124. Superscriptions on the Cross

Superscriptions on the Cross (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19) In Matthew 27:37 we read, "And set up over his head his accusation written, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews." In Mark 15:26 we find, "And the superscription of his accusation was written over, The King of the Jews."

Luke 23:38 tells us, "And there was also a superscription written over him ... This is Jesus, the King of the .Jews." (R.V.)

Now we turn to John 19:19 : "And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." No two of these agree. What is the difficulty? Can all four be correct? The answer is so very clearly given in these very passages. John 19:20, (R.V.), tells us that in order that all the people of different tongues might read it, the charge upon the cross on which Christ was crucified was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin; in Hebrew for the common people, in Latin for the Romans, and in Greek, as that was the universal language.

Matthew wrote especially for the Jews and gave the inscription as it was in Hebrew. Mark gave the inscription as it was in Latin, and Luke as it was in Greek. John gives it in the full Roman form, "Jesus of Nazareth." There is no difficulty at all if we notice exactly what the Bible tells us.