distinct, while another is concise; and describes what the other passes over. Townson, pp. 60-1.

We may reasonably suppose St. Matthew to have cited the Hebrew. — St. John the Greek, — and St. Mark the Latin, which was the shortest, and without mixture of foreign words. St. Mark is followed by St. Luke; only that he has brought down "THIS IS" from above, as having a common reference to what stood under it. Newcombe.

SEC. 153, 154.]

(SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem.

| LUKE. | JOHN. CH. XIX. 18-21. 20 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 Latin. 21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. 22 Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written. 23 Then the soldiers, 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 throughout. 24 They said therefore among themselves, 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. |

| --- | --- | his mother to John. (SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem.

| CH. XXIII. 35-37, 39-43. 35 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. 36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37 And saying, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself. |

| --- |

John xix. 23, four parts.] We have here an incidental allusion to a practice well known at that time. The malefactor about to be crucified, having borne his own cross to the place of execution, was stripped, and made to drink a stupefying potion; the cross was then laid on the ground, the sufferer distended upon it, and four soldiers, two on each side, were employed in driving four large nails through his hands and feet. For this service they had a right to his clothes, as a perquisite. See Dr. Harwood's Introd., cited in Honsr's Introd., vol i. pp. 94, 95.

Luke xxiii. 36, vinegar.] Here the common drink of the Roman soldiers is offered by them to Jesus on the cross, while they are deriding him; which is a different act from that in Matth. xxvii. 34, 45, as appears by the place assigned to it. NEWCOME.

§ 154. The Jews mock at Jesus on the cross. He commends

| MATTHEW. CH. XXVII. 39-44. 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. | MARK. CH. XV. 29-32. 32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him, reviled him. |

| --- | --- |

§ 155. Darkness prevails. Christ expires on the cross.

| CH. XXVII. 45-50. 45 Now, from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. | CH. XV. 33-37. 33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land, until the ninth hour. |

| --- | --- |

• Ps. XXII. 7, 8

Luke XXIII. 39, one of the malefactors.] What was true of only one of the malefactors, is attributed to both in the concise relations of Matthew and Mark; the plural being often used in the Gospels for the singular. This the Evangelists themselves show in some instances. Compare Mark VII. 17, and Matth. XV. 15; Mark V. 31, and Luke VIII. 45; Matth. XIV. 17, and Mark VI. 38, Luke IX. 13, John VI. 8, 9; Matth. XXVI. 8, and Mark XIV. 4, John XII. 4; Matth. XXIV. 1, and Mark XIII. 1; Matth. XXVII. 37, and John XIX. 19; Matth. XXVII. 18, and Mark XV. 36, John XIX. 29. See also Luke XXII. 67. In the following places, the plural is used, while the sense shows that one is spoken of. John XI. 8, Luke XX. 21, 39, and XXIV. 5, Matth. XV. 1, 12. — The Evangelists, therefore, when from attention to brevity they avoid particularizing,

SEC. 64, 155.]

| his mother to John. (SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem. | |

| --- | --- |

| LUKE. CH. XXIII. 35-37, 39-43. 39 And one of the malefactors, which were hanged, railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. | JOHN. CH. XIX. 25-27. |

| 40 But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation! 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily, I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. | 25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith be to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. |

(SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem.

CH. XXIII. 44-46.

44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

often attribute to many what is said or done by single persons; nor does any striking peculiarity in the case omitted, lead them to deviate from their manner; for instance, the case of Judas, Matth. XXVI. 9, and the parallel places. NEWCOME.

Luke XXIII. 44, over all the earth. The objection urged by infidels, upon this passage, against the veracity of the Evangelists, from the silence of profane writers concerning so remarkable an event, is met and answered by Bp. Watson in his Reply to Gibbon, Let. 5. The word translated earth, in Luke, is the same which is rendered land, in the others, and applies equally to both. Taken in the latter sense, it may limit the darkness to Judea. But the Evangelists do not mention the degree of darkness; if therefore it was slight, though it extended over the whole globe, the objection of its not being recorded by Pliny or Seneca vanishes at once.

[PAR VIII.

§ 155. Darkness prevails. Christ expires on the cross.

CH. XXVII. 45-50.

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani! that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway 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.

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

CH. XV. 33-37.

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani! which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me!

35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.

36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down.

37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

§ 156. The vail of the Temple rent. The graves opened.

CH. XXVII. 51-56.

51 And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom: and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept, arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

54 Now, when 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 God.

55 And many women were there (beholding afar off) which followed

CH. XV. 38-41.

38 And the vail of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom.

39 And when the centurion which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.

40 There were also women looking on afar off, among whom was Mary

Pa. xxii. 1.

Matth. XXVII. 43, vinegar.] Hd or Hda was the old Syriac for vinegar. Hence one of the bystanders, hearing our Saviour's exclamation on the cross, thought he wanted vinegar to alleviate his thirst, and straightway filled a spunge. See BUCHANAN's Researches, p. 153.

Matth. XXVII. 49, Elias.] The Jews gave a literal interpretation to Mal. IV. 5, expecting Elijah to appear in person, as the forerunner of the Messiah; and hence they, on this occasion, seemingly adverted to the want of this testimony to the mission of Christ. Jones, Lect. 117. This incidental allusion to the popular opinion, by Matthew and Mark, may be noticed as additional evidence of their veracity.

SEC. 155, 156.]

(SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem.

CH. XXIII. 44-46.

45 And the sun was darkened,

CH. XIX. 28-30.

28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.ᵃ

29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The women at the cross. (SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem.

CH. XXIII. 45, 47-49.

45 And the vali of the temple was rent in the midst.

47 Now, when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the ᵃ Ps. lxix. 22.

Matth. xxvii. 55, afar off.] This and the parallel verses are reconciled with John xix. 25, by the following observation in Wall's critical notes, p. 116. "Mary stood as yet. (John xix. 25.) so nigh the cross as to hear what Christ said. But at the time of his departure, Matthew, Mark and Luke say, the women stood afar off." See also Watson's Reply to Gibbon, Let. 5, (Evangelical Family Library, Vol. xiv. pp. 276, 277.) It is natural to suppose that our Lord's relations and friends, mentioned in John xix. 25, were too much struck with commiseration and grief to remain long near the cross; and that they would retire from the horror of the concluding scene. NEWCOME.

§ 156. The rail of the Temple rent. The graves opened.

| MATTHEW. CH. XXVII. 51-56. Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children. | MARK. CH. XV. 38-41. Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less, and of Joses, and Salome; 41 Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him; and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. |

| --- | --- |

§ 157. The taking down from the cross.

| CH. XXVII. 57-61. | CH. XV. 42-47. |

| --- | --- |

| 57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: 58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. | 42 And now, when the even was come, (because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath.) 43 Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him |

Matth. XXVII. 58, begged the body.] Here is another of those incidental allusions to existing customs, which show the naturalness and veracity of the narrative. Those who were crucified by the Romans are said to have been usually exposed to the lords of prey; and a guard was set to prevent their friends from burying the bodies. The sec. 156, 157.]

The women at the cross. (SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem.

CH. XXIII. 45, 47-49.

things which were done, smote their breasts and returned.

49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

The burial. Jerusalem.

CH. XXIII. 50-56.

CH. XIX. 31-42.

31 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 an high day) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.

33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:

34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water.

35 And he that saw it, bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bono of him shall not be broken.

37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

50 And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor: and he was a good man, and a just

51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them:) he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews; who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

38 And after this, Joseph of Arimathea (being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews) besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore and took the body of Jesus.

39 And there came also Nicodemus (which at the first came to Jesus by night) and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pounds weight.

a Ex. xii. 46. Ps. xxxiv. 20.

b Zech. xii. 10.

body of Jesus therefore could not be obtained for burial, without leave from Pilate; which the Evangelists relate was applied for, but without explaining the cause.

§ 157. The taking down from the cross.

| MATTHEW. CH. XXVII. 57-61. | MARK. CH. XV. 42-47. the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. 45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. |

| --- | --- |

| 59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and de- parted. | 46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. |

| 61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. | 47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. |

§ 158. The watch at the Sepulchre. (SEVENTH

| CH. XXVII. 62-66. 62 Now, the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate. 63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. |

| --- |

Matth. XXVII. 66, setting a watch.] The mention of this circumstance by Matthew, and not by the other Evangelists, is in perfect keeping with his previous occupation; which led him to watch for fraud, in all places where it might be perpetrated. See Preliminary Observations, ante, § 24.

SEC. 157, 158.]

| The burial. Jerusalem. | |

| --- | --- |

| LUKE. CH. XXIII. 50-56. | JOHN. CH. XIX. 31-42. |

| 53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. | 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. |

| 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. | 41 Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. |

| 55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. | 42 There laid they Jesus therefore, because of the Jews' preparation-day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. |

| 56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath-day, according to the commandment. | |

DAY OF THE WEEK, OR SABBATH.) Jerusalem.

Luke xxiii. 54, drew on.] We must not understand this word of the morning light. The Jewish sabbath began at six in the evening, before which time our Lord's body was deposited in the tomb. NEWCOME.

PART IX.