and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple, teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. 50 And they all forsook him, and fled. 51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. Ps. 22. 1, &c. Is. 53. 3, &c. Luke 24. 44. A Ps. 88. 8. Is. 63. 3. ver. 27. c. 13. 16. been discovered; nay, these officers of the chief priests, being retainers to the temple, may be supposed to have heard his sermons there; (I was with you in the temple ;) and had he not taught them excellent doctrine, even his enemies themselves being judges? Were not all the words of his mouth in righteousness? Was there any thing froward or perverse in them, Prov. 8. 8. By his fruits he was known to be a good Tree; why then did they come out against him as a thief? 2. That they came to take him thus privately, whereas he was neither ashamed nor afraid to appear publicly in the temple. He was none of those evil-doers that hate the light, neither come to the light, John 3. 20. If their masters had any thing to say to him, they might meet him any day in the temple, where he was ready to answer all challenges, all charges; and there they might do as they pleased with him, for the priests had the custody of the temple, and the command of the guards about it: but to come upon him thus at midnight, and in the place of his retirement, was base and cowardly. This was to do as David's enemy, that sat in the lurking-places of the villages, to murder the innocent, Ps. 10. 8. But this was not all, 3. They came with swords and staves, as if he had been in arms against the government, and must have the posse comitatus raised to reduce him. There was no occasion for those weapons; but they made this ado, (1.) To secure themselves from the rage of some; they came armed, because they feared the people; but thus were they in great fear, where no fear was, Ps. 53. 5. (2.) To expose him to the rage of others. By coming with swords and staves to take him, they represented him to the people (who are apt to take impressions this way) as a dangerous turbulent man, and so endeavoured to incense them against him, and make them cry out, Crucify him, crucify him, having no other way to gain their point. VII. He reconciled himself to all this injurious, ignominious treatment, by referring himself to the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah. I am hardly used, but I submit, for the scriptures must be fulfilled, v. 49. 1. See here what a regard Christ had to the scriptures; he would bear any thing rather than that the least jot or tittle of the word of God should fall to the ground; and as he had an eye to them in his sufferings, so he has in his glory; for what is Christ doing in the government of the world, but fulfilling the scriptures? 2. See what use we are to make of the Old Testament; we must search for Christ, the true Treasure hid in that field: as the history of the New Testament expounds the prophecies of the Old, so the prophecies of the Old Testament illustrate the history of the New. VIII. All Christ's disciples, hereupon, deserted him; (v. 50,) They all forsook him, and fled. They were very confident that they should adhere to him; but even good men know not what they will do, till they are tried. If it was such a comfort to him, as he had lately intimated, that they had hitherto continued with him in his lesser trials, (Luke 22. 28,) we may well imagine what a grief it was to him, that they deserted him now in the greatest, when they might have done him some service when he was abused, to protect him, and when accused, to witness for him. Let not those that suffer for Christ, think it strange, if they be thus deserted, and if all the herd shun the wounded deer; they are not better than their Master, nor can expect to be better used either by their enemies or by their friends. When St. Paul was in peril, none stood by him, but all men forsook him, 2 Tim. 4. 16. IX. The noise disturbed the neighbourhood, and some of the neighbours were brought into danger by the riot, v. 51, 52. This passage of story we have not in any other of the evangelists. Here is an account of a certain young man, who, as it should seem, was no disciple of Christ, nor, as some have imagined, a servant of the house wherein Christ had eaten the passover, who followed him to see what would become of him, (as the sons of the prophets, when they understood that Elijah was to be taken up, went to view afar off, 2 Kings 2. 7,) but some young man that lived near the garden, perhaps in the house to which the garden belonged. Now observe concerning him, 1. How he was frightened out of his bed, to be a spectator of Christ's sufferings. Such a multitude, so armed, and coming with so much fury, and in the dead of the night, and in a quiet village, could not but produce a great stir; this alarmed our young man, who perhaps thought there was some tumult or rising in the city, some uproar among the people, and had the 53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the Scribes. 54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus, to put him to death; and found none. 56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58 We heard him say, I will "destroy this temple k Matt. 26. 57, &c. Luke 22. 54, &c. John 18. 13, &c. Ps. 35. 11. m c. 15.29. John 2. 19. curiosity to go, and see what the matter was, and was in such haste to inform himself, that he could not stay to dress himself, but threw a sheet about him, as if he would appear like a walking ghost, in grave-clothes, to frighten those who had frightened him, and ran among the thickest of them with this question, What is to do here? Being told, he had a mind to see the issue, having, no doubt, heard much of the fame of this Jesus; and therefore when all his disciples had quitted him, he continued to follow him, desirous to hear what he would say, and see what he would do. Some think that his having no other garment than this linen cloth upon his naked body, intimates that he was one of those Jews who made a greater profession of piety than their neighbours, in token of which, among other instances of austerity and mortification of the body, they used no clothes but one linen garment, which, though contrived to be modest enough, was thin and cold. But I rather think that this was not his constant wear. 2. See how he was frightened into his bed again, when he was in danger of being made a sharer in Christ's sufferings. His own disciples had run away from him; but this young man, having no concern for him, thought he might securely attend him, especially being so far from being armed, that he was not so much as clothed; but the young men, the Roman soldiers, who were called to assist, laid hold of him, for all was fish that came to their net. Perhaps they were now vexed at themselves, that they had suffered the disciples to run away, and they being got out of their reach they resolved to seize the first they could lay their hands on; though this young man was perhaps one of the strictest sect of the Jewish church, yet the Roman soldiers made no conscience of abusing him upon this occasion. Finding himself in danger, he left the linen cloth by which they had caught hold of him, and fled away naked. This passage is recorded to show what a barbarous crew this was, that was sent to seize Christ, and what a narrow escape the disciples had of falling into their hands, out of which nothing could have kept them but their Master's care of them; If ye seek me, let these go their way, John 18. 8. It also intimates that there is no hold of those who are led by curiosity only, and not by faith and conscience, to follow Christ. V. 53-65. We have here Christ's arraignment, trial, conviction, and condemnation, in the ecclesiastical court, before the great sanhedrim, of which the high priest was president, or judge of the court; the same Caiaphas that had lately adjudged it expedient he should be put to death, guilty or not guilty, (John 11. 50,) and who therefore might justly be excepted against as partial. I. Christ is hurried away to his house, his palace it is called, such state did he live in. And there, though in the dead of the night, all the chief priests, and elders, and Scribes, that were in the secret, were assembled, ready to receive the prey; so sure were they of it. II. Peter followed at a distance, such a degree of cowardice was his late courage dwindled into, v. 54. But when he came to the high priest's palace, he sneakingly went, and sat with the servants, that he might not be suspected to belong to Christ, The high priest's fireside was no proper place, nor his servants proper company, for Peter, but it was his entrance into a temptation. The III. Great diligence was used to procure, for love or money, false witnesses against Christ. They had seized him as a malefactor, and now they had him they had no indictment to prefer against him, no crime to lay to his charge, but they sought for witnesses against him; pumped some with insnaring questions, offered bribes to others, if they would accuse him, and endeavoured to frighten others, if they would not, v. 55, 56. chief priests and elders were by the law intrusted with the prosecuting and punishing of false witnesses, (Deut. 19. 16;) yet those were now ringleaders in a crime that tends to the overthrow of all justice. It is time to cry, Help, Lord, when the physicians of a land are its troublers, and those that should be the conservators of peace and equity, are the corrupters of both. IV. He was at length charged with words spoken some years ago, which, as they were represented, seemed to threaten the temple, which they had made no better than an idol of, (v. 57, 58;) but the witnesses to this matter did not agree, (v. 59,) for one swore that he said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days, (so it is in Matthew;) that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59 But neither so did their witness agree together. 60 And "the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am: and eye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. n Matt. 26. 62, c. P. 39. 9. Is. 53. 7. 1 Pet. 2. 23. p Dan. 7. 13. Matt. Is. 50. 6. c. 15. 19. the other swore that he said, I will destroy this temple, that is made with hands, and within three days, I will build not it, but another made without hands; now these two differ much from each other; občè ich hy ʼn paprvpía-their testimony was not suthcient, nor equal to the charge of a capital crime; so Dr. Hammond: they did not accuse him of that upon which a sentence of death might be founded, no not by the utmost stretch of their law. V. He was urged to be his own accuser; (v. 60,) The high priest stood up in a heat, and said, Answerest thou nothing? This he said under pretence of justice and fair dealing, but really with a design to insnare him, that they might accuse kim, Luke 11. 53, 54.-20. 20. We may well imagine with what an air of haughtinesss and disdain this proud high priest brought our Lord Jesus to this question; "Come you, the prisoner at the bar, you hear what is sworn against you; what have you now to say for yourself?" Pleased to think that he seemed silent, who had so often silenced those that picked quarrels with him. Still Christ answered nothing, that he might set us an example, 1. Of patience under calumnies and false accusations; when we are reviled, let us not revile again, 1 Pet. 2. 22. And, 2. Of prudence, when a man shall be made an offender for a word, (Is. 29. 21,) and our defence made an offence; it is an evil time indeed when the prudent shall keep alcare, (lest they make bad worse,) and commit their cause to him that judgeth righteously. But, VI. When he was asked whether he was the Christ, he confessed, and denied not, that he was, v. 61, 62. He asked, Art thou the Son of the Blessed? that is, the Son of God? for, as Dr. Hammond observes, the Jews, when they named God, generally added, blessed for ever; and thence the Blessed is the title of God, a peculiar title, and applied to Christ, Rom. 9. 5. And for the proof of his being the Son of God he binds them over to his second coming; "Ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power; that Son of man that now appears so mean and despicable, whom you see and trample upon, (13. 53. 2, 3,) you shall shortly see and tremble before." Now, one would think that such a word as this which our Lord Jesus seems to have spoken with a grandeur and majesty not agreeable to his present appearance, (for through the thickest cloud of his humiliation some rays of glory were still darted forth,) should have startled the court, and at least, in the opinion of some of them, should have amounted to a demurrer, or arrest of judgment, and that they should have stayed process till they had considered further of it; when Paul at the bar reasoned of the judgment to come, the judge trembled, and adjourned the trial, Acts 24. 25. But these chief priests were so miserably blinded with malice and rage, that, like the horse rushing into the battle, they mocked at fear, and were not affrighted, neither believed they that it was the sound of the trumpet, Job 39. 22, 23. And see Job 15. 25, 26. VII. The High Priest, upon this confession of his, convicted him as a Blasphemer; (v. 63,) He rent his clothes-Xirovas abroù. Some think that the word significs his pontifical vestments, which, for the greater state, he had put on, though in the night, upon this occasion. As before, in his enmity to Christ, he said he knew not what, (John 11. 51, 52,) so now he did he knew not what. If Saul's rending of Samuel's mantle was made to signify the rending of the kingdom from him, (1 Sam. 15. 27, 2) much more did Caiaphas's rending of his own clothes signify the rending of the priesthood from him, as the rending of the vail, at Christ's death, signified the throwing of all open. Christ's clothes, even when he was crucified, were kept entire, and not rent; for when the Levitical priesthood was rent in pieces and done away, This Man, because he continues ever, has an unchangeable priesthood. VIII. They agreed that he was a Blasphemer, and, as such, was guilty of a capital crime, v. 64. The question seemed to be put fairly, What think ye? But it was really prejudged, for the high priest had said, Ye have heard the blasphemy; he 66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68 But he denied,' saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out. into the porch; and the cock crew. 69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilean," and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And 72 And the second time the cock crew. Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept." 2 Tim. 2. 12, 13. Acts v2 Cor. 7. 10. 8 Matt. 26. 69, &c. Luke 22. 55, &c. John 18. 16, &c. 2.7. or, he wept abundantly; or, he began to weep. gave judgment first, who, as president of the court, ought to have voted last. So they all condemned him to be guilty of death; what friends he had in the great Sanhedrims did not appear, it is probable that they had not notice. IX. They set themselves to abuse him, and, as the Philistines with Samson, to make sport with him, v. 65. It should seem that some of the priests themselves that had condemned him, so far forgot the dignity, as well as duty, of their place, and the gravity which became them, that they helped their servants in playing the fool with a condemned prisoner. This they made their diversion, while they waited for the morning, to complete their villany. That night of observations (as the passover night was called) they made a merry night of. If they did not think it below them to abuse Christ, shall we think any thing below us, by which we may do him honour? V. 66-72. We have here the story of Peter's denying Christ. 1. It began in keeping at a distance from him. Peter had followed afar off, (v. 54,) and now was beneath in the palace, at the lower end of the hall. Those that are shy of Christ, are in a fair way to deny him, that are shy of attending on holy ordinances, shy of the communion of the faithful, and loath to be seen on the side of despised godliness. 2. It was occasioned by his associating with the high priest's servants, and sitting among them. They that think it dangerous to be in company with Christ's disciples, because thence they may be drawn in to suffer for him, will find it much more dangerous to be in company with his enemies, because there they may be drawn in to sin against him. 3. The temptation was, his being charged as a disciple of Christ; Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth, v. 67. This is one of them, (v. 69,) for thou art a Galilean, one may know that by thy speaking broad, v. 70. It doth not appear that he was challenged upon it, or in danger of being prosecuted as a criminal for it, but only bantered upon it, and in danger of being ridiculed as a fool for it. While the chief priests were abusing the Master, the servants were abusing the disciples. Sometimes the cause of Christ seems to fall so much on the losing side, that every body has a stone to throw at it, and even the abjects gather themselves together against it. When Job was on the dunghill, he was had in derision of those that were the children of base men, Job 30. 8. Yet, all things considered, the temptation could not be called formidable; it was only a maid that casually cast her eye upon him, and, for aught that appears, without design of giving him any trouble, said, Thou art one of them, to which he needed not to have made any reply, or might have said, "And if I be, I hope that is no treason." 4. The sin was very great; he denied Christ before men, at a time when he ought to have confessed and owned him, and to have appeared in court a witness for him. Christ had often given notice to his disciples of his own sufferings; yet, when they came, they were to Peter as great a surprise and terror as if he had never heard of them before. He had often told them that they must suffer for him, must take up their cross, and follow him; and yet Peter is so terribly afraid of suffering, upon the very first alarm of it, that he will lie, and swear, and do any thing, to avoid it. When Christ was admired and flocked after, he could readily own him; but now that he is deserted, and despised, and run down, he is ashamed of him, and will own no relation to him. 5. His repentance was very speedy. He repeated his denial thrice, and the third was worst of all, for then he cursed and swore, to confirm his denial; and that third blow, which, one would think, should have stunned him, and knocked him down, startled him, and roused him up. Then the cock crew the second time, which put him in mind of his Master's words, the warning he had given him, with that particular circumstance of the cock crowing twice; by recollecting that, he was made sensible of his sin and the aggravations of it; and when he thought CHAPTER XV. What we read of the sufferings of Christ, in the foregoing chapter, was but the prologue or introduction: here we have the completing of them. We left him conbite. Here we have him, I. Arraigned and accused before Pilate the Roman governor, v. 1-5. 11. Cried out against by the common people, at the instigaIV. Bantered and abused, as a mock king, by the Roman soldiers, v. 16-19. demned by the chief priests; but they could only show their teeth, they could not tion of the priests, v. 6-14. III. Condemned to be crucified immediately, v. 15. V. Led out to the place of execution with all possible ignominy and disgrace v. 20-24. VI. Nailed to the cross between two thieves, v. 25-28. VII. Reviled and abused by all that passed by, v. 29-32. VIII. Forsaken for a time by his Father, v. 33-36. IX. Dying, and rending the vail, v. 37, 38. X. Attested and witnessed to by the centurion and others, v. 39-41. XI. Buried in the sepulchre of Joseph of Arimathea, v. 42-47. ND straightway in the morning the chief priests AND straightway in the morning the chief priests and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the king of the Jews? And he, answering, said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. a Ps. 2. 2. Matt. 27. 1, &c. Luke 23. 1, &c. John 18. 28, &c. Acts 3. 13. 4.26. bls. 53. 7. John 19. 9. c Matt. 27. 15. Luke 23. 17. John 18. 33. 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. 6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8 And the multitude, crying aloud, began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10 (For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.") 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12 And Pilate answered, and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13 And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. d Prov. 27.4. Ec. 4.4. Acts 13. 45. Tit. 3. 3. Acts 3. 14. f Ps. 2. 6. Jer. 23. 5. Acts 5. 31. g ls. 53. 9. thereon, he wept. Some observe that this evangelist, who his silence under the charge and accusation. The chief priests wrote, as some have thought, by St. Peter's direction, speaks forgot the dignity of their place, when they turned informers, as fully of Peter's sin as any of them, but more briefly of his and did in person accuse Christ of many things, (v. 3,) and witsorrow, which Peter, in modesty, would not have to be mag-ness against him, v. 4. Many of the Old-Testament prophets nified, and because he thought he could never sorrow enough charge the priests of their times with great wickedness, in for so great a sin. His repentance here is thus expressed, which well did they prophesy of their priests; see Ez. 22. 26. inißadav Exdait, where something must be supplied. He Hos. 5. 1.-6. 9. Mic. 3. 11. Zeph. 3. 4. Mal. 1. 6.-2. 8. added to weep, so some; making it a Hebraism; he wept, and The destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans is said to be the more he thought of it, the more he wept; he continued for the iniquity of the priests that shed the blood of the just, Lam. weeping; he flung out, and wept; burst out into tears; threw 4. 13. Note, Wicked priests are generally the worst of men. himself down, and wept; he covered his face, and wept, so The better any thing is, the worse it is when it is corrupted. some; cast his garment about his head, that he might not be Lay-persecutors have been generally found more compassionseen to weep; he cast his eyes upon his Master, who turned, ate than ecclesiastics. These priests were very eager and and looked upon him; so Dr. Hammond supplies it, and it is a noisy in their accusation; but Christ answered nothing, v. 3. probable conjecture. Or, as we understand it, fixing his mind When Pilate urged him to clear himself, and was desirous he upon it, he wept. It is not a transient thought of that which should, (v. 4,) yet still he stood mute, (v. 5,) he answered is humbling that will suffice, but we must dwell upon it. Or, nothing, which Pilate thought very strange. He gave Pilate a what if this word should mean his laying load upon himself, direct answer, (v. 2,) but would not answer the prosecutors and throwing confusion into his own face; he did as the publican witnesses, because the things they alleged were notoriously that smote his breast, in sorrow for sin; and this amounts to false, and he knew Pilate himself was convinced they were so. his weeping bitterly. Note, As Christ spake to admiration, so he kept silence to admiration. NOTES TO CHAPTER XV. V. 1-14. Here we have, I. A consultation held by the great sanhedrim for the effectual prosecution of our Lord Jesus. They met early in the morning about it, and went into a grand committee, to find out ways and means to get him put to death; they lost no time, but followed their blow in good earnest, lest there should be an uproar among the people. The unwearied industry of wicked people in doing that which is evil, should shame us for our backwardness and slothfulness in that which is good. They that war against Christ and thy soul, are up early; How long then wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? II. The delivering of him up a Prisoner to Pilate; they bound him. He was to be the great Sacrifice, and sacrifices must be bound with cords, Ps. 118. 27. Christ was bound, to make bonds easy to us, and enable us, as Paul and Silas, to sing in bonds. It is good for us often to remember the bonds of the Lord Jesus, as bound with him who was bound for us. They led him through the streets of Jerusalem, to expose him to contempt, who, while he taught in the temple, but a day or two before, was had in veneration; and we may well imagine how miserably he looked after such a night's usage as he had had; so buffeted, spit upon, and abused. Their delivering of him to the Roman power, was a type of the ruin of their church, which hereby they merited, and brought upon themselves; it signified that the promise, the covenant, and the oracles of God, and the visible church state, which were the glory of Israel, and had been so long in their possession, should now be delivered up to the Gentiles. By delivering up the King they do, in effect, deliver up the kingdom of God, which is therefore, as it were, by their own consent, taken from them, and given to another nation. If they had delivered up Christ, to gratify the desires of the Romans, or to satisfy any jealousies of theirs concerning him, it had been another matter; but they voluntarily betrayed him that was Israel's Crown, to them that were Israel's yoke. III. The examining of him by Pilate upon interrogatories; (v. 2,)"Art thou the king of the Jews? Dost thou pretend to be so, to be that Messiah whom the Jews expect as a temporal prince?" "Yea," saith Christ, "it is as thou sayest, I am that Messiah, but not such a one as they expect." He is the King that rules and protects his Israel according to the Spirit, who are Jews inwardly by the circumcision of the Spirit, and the King that will restrain and punish the carnal Jews, who continue in unbelief. IV. The articles of impeachment exhibited against him, and V. The proposal Pilate made to the people, to have Jesus released to them, since it was the custom of the feast to grace the solemnity with the release of one prisoner. The people expected and demanded that he should do as he had ever done to them, (v. 8:) it was an ill usage, but they would have it kept up. Now Pilate perceived that the chief priests delivered up Jesus for envy, because he had got such a reputation among the people as eclipsed theirs, v. 10. It was easy to see, comparing the eagerness of the persecutors with the slenderness of the proofs, that it was not his guilt, but his goodness, not any thing mischievous or scandalous, but something meritorious and glorious, that they were provoked at. And therefore, hearing how much he was the Darling of the crowd, he thought that he might safely appeal from the priests to the people, and that they would be proud of rescuing him out of the priests' hands; and he proposed an expedient for their doing it without danger of an uproar; let them demand him to be released, and Pilate will readily do it, and stop the mouths of the priests with itthat the people insisted upon his release. There was indeed another prisoner, one Barabbas, that had an interest, and would have some votes; but he questioned not but Jesus would outpoll him. VI. The unanimous outrageous clamours of the people to have Christ put to death, and particularly to have him crucified. It was a great surprise to Pilate, when he found the people so much under the influence of the priests, that they all agreed to desire that Barabbas might be released, v. 11. Pilate opposed it all he could; "What will ye that I shall do to him whom ye call the King of the Jews? Would not ye then have him released too?" v. 12. No, say they, Crucify him. The priests having put that in their mouths, they insist upon it; when Pilate objected, Why, what evil has he done? (a very material question in such a case,) they do not pretend to answer it, but cried out the more exceedingly, as they were more and more instigated and irritated by the priests, Crucify him, crucify selves and their creatures among the mob, to keep up the cry, him. Now the priests, who were very busy dispersing thempromised themselves that it would influence Pilate two ways to condemn him. 1. It might incline him to believe Christ guilty, when there was so general an outcry against him. Surely," might Pilate think, "he must needs be a bad man, whom all the world is weary of." He would now conclude that he had been misinformed, when he was told what an interest he had in the people, and that the matter was not so. But the priests had hurried on the prosecution with so much expediItion, that we may suppose that they who were Christ's friends, Pilate delivers Him to be crucified. CHAPTER XV. 15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall called Pretorium; and they call together the whole band. 17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head; 18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and, bowing their knees, worshipped him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took 21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who 22 And 'they bring him unto the place Golgotha, 24 And when they had crucified him, they parted 35, 36. and would have opposed this cry, were at the other end of the town, and knew nothing of the matter. Note, It has been the common artifice of Satan, to put Christ and his religion into an ill name, and so to run them down. When once this sect, as they called it, comes to be every where spoken against, though without cause, then that is looked upon as cause enough to condemn it. But let us judge of persons and things by their merits, and the standard of God's word, and not prejudge by common fame and the cry of the country. 2. It might induce him to condemn Christ, to please the people, and indeed for fear of displeasing them. Though he was not so weak as to be governed by their opinion, to believe him guilty, yet he was so wicked as to be swayed by their outrage, to condemn him, though he believed him innocent; induced thereunto by reasons of state, and the wisdom of this world. Our Lord Jesus dying as a Sacrifice for the sins of many, he fell a sacrifice to the rage of many. I. Pilate, to gratify the Jews' malice, delivers Christ to be crucified, v. 15. Willing to content the people, to do enough for them, (so the word is,) and make them easy, that he might keep them quiet, he released Barabbas unto them, who was the scandal and plague of their nation, and delivered Jesus to be crucified, who was the Glory and Blessing of their nation. Though he had scourged him before, hoping that would content them, and then not designing to crucify him, yet he went on to that; for, no wonder that he who could persuade himself to chastise one that was innocent, (Luke 23. 16,) could by degrees persuade himself to crucify him. Christ was crucified, for that was, 1. A bloody death, and without blood no remission, Heb. 9. 22. The blood is the life, (Gen. 9. 4;) it is the vehicle of the animal spirits, which connect the soul and body, so that the exhausting of the blood is the exhausting of the life. Christ was to lay down his life for us, and therefore shed his blood. Blood made atonement for the soul, (Lev. 17. 11,) and therefore in every sacrifice of propitiation special order was given for the pouring out of the blood, and the sprinkling of that before the Lord. Now, that Christ might answer all these types, he shed his blood. 2. It was a painful death; the pains were exquisite and acute, for death made its assaults upon the vitals by the exterior parts, which are quickest of sense. Christ died, so as that he might feel himself die, because he was to be both the Priest and the Sacrifice; so that he might be active in dying, because he was to make his soul an offering for sin. Tully calls crucifixion, Teterrimum supplicium-A most tremendous punishment: Christ would meet death in its greatest terror, and so conquer it. 3. It was a shameful death, the death of slaves, and the vilest male-elties they intended, they compelled one Simon of Cyrene to factors; so it was accounted among the Romans. The cross and the shame are put together. God having been injured in his honour by the sin of man, it is in his honour that Christ makes him satisfaction, not only by denying himself in, and divesting himself of, the honours due to his divine nature, for a time, but by submitting to the greatest reproach and ignominy the human nature was capable of being loaded with. Yet this was not the worst. 4. It was a cursed death; thus it was branded by the Jewish law; (Deut. 21. 23,) He that is hanged is accursed of God, is under a particular mark of God's displeaIt was the death that Saul's sons were put to, when the guilt of their father's bloody house was to be expiated, 2 Sam. 21. 6. Haman and his sons were hanged, Esth. 7. 10.-9. 13. We do not read of any of the prophets of the Old Testament that were hanged; but now that Christ has submitted to be hanged upon a tree, the reproach and curse of that kind of death are quite rolled away, so that it ought not to be any hinderance to the comfort of those who die either innocently or penitently, nor any diminution from, but rather an addition to, the glory of those who die martyrs for Christ, to be, as he was, hanged upon II. Pilate, to gratify the gay humour of his Roman soldiers, delivered him to them, to be abused and spitefully treated, while they were preparing for the execution. They called together the whole regiment that was then in waiting, and they went into an inner hall, where they ignominiously abused our Lord Jesus, as a King, just as in the high priest's hall his servants had ignominiously abused him as a Prophet and Saviour. 1. Do kings wear robes of purple or scarlet? They clothed him with purple. This abuse done to Christ in his apparel should be an intimation to Christians, not to make the putting on of apparel VOL. III.-38 25 And it was the third hour; and they crucified him. 26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28 And the scripture "was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. n Is. 53. 12. 29 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, o Ps. 22. 7. p c. 14. 58. John 2. 19. will provide, expecting that so it would be seen in the mount of the Lord. II. The time when he was crucified; it was the third hour, v. 25. He was brought before Pilate about the sixth hour, (John 19. 14,) according to the Roman way of reckoning, which John uses, with which ours at this day agrees, that is at six o'clock in the morning; and then, at the third hour, according to the Jews' way of reckoning, that is, about nine of the clock in the morning, or soon after, they nailed him to the cross. Dr. Lightfoot thinks the third hour is here mentioned, to intimate an aggravation of the wickedness of the priests, that they were here prosecuting Christ to the death, though it was after the third hour, when they ought to have been attending the service of the temple, and offering the peace-offerings; it being the first day of the feast of unleavened bread, when there was to be a holy convocation. At that very time, when they should have been, according to the duty of their place, presiding in the public devotions, were they here venting their malice against the Lord Jesus; yet these were the men that seemed so zealous for the temple, and condemned Christ for speaking against it. Note, There are many who pretend to be for the church, who yet care not how seldom they go to church. III. The indignities that were done him, when he was nailed to the cross; as if that had not been ignominious enough, they added several things to the ignominy of it. 1. It being the custom to give wine to persons that were to be put to death, they mingled his with myrrh, which was bitter, and made it nauseous; he tasted it, but would not drink it; was willing to admit the bitterness of it, but not the benefit of it. 2. The garments of those that were crucified being, as with us, the executioner's fee, the soldiers cast lots upon his garments, (v. 24,) threw dice (as our soldiers do upon a drum-head) for them: so making themselves merry with his misery, and sitting at their sport while he was hanging in pain. 3. They set a superscription over his head, by which they intended to reproach him, but really did him both justice and | honour. The King of the Jews, v. 26. Here was no crime alleged, but his sovereignty owned. Perhaps Pilate meant to cast disgrace upon Christ as a baffled King, or upon the Jews, who by their importunity had forced him, against his conscience, to condemn Christ, as a people that deserved no better a King than he seemed to be: however, God intended it to be the proclaiming even of Christ upon the cross, the King of Israel; though Pilate knew not what he wrote, any more than Caiaphas what he said, John 11. 51. Christ crucified is King of his church, his spiritual Israel; and even then when he hung on the cross, he was like a king, conquering his and his people's enemies, and triumphing over them, Col. 2. 15. Now he was writing his laws in his own blood, and preparing his favours for his subjects. Whenever we look unto Christ crucified, we must remember the inscription over his head, that he is a King, and we must give up ourselves to be his subjects, as Israelites indeed. 4. They crucified two thieves with him, one on his right hand, the other on his left, and him in the midst as the worst of the three, (v. 27;) so great a degree of dishonour did they hereby intend him. And, no doubt, it gave him disturbance too. Some that have been imprisoned in the common jails, for the testimony of Jesus, have complained of the company of cursing, swearing prisoners, more than of any other of the grievances of their prison. Now, in the midst of such our Lord Jesus was crucified; while he lived he had, as there was occasion, associated with sinners, to do them good; and now when he died, he was for the same purpose joined with them, for he came into the world, and went out of it, to save sinners, even the chief. But this evangelist takes particular notice of the fulfilling of the scriptures in it, v. 28. In that famous prediction of Christ's sufferings, (Is. 53. 12,) it was foretold that he should be numbered with the transgressors, because he was made Sin for us. 5. The spectators, that is, the generality of them, instead of condoling with him in his misery, added to it by insulting over him. Surely never was such an instance of barbarous inhumanity toward the vilest malefactor: but thus the devil showed the utmost rage against him, and thus he submitted to the greatest dishonours that could be done him. (1.) Even they that passed by, that were no way concerned, railed on him, v. 29. If their hearts were so hardened, that their compassions were not moved with such a spectacle, yet they should have thought it enough to have their curiosity gratified; but that will not serve as if they were not only divested of all humanity, but were devils in human shape, they taunted him, and expressed themselves with the utmost detestation of him, and indignation at him, and shot thick at him their arrows, even bitter words. The chief priests, no doubt, put these 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. 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. 33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land, until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud ↑ Matt. 27. 45. Luke 23. 44. 9 Rom. 3. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 13. sarcasms into their mouths, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, now, if thou canst, save thyself, and come down from the cross. They triumph as if, now that they had got him to the cross, there were no danger of his destroying the temple; whereas the temple of which he spake, he was now destroying, and did within three days build it up; and the temple of which they spake, he did by men, that were his sword and his hand, destroy not many years after. When secure sinners think the danger is over, it is then most ready to seize them: the day of the Lord comes as a thief upon those that deny his coming, and say, Where is the promise of it? much more upon those that defy his coming, and say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work. (2.) Even the chief priests, who, being taken from among men, and ordained for men, should have compassion even on those that are out of the way, should be tender of those that are suffering and dying, (Heb. 5. 1,2,) yet they poured vinegar, instead of oil, into his wounds, they talked to the grief of him whom God had smitten, (Ps. 69. 26,) they mocked him, they said, He saved others, healed and helped them, but now it appears that it was not by his own power, for himself he cannot save. They challenge him to come down from the cross, if he could, v. 32. Let them but see that, and they would believe; whereas they would not believe, when he gave them a more convincing sign than that, when he came up from the grave. These chief priests, one would think, might now have found themselves other work to do: if they would not go to do their duty in the temple, yet they might have been employed in an office not foreign to their profession; though they would not offer any counsel or comfort to the Lord Jesus, yet they might have given some help to the thieves in their dying moments; (the monks and priests in Popish countries are very officious about criminals broken upon the wheel, a death much like that of the cross ;) but they did not think that their business. (3.) Even they that were crucified with him, reviled him, (v. 32 ;) one of them did, so wretchedly was his heart hardened even in the depth of misery, and at the door of eternity. V. 33-41. Here we have an account of Christ's dying, how his enemies abused him, and God honoured him at his death. I. There was a thick darkness over the whole land, (some think over the whole earth,) for three hours, from noon till three of the clock. Now the scripture was fulfilled, (Am. 8. 9,) I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and will darken the earth in the clear day; and Jer. 15. 9, Her sun is gone down while it was yet day. The Jews had often demanded of Christ a sign from heaven; and now they had one, but such a one as signified the blinding of their eyes. It was a sign of the darkness that was come, and coming, upon the Jewish church and nation. They were doing their utmost to extinguish the Sun of righteousness, which was now setting, and the rising again of which they would never own; and what then might be expected among them but a worse than Egyptian darkness? This intimated to them, that the things which belonged to their peace were now hid from their eyes, and that the day of the Lord was at hand, which should be to them a day of darkness and gloominess, Joel 2. 1, 2. It was the power of darkness that they were now under, the works of darkness that they were now doing; and such as this should their doom justly be, who loved darkness rather than light. II. Toward the close of this darkness, our Lord Jesus, in the agony of his soul, cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? v. 34. The darkness signified the present cloud which the human soul of Christ was under, when he was making it an offering for sin. Mr. Fox, in his Acts and Monuments, (vol. 3, p. 160,) tells of one Mr. Hunter, a martyr in queen Mary's time, who, being fastened to the stake, to be burned, put up this short prayer, Son of God, shine upon me; and immediately the sun in the firmament shone out of a dark cloud, so full in his face, that he was forced to look another way, which was very comfortable to him. But our Lord Jesus on the contrary, was denied the light of the sun, when he was in his sufferings, to signify the withdrawing of the light of God's countenance. And this he complained of more than any thing; he did not complain of his disciples' forsaking him, but of his Father's, 1. Because this wounded his spirit; and that is a thing hard to bear, (Prov. 18. 14;) this brought the waters into his soul, Ps. 69. 1-3. 2. Because in this especially he was made Sin for us; our iniquities had deserved indignation and wrath upon the soul, (Rom. 2. 7,) and therefore, Christ, being made a Sacrifice, underwent as much of it as he was capable of; and it could not but bear hard indeed upon him who had lain in the bosom of the Father from eternity, and was always his Delight. These symptoms of divine wrath, which Christ |