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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
L U K E.
CHAP. XXIII.
This chapter carries on and concludes the history of Christ’s
sufferings and death. We have here,
I. His arraignment before Pilate the Roman governor,
II. His examination before Herod, who was tetrarch of Galilee, under
the Romans likewise,
III. Pilate’s struggle with the people to release Jesus, his repeated
testimonies concerning his innocency, but his yielding at length to
their importunity and condemning him to be crucified,
IV. An account of what passed as they led him to be crucified, and his
discourse to the people that followed,
V. An account of what passed at the place of execution, and the
indignities done him there,
VI. The conversion of one of the thieves, as Christ was hanging on the
cross,
VII. The death of Christ, and the prodigies that attended it,
VIII. His burial,
| Christ before Pilate and Herod; Christ Accused and Insulted. |
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1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto
Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow
perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar,
saying that he himself is Christ a King.
3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews?
And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I
find no fault in this man.
5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the
people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to
this place.
6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a
Galilæan.
7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s
jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at
Jerusalem at that time.
8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was
desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many
things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by
him.
9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered
him nothing.
10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently
accused him.
11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked
him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to
Pilate.
12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends
together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
Our Lord Jesus was condemned as a blasphemer in the spiritual court,
but it was the most impotent malice that could be that this
court was actuated by; for, when they had condemned him, they
knew they could not put him to death, and therefore took another
course.
I. They accused him before Pilate. The whole multitude of them
arose, when they saw they could go no further with him in their
court, and led him unto Pilate, though it was no judgment day,
no assizes or sessions; and they demanded justice against him, not as a
blasphemer (that was no crime that he took cognizance of), but as one
disaffected to the Roman government, which they in their hearts did not
look upon as any crime at all, or, if it was one, they themselves were
much more chargeable with it than he was; only it would serve the turn
and answer the purpose of their malice: and it is observable that that
which was the pretended crime, for which they employed the Roman
powers to destroy Christ, was the real crime for which the Roman
powers not long after destroyed them.
1. Here is the indictment drawn up against him
(v. 2),
in which they pretended a zeal for Cæsar, only to ingratiate
themselves with Pilate, but it was all malice against Christ,
and nothing else. They misrepresented him,
(1.) As making the people rebel against Cæsar. It was
true, and Pilate knew it, that there was a general uneasiness in the
people under the Roman yoke, and they wanted nothing but an opportunity
to shake it off; now they would have Pilate believe that this Jesus was
active to foment that general discontent, which, if the truth was
known, they themselves were the aiders and abettors of: We have
found him perverting the nation; as if converting them to God’s
government were perverting them from the civil government;
whereas nothing tends more to make men good subjects than making them
Christ’s faithful followers. Christ had particularly taught that they
ought to give tribute to Cæsar, though he knew there were
those that would be offended at him for it; and yet he is here falsely
accused as forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar. Innocency
is no fence against calumny.
(2.) As making himself a rival with Cæsar, though the very
reason why they rejected him, and would not own him to be the Messiah,
was because he did not appear in worldly pomp and power, and did not
set up for a temporal prince, nor offer to do any thing against
Cæsar; yet this is what they charged him with, that he said,
he himself is Christ a king. He did say that he was
Christ, and, if so, then a king, but not such a king as
was ever likely to give disturbance to Cæsar. When his followers
would have made him a king
(John vi. 15),
he declined it, though by the many miracles he wrought he made it
appear that if he would have set up in competition with Cæsar he
would have been too hard for him.
2. His pleading to the indictment: Pilate asked him, Art thou the
king of the Jews?
v. 3.
To which he answered, Thou sayest it; that is, “It is as thou
sayest, that I am entitled to the government of the Jewish nation; but
in rivalship with the scribes and Pharisees, who tyrannize over them in
matters of religion, not in rivalship with Cæsar, whose
government relates only to their civil interests.” Christ’s kingdom is
wholly spiritual, and will not interfere with Cæsar’s
jurisdiction. Or, “Thou sayest it; but canst thou prove it?
What evidence hast thou for it?” All that knew him knew the contrary,
that he never pretended to be the king of the Jews, in
opposition to Cæsar as supreme, or to the governors that were
sent by him, but the contrary.
3. Pilate’s declaration of his innocency
(v. 4):
He said to the chief priests, and the people that seemed to join
with them in the prosecution, “I find no fault in this man. What
breaches of your law he may have been guilty of I am not concerned to
enquire, but I find nothing proved upon him that makes him obnoxious to
our court.”
4. The continued fury and outrage of the prosecutors,
v. 5.
Instead of being moderated by Pilate’s declaration of his innocency,
and considering, as they ought to have done, whether they were not
bringing the guilt of innocent blood upon themselves, they were the
more exasperated, more exceedingly fierce. We do not find that
they have any particular fact to produce, much less any evidence to
prove it; but they resolve to carry it with noise and confidence, and
say it, though they cannot prove it: He stirs up the people to
rebel against Cæsar, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning
from Galilee to this place. He did stir up the people, but
it was not to any thing factious or seditious, but to every thing that
was virtuous and praiseworthy. He did teach, but they could not
charge him with teaching any doctrine that tended to disturb the public
peace, or make the government uneasy or jealous.
II. They accused him before Herod.
1. Pilate removed him and his cause to Herod’s court. The accusers
mentioned Galilee, the northern part of Canaan. “Why,” saith Pilate,
“is he of that country? Is he a Galilean?”
v. 6.
“Yes,” said they, “that is his head-quarters; there he was spent most
of his time.” “Let us send him to Herod then,” saith Pilate, “for Herod
is now in town, and it is but fit he should have cognizance of his
cause, since he belongs to Herod’s jurisdiction.” Pilate was already
sick of the cause, and desirous to rid his hands of it, which seems to
have been the true reason for sending him to Herod. But God ordered it
so for the more evident fulfilling of the scripture, as appears
where that of David
(Ps. ii. 2),
The kings of the earth and the rulers set themselves against the
Lord and his Anointed, is expressly said to be fulfilled in Herod
and Pontius Pilate.
2. Herod was very willing to have the examining of him
(v. 8):
When he saw Jesus he was exceedingly glad, and perhaps the more
glad because he saw him a prisoner, saw him in bonds. He had heard
many things of him in Galilee, where his miracles had for a great
while been all the talk of the country; and he longed to see
him, not for any affection he had for him or his doctrine, but
purely out of curiosity; and it was only to gratify this that he
hoped to have seen some miracle done by him, which would serve
him to talk of as long as he lived. In order to this, he questioned
with him in many things, that at length he might bring him to
something in which he might show his power. Perhaps he pumped him
concerning things secret, or things to come, or
concerning his curing diseases. But Jesus answered him nothing;
nor would he gratify him so much as with the performance of one
miracle. The poorest beggar, that asked a miracle for the relief of his
necessity, was never denied; but this proud prince, that asked a
miracle merely for the gratifying of his curiosity, is denied. He
might have seen Christ and his wondrous works many a time in Galilee,
and would not, and therefore it is justly said, Now he would see
them, and shall not; they are hidden from his eyes, because he
knew not the day of his visitation. Herod thought, now that he had him
in bonds, he might command a miracle, but miracles must not be
made cheap, nor Omnipotence be at the beck of the greatest potentate.
3. His prosecutors appeared against him before Herod, for they were
restless in the prosecution: They stood, and vehemently accused
him
(v. 10),
impudently and boldly, so the word signifies. They would
make Herod believe that he had poisoned Galilee too with his seditious
notions. Note, It is no new thing for good men and good ministers, that
are real and useful friends to the civil government, to be falsely
accused as factious and seditious, and enemies to government.
4. Herod was very abusive to him: He, with his men of
war, his attendants, and officers, and great men, set him at
nought. They made nothing of him; so the word is. Horrid
wickedness! To make nothing of him who made all things.
They laughed at him as a fool; for they knew he had wrought many
miracles to befriend others, and why would he not now work one to
befriend himself? Or, they laughed at him as one that had lost his
power, and was become weak as other men. Herod, who had been acquainted
with John Baptist, and had more knowledge of Christ too than Pilate
had, was more abusive to Christ than Pilate was; for knowledge
without grace does but make men the more ingeniously wicked.
Herod arrayed Christ in a gorgeous robe, some gaudy painted
clothes, as a mock-king; and so he taught Pilate’s soldiers afterwards
to do him the same indignity. He was ringleader in that abuse.
5. Herod sent him back to Pilate, and it proved an occasion of the
making of them friends, they having been for some time before at
variance. Herod could not get sight of a miracle, but would not
condemn him neither as a malefactor, and therefore sent him again to
Pilate
(v. 11),
and so returned Pilate’s civility and respect in sending the prisoner
to him; and this mutual obligation, with the messages that passed
between them on this occasion, brought them to a better understanding
one of another than there had been of late between them,
They had been at enmity between themselves, probably upon
Pilate’s killing of the Galileans, who were Herod’s subjects
(Luke xiii. 1),
or some other such matter of controversy as usually occurs among
princes and great men. Observe how those that quarrelled with one
another yet could unite against Christ; as Gebal, and Ammon, and
Amalek, though divided among themselves, were confederate against the
Israel of God,
Ps. lxxxiii. 7.
Christ is the great peace-maker; both Pilate and Herod owned his
innocency, and their agreeing in this cured their disagreeing in other
things.
| Barabbas Preferred to Christ. |
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13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests
and the rulers and the people,
14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one
that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him
before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things
whereof ye accuse him:
15 No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing
worthy of death is done unto him.
16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the
feast.)
18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this
man, and release unto us Barabbas:
19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for
murder, was cast into prison.)
20 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to
them.
21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.
22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he
done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore
chastise him, and let him go.
23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he
might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief
priests prevailed.
24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder
was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered
Jesus to their will.
We have here the blessed Jesus run down by the mob, and hurried to the
cross in the storm of a popular noise and tumult, raised by the malice
and artifice of the chief priests, as agents for the prince of
the power of the air.
I. Pilate solemnly protests that he believes he has done nothing worthy
of death or of bonds. And, if he did believe so, he ought immediately
to have discharged him, and not only so, but to have
protected him from the fury of the priests and rabble, and to
have bound his prosecutors to their good behaviour for their insolent
conduct. But, being himself a bad man, he had no kindness for Christ,
and, having made himself otherwise obnoxious, was afraid of displeasing
either the emperor or the people; and therefore, for want of integrity,
he called together the chief priests, and rulers, and people
(whom he should have dispersed, as a riotous and seditious
assembly, and forbid them to come near him), and will hear what
they have to say, to whom he should have turned a deaf ear, for he
plainly saw what spirit actuated them
(v. 14):
“You have brought,” saith he, “this man to me, and,
because I have a respect for you, I have examined him before
you, and have heard all you have to allege against him, and I can
make nothing of it: I find no fault in him; you cannot prove the
things whereof you accuse him.”
II. He appeals to Herod concerning him
(v. 15):
“I sent you to him, who is supposed to have known more of him
than I have done, and he has sent him back, not convicted of any
thing, nor under any mark of his displeasure; in his opinion, his
crimes are not capital. He has laughed at him as a weak man, but has
not stigmatized him as a dangerous man.” He thought Bedlam a fitter
place for him than Tyburn.
III. He proposes to release him, if they will but consent to it. He
ought to have done it without asking leave of them, Fiat justitia,
ruat cœlum–Let justice have its course, though the heavens should be
desolated. But the fear of man brings many into this snare, that,
whereas justice should take place, though heaven and earth come
together, they will do an unjust thing, against their consciences,
rather than pull an old house about their ears. Pilate declares him
innocent, and therefore has a mind to release him; yet, to please the
people,
1. He will release him under the notion of a malefactor, because of
necessity he must release one
(v. 17);
so that whereas he ought to have been released by an act of
justice, and thanks to nobody, he would have him released by an
act of grace, and not be beholden to the people for it.
2. He will chastise him, and release him. If no fault be
to be found in him, why should he be chastised? There is as much
injustice in scourging as in crucifying an innocent man; nor would it
be justified by pretending that this would satisfy the clamours of the
people, and make him the object of their pity who was not to be
the object of their envy. We must not do evil that good may come.
IV. The people choose rather to have Barabbas released, a wretched
fellow, that had nothing to recommend him to their favour but the
daringness of his crimes. He was imprisoned for a sedition made in
the city, and for murder (of all crimes among men the least
pardonable), yet this was the criminal that was preferred before
Christ: Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas,
v. 18, 19.
And no wonder that such a man is the favourite and darling of such a
mob, he that was really seditious, rather than he that was
really loyal and falsely accused of sedition.
V. When Pilate urged the second time that Christ should be released,
they cried out, Crucify him, crucify him,
v. 20, 21.
They not only will have him die, but will have him die so great a
death; nothing less will serve but he must be crucified: Crucify
him, crucify him.
VI. When Pilate the third time reasoned with them, to show them the
unreasonableness and injustice of it, they were the more peremptory and
outrageous
(v. 22):
“Why? What evil hath he done? Name his crime. I have found no
cause of death, and you cannot say what cause of death you have
found in him; and therefore, if you will but speak the word, I will
chastise him and let him go.” But popular fury, the more it is
complimented, the more furious it grows; they were instant with loud
voices, with great noises or outcries, not requesting, but
requiring, that he might be crucified; as if they had as much
right, at the feast, to demand the crucifying of one that was innocent
as the release of one that was guilty.
VII. Pilate’s yielding, at length, to their importunity. The voice of
the people and of the chief priests prevailed, and were too hard
for Pilate, and overruled him to go contrary to his convictions and
inclinations. He had not courage to go against so strong a stream, but
gave sentence that it should be as they required,
v. 24.
Here is judgment turned away backward, and justice standing
afar off, for fear of popular fury. Truth is fallen in the
street, and equity cannot enter,
Isa. lix. 14.
Judgment was looked for, but behold oppression;
righteousness, but behold a cry,
Isa. v. 7.
This is repeated in
with the aggravating circumstance of the release of Barabbas: He
released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into
prison, who hereby would be hardened in his wickedness, and do the
more mischief, because him they had desired, being altogether
such a one as themselves; but he delivered Jesus to their will,
and he could not deal more barbarously with him than to deliver him to
their will, who hated him with a perfect hatred,
and whose tender mercies were cruelty.
| The Crucifixion. |
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26 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 bewailed and lamented him.
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem,
weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall
say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and
the paps which never gave suck.
30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us;
and to the hills, Cover us.
31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be
done in the dry?
We have here the blessed Jesus, the Lamb of God, led as a lamb to
the slaughter, to the sacrifice. It is strange with what expedition
they went through his trial; how they could do so much work in such a
little time, though they had so many great men to deal with, attendance
on whom is usually a work of time. He was brought before the chief
priests at break of day
(ch. xxii. 66),
after that to Pilate, then to Herod, then to Pilate again; and there
seems to have been a long struggle between Pilate and the people about
him. He was scourged, and crowned with thorns and contumeliously used,
and all this was done in four or five hours’ time, or six at most, for
he was crucified between nine o’clock and twelve. Christ’s persecutors
resolve to lose no time, for fear lest his friends at the other end of
the town should get notice of what they were doing, and should rise to
rescue him. Never any one was so chased out of the world as
Christ was, but so he himself said, Yet a little while and ye shall
not see me; a very little while indeed. Now as they led him away to
death we find,
I. One that was a bearer, that carried his cross, Simon
by name, a Cyrenian, who probably was a friend of Christ, and
was known to be so, and this was done to put a reproach upon him; they
laid Christ’s cross upon him, that he might bear it after Jesus
(v. 26),
lest Jesus should faint under it and die away, and so prevent the
further instances of malice they designed. It was pity, but a cruel
pity, that gave him this ease.
II. Many that were mourners, true mourners, who followed him,
bewailing and lamenting him. These were not only his
friends and well-wishers, but the common people, that were not his
enemies, and were moved with compassion towards him, because they had
heard the fame of him, and what an excellent useful man he was, and had
reason to think he suffered unjustly. This drew a great crowd after
him, as is usual at executions, especially of those that have been
persons of distinction: A great company of people followed him,
especially of women
(v. 27),
some led by pity, others by curiosity, but they also (as well as
those that were his particular friends and acquaintance) bewailed
and lamented him. Though there were many that reproached and
reviled him, yet there were some that valued him, and pitied him, and
were sorry for him, and were partakers with him in his sufferings. The
dying of the Lord Jesus may perhaps move natural affections in many
that are strangers to devout affections; many bewail Christ that do not
believe in him, and lament him that do not love him above all. Now here
we are told what Christ said to these mourners. Though one would think
he should be wholly taken up with his own concern, yet he found time
and heart to take cognizance of their tears. Christ died
lamented, and has a bottle for the tears of those that lamented
him. He turned to them, though they were strangers to him, and
bade them not weep for him, but for themselves. He diverts their
lamentation into another channel,
1. He gives them a general direction concerning their lamentations:
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me. Not that they were to
be blamed for weeping for him, but rather commended; those hearts were
hard indeed that were not affected with such sufferings of such a
person; but they must not weep for him only (those were profitless
tears that they shed for him), but rather let them weep for
themselves and for their children, with an eye to the destruction
that was coming upon Jerusalem, which some of them might live to see
and share in the calamities of, or, at least, their children would, for
whom they ought to be solicitous. Note, When with an eye of faith we
behold Christ crucified we ought to weep, not for him, but for
ourselves. We must not be affected with the death of Christ as with the
death of a common person whose calamity we pity, or of a common friend
whom we are likely to part with. The death of Christ was a thing
peculiar; it was his victory and triumph over his enemies; it was our
deliverance, and the purchase of eternal life for us. And therefore let
us weep, not for him, but for our own sins, and the sins of our
children, that were the cause of his death; and weep for fear (such
were the tears here prescribed) of the miseries we shall bring upon
ourselves, if we slight his love, and reject his grace, as the Jewish
nation did, which brought upon them the ruin here foretold. When our
dear relations and friends die in Christ, we have no reason to weep for
them, who have put off the burden of the flesh, are made perfect in
holiness, and have entered into perfect rest and joy, but for ourselves
and our children, who are left behind in a world of sins, and sorrows,
and snares.
2. He gives them a particular reason why they should weep for
themselves and for their children: “Fore behold sad times are
coming upon your city; it will be destroyed, and you will be involved
in the common destruction.” When Christ’s own disciples sorrowed after
a godly sort for his leaving them, he wiped away their tears
with the promise that he would see them again, and they should
rejoice,
John xvi. 22.
But, when these daughters of Jerusalem bewailed him only with a
worldly sorrow, he turned their tears into another channel, and
told them that they should have something given them to cry for. Let
them be afflicted, and mourn, and weep,
Jam. iv. 9.
He had lately wept over Jerusalem himself, and now he bids them weep
over it. Christ’s tears should set us a weeping. Let the daughters of
Zion, that own Christ for their king, rejoice in him, for he comes to
save them; but let the daughters of Jerusalem, that only weep for him,
but do not take him for their king, weep and tremble to think of his
coming to judge them. Now the destruction of Jerusalem is here foretold
by two proverbial sayings, that might then fitly be used, which both
bespeak it very terrible, that what people commonly dread they would
then desire, to be written childless and to be buried
alive.
(1.) They would wish to be written childless. Whereas commonly
those that have no children envy those that have, as Rachel envied
Leah, then those that have children will find them such a burden in
attempting to escape, and such a grief when they see them either
fainting for famine or falling by the sword, that they
will envy those that have none, and say, Blessed are the barren, and
the wombs that never bare, that have no children to be given
up to the murderer, or to be snatched out of his hands. It
would not only go ill with those who at that time were with
child, or giving suck, as Christ had said
but it would be terrible to those who had had children, and suckled
them, and had them now alive. See
See the vanity of the creature and the uncertainty of its comforts; for
such may be the changes of Providence concerning us that those very
things may become the greatest burdens, cares, and griefs to us, which
we have delighted in as the greatest blessings.
(2.) They would wish to be buried alive: They shall begin to say to
the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, Cover us,
v. 30.
This also refers to a passage in the same prophecy with the former,
They shall wish to be hid in the darkest caves, that they may be out of
the noise of these calamities. They will be willing to be sheltered
upon any terms, though with the hazard of being crushed to pieces. This
would be the language especially of the great and mighty men,
They that would not flee to Christ for refuge, and put themselves under
his protection, will in vain call to hills and mountains
to shelter them from his wrath.
2. He shows how natural it was for them to infer this desolation from
his sufferings. If they do these things in a green tree, what shall
be done in the dry?
v. 31.
Some think that this is borrowed from
The fire shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry
tree. These words may be applied,
(1.) More particularly to the destruction of Jerusalem, which Christ
here foretold, and which the Jews by putting him to death brought upon
themselves: “If they (the Jews, and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem) do these things upon the green tree, if they do thus
abuse an innocent and excellent person for his good works, how
may they expect God to deal with them for their so doing, who
have made themselves a dry tree, a corrupt and wicked
generation, and good for nothing? If this be their sin, what do you
think will be their punishment?” Or take it thus: “If they (the Romans,
their judges, and their soldiers) abuse me thus, who have given them no
provocation, who am to them as a green tree, which you seem to be as
much enraged at, what will they do by Jerusalem and the Jewish
nation, who will be so very provoking to them, and make themselves as a
dry tree, as fuel to the fire of their resentments? If God
suffer those things to be done to me, what will he appoint to be done
to those barren trees of whom it had been often said that they should
be hewn down and cast into the fire?”
(2.) They may be applied more generally to all the revelations of God’s
wrath against sin and sinners: “If God deliver me up to such sufferings
as these because I am made a sacrifice for sin, what will he do with
sinners themselves?” Christ was a green tree, fruitful and
flourishing; now, if such things were done to him, we may thence infer
what would have been done to the whole race of mankind if he had not
interposed, and what shall be done to those that continue dry
trees, notwithstanding all that is done to make them fruitful. If God
did this to the Son of his love, when he found sin but imputed to him,
what shall he do to the generation of his wrath, when he finds sin
reigning in them? If the Father was pleased in doing these things to
the green tree, why should he be loth to do it to the dry? Note, The
consideration of the bitter sufferings of our Lord Jesus should engage
us to stand in awe of the justice of God, and to tremble before him.
The best saints, compared with Christ, are dry tree; if he
suffer, why may not they expect so suffer? And what then shall the
damnation of sinners be?
| The Crucifixion. |
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32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to
be put to death.
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called
Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on
the right hand, and the other on the left.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
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.
38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of
Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
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.
In these verses we have,
I. Divers passages which we had before in Matthew and Mark concerning
Christ’s sufferings.
1. That there were two others, malefactors, led with him to the
place of execution, who, it is probable, had been for some time under
sentence of death, and were designed to be executed on this day, which
was probably the pretence for making such haste in the prosecution of
Christ, that he and these two malefactors might be executed together,
and one solemnity might serve.
2. That he was crucified at a place called Calvary,
Kranion, the Greek name for Golgotha–the place of a
skull: an ignominious place, to add to the reproach of his
sufferings, but significant, for there he triumphed over death as it
were upon his own dunghill. He was crucified. His hands and feet
were nailed to the cross as it lay upon the ground, and it was then
lifted up, and fastened into the earth, or into some socket made
to receive it. This was a painful and shameful death above any other.
3. That he was crucified in the midst between two thieves, as if
he had been the worst of the three. Thus he was not only treated as a
transgressor, but numbered with them, the worst of them.
4. That the soldiers who were employed in the execution seized his
garments as their fee, and divided them among themselves by lot:
They parted his raiment, and cast lots; it was worth so little
that, if divided, it would come to next to nothing, and therefore they
cast lots for it.
5. That he was reviled and reproached, and treated with all the scorn
and contempt imaginable, when he was lifted up upon the cross.
It was strange that so much barbarity should be found in the human
nature: The people stood beholding, not at all concerned, but
rather pleasing themselves with the spectacle; and the rulers,
whom from their office one would take to be men of sense and men of
honour, stood among the rabble, and derided him, to set those on
that were about them to do so too; and they said, He saved others,
let him save himself. Thus was he upbraided for the good works he
had done, as if it were indeed for these that they
crucified him. They triumphed over him as if they had conquered
him, whereas he was himself then more than a conqueror; they challenged
him to save himself from the cross, when he was saving others by the
cross: If he be the Christ, the chosen of God, let him save
himself. They knew that the Christ was the chosen of God,
designed by him, and dear to him. “If he, as the Christ, would deliver
our nation from the Romans (and they could not form any other idea than
that of the Messiah), let him deliver himself from the Romans that have
him now in their hands.” Thus the Jewish rulers jeered him as
subdued by the Romans, instead of subduing them. The Roman
soldiers jeered him as the King of the Jews: “A people good
enough for such a prince, and a prince good enough for such a people.”
They mocked him
(v. 36, 37);
they made sport with him, and made a jest of his sufferings; and when
they were drinking sharp sour wine themselves, such as was generally
allotted them, they triumphantly asked him if he would pledge them, or
drink with them. And they said, If thou be the king of the Jews,
save thyself; for, as the Jews prosecuted him under the notion of a
pretended Messiah, so the Romans under the notion of a pretended king.
6. That the superscription over his head, setting forth his crime, was,
This is the King of the Jews,
v. 38.
He is put to death for pretending to be the king of the Jews; so they
meant it; but God intended it to be a declaration of what he really
was, notwithstanding his present disgrace: he is the king of the
Jews, the king of the church, and his cross is the way to his
crown. This was written in those that were called the three learned
languages, Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, for those are best
learned that have learned Christ. It was written in these three
languages that it might be known and read of all men; but God designed
by it to signify that the gospel of Christ should be preached to all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem, and be read in all languages.
The Gentile philosophy made the Greek tongue famous, the Roman laws and
government made the Latin tongue so, and the Hebrew excelled them all
for the sake of the Old Testament. In these three languages is Jesus
Christ proclaimed king. Young scholars, that are taking pains at
school to make themselves masters of these three languages, should aim
at this, that in the use of them they may increase their acquaintance
with Christ.
II. Here are two passages which we had not before, and they are very
remarkable ones.
1. Christ’s prayer for his enemies
(v. 34):
Father, forgive them. Seven remarkable words Christ spoke after
he was nailed to the cross, and before he died, and this is the first.
One reason why he died the death of the cross was that he might have
liberty of speech to the last, and so might glorify his Father and
edify those about him. As soon as ever he was fastened to the cross, or
while they were nailing him, he prayed this prayer, in which
observe,
(1.) The petition: Father, forgive them. One would think that he
should have prayed, “Father, consume them; the Lord look upon it, and
requite it.” The sin they were now guilty of might justly have been
made unpardonable, and justly might they have been excepted by name out
of the act of indemnity. No, these are particularly prayed for.
Now he made intercession for transgressors, as was foretold
and it is to be added to his prayer
(John xvii.),
to complete the specimen he gave of his intercession within the veil:
that for saints, this for sinners. Now the sayings of Christ upon the
cross as well as his sufferings had a further intention than they
seemed to have. This was a mediatorial word, and explicatory of the
intent and meaning of his death: “Father, forgive them, not only
these, but all that shall repent, and believe the gospel;” and he did
not intend that these should be forgiven upon any other terms. “Father,
that which I am now suffering and dying for is in order to this, that
poor sinners may be pardoned.” Note,
[1.] The great thing which Christ died to purchase and procure for us
is the forgiveness of sin.
[2.] This is that for which Christ intercedes for all that repent and
believe in the virtue of his satisfaction; his blood speaks this:
Father, forgive them.
[3.] The greatest sinners may, through Christ, upon their repentance,
hope to find mercy. Though they were his persecutors and murderers, he
prayed, Father, forgive them.
(2.) The plea: For they know not what they do; for, if they
had known, they would not have crucified him,
There was a veil upon his glory and upon their understandings; and how
could they see through two veils? They wished his blood on them and
their children: but, had they known what they did, they would have
unwished it again. Note,
[1.] The crucifiers of Christ know not what they do. They that
speak ill or religion speak ill of that which they know not, and it is
because they will not know it.
[2.] There is a kind of ignorance that does in part excuse sin:
ignorance through want of the means of knowledge or of a capacity to
receive instruction, through the infelicities of education, or
inadvertency. The crucifiers of Christ were kept in ignorance by their
rulers, and had prejudices against him instilled into them, so that in
what they did against Christ and his doctrine they thought they did God
service,
Such as to be pitied and prayed for. This prayer of Christ was answered
not long after, when many of those that had a hand in his death were
converted by Peter’s preaching. This is written also for example to us.
First, We must in prayer call God Father, and come to him
with reverence and confidence, as children to a father.
Secondly, The great thing we must beg of God, both for ourselves
and others, is the forgiveness of sins. Thirdly, We must pray
for our enemies, and those that hate and persecute us, must
extenuate their offences, and not aggravate them as we must our own
(They know not what they do; peradventure it was an oversight);
and we must be earnest with God in prayer for the forgiveness of their
sins, their sins against us. This is Christ’s example to his own rule
Love your enemies); and it very much strengthens the rule, for,
if Christ loved and prayed for such enemies, what enemies can we have
that we are not obliged to love and pray for?
2. The conversion of the thief upon the cross, which is an illustrious
instance of Christ’s triumphing over principalities and powers even
when he seemed to be triumphed over by them. Christ was crucified
between two thieves, and in them were represented the different effects
which the cross of Christ would have upon the children of men, to whom
it would be brought near in the preaching of the gospel. They
were all malefactors, all guilty before God. Now the cross of Christ is
to some a savour of life unto life, to others of death unto
death. To them that perish it is foolishness, but to them that are
saved it is the wisdom of God and the power of God.
(1.) Here was one of these malefactors that was hardened to the
last. Near to the cross of Christ, he railed on him, as
others did
(v. 39):
he said, If thou be the Christ, as they say thou art, save
thyself and us. Though he was now in pain and agony, and in the
valley of the shadow of death, yet this did not humble his proud
spirit, nor teach him to give good language, no, not to his
fellow-sufferer. Though thou bray a fool in a mortar, yet will not
his foolishness depart from him. No troubles will of themselves
work a change in a wicked heart, but sometimes they irritate the
corruption which one would think they should mortify. He
challenges Christ to save both himself and them. Note, There are
some that have the impudence to rail at Christ, and yet the confidence
to expect to be saved by him; nay, and to conclude that, if he do not
save them, he is not to be looked upon as the Saviour.
(2.) Here was the other of them that was softened at the last.
It as said in Matthew and Mark that the thieves, even they
that were crucified with him, reviled him, which some think is by a
figure put for one of them, but others think that they both
reviled him at first, till the heart of one of them was
wonderfully changed, and with it his language on a sudden. This
malefactor, when just ready to fall into the hands of Satan, was
snatched as a brand out of the burning, and made a monument of divine
mercy and grace, and Satan was left to roar as a lion disappointed of
his prey. This gives no encouragement to any to put off their
repentance to their death-bed, or to hope that then they shall find
mercy; for, though it is certain that true repentance is never too
late, it is as certain that late repentance is seldom true. None can be
sure that they shall have time to repent at death, but every man may be
sure that he cannot have the advantages that this penitent thief had,
whose case was altogether extraordinary. He never had any offer of
Christ, nor day of grace, before how: he was designed to be made a
singular instance of the power of Christ’s grace now at a time when he
was crucified in weakness. Christ, having conquered Satan in the
destruction of Judas and the preservation of Peter, erects this further
trophy of his victory over him in the conversion of this malefactor, as
a specimen of what he would do. We shall see the case to be
extraordinary if we observe,
[1.] The extraordinary operations of God’s grace upon him, which
appeared in what he said. Here were so many evidences given in a short
time of a blessed change wrought in him that more could not have been
given in so little a compass.
First, See what he said to the other malefactor,
1. He reproved him for railing at Christ, as destitute of the fear
of God, and having no sense at all of religion: Dost not thou
fear God? This implies that it was the fear of God which restrained
him from following the multitude to do this evil. “I fear God, and
therefore dare not do it; and dost not thou?” All that have their eyes
opened see this to be at the bottom of the wickedness of the wicked,
that they have not the fear of God before their eyes. “If thou hadst
any humanity in thee, thou wouldest not insult over one that is thy
fellow-sufferer; thou art in the same condition; thou art a
dying man too, and therefore, whatever these wicked people do,
it ill becomes thee to abuse a dying man.”
2. He owns that he deserves what was done to him: We indeed
justly. It is probable that they both suffered for one and the same
crime, and therefore he spoke with the more assurance, We received
the due reward of our deeds. This magnifies divine grace, as acting
in a distinguishing way. These two have been comrades in sin and
suffering, and yet one is saved and the other perishes;
two that had gone together all along hitherto, and yet now one taken
and the other left. He does not say, Thou indeed justly, but
We. Note, True penitents acknowledge the justice of God in all
the punishments of their sin. God has done right, but we have
done wickedly.
3. He believes Christ to have suffered wrongfully. Though he was
condemned in two courts, and run upon as if he had been the worst of
malefactors, yet this penitent thief is convinced, by his conduct in
his sufferings, that he has done nothing amiss, ouden
atopon—nothing absurd, or unbecoming his character. The
chief priests would have him crucified between the malefactors,
as one of them; but this thief has more sense than they, and
owns he is not one of them. Whether he had before heard of
Christ and of his wonderous works does not appear, but the Spirit of
grace enlightened him with this knowledge, and enabled him to say, This
man has done nothing amiss.
Secondly, See what he said to our Lord Jesus: Lord, remember
me when thou comest into thy kingdom,
v. 42.
This is the prayer of a dying sinner to a dying Saviour.
It was the honour of Christ to be thus prayed to, though he was
upon the cross reproached and reviled. It was the happiness of the
thief thus to pray; perhaps he never prayed before, and yet now
was heard, and saved at the last gasp. While there is life there is
hope, and while there is hope there is room for prayer.
1. Observe his faith in this prayer. In his confession of sin
(v. 41)
he discovered repentance towards God. In this petition he
discovered faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. He owns him to
be Lord, and to have a kingdom, and that he was going to
that kingdom, that he should have authority in that kingdom, and that
those should be happy whom he favoured; and to believe and
confess all this was a great thing at this time of day.
Christ was now in the depth of disgrace, deserted by his own disciples,
reviled by his own nation, suffering as a pretender, and not delivered
by his Father He made this profession before those prodigies happened
which put honour upon his sufferings, and which startled the centurion;
yet verily we have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
He believed another life after this, and desired to be happy in
that life, not as the other thief, to be saved from the
cross, but to be well provided for when the cross had done its
worst.
2. Observe his humility in this prayer. All his request is, Lord,
remember me. He does not pray, Lord, prefer me (as they did,
though, having the honour as none of the disciples had to drink of
Christ’s cup and to be baptized with his baptism either on his right
hand or on his left in his sufferings when his own disciples
had deserted him he might have had some colour to ask as they did to
sit on his right hand and on his left in his kingdom. Acquaintance in
sufferings has sometimes gained such a point,
But he is far from the thought of it. All he begs is, Lord, remember
me, referring himself to Christ in what way to remember him. It is
a request like that of Joseph to the chief butler, Think on me
(Gen. xl. 14),
and it sped better; the chief butler forgot Joseph, but Christ
remembered this thief.
3. There is an air of importunity and fervency in this prayer. He
does, as it were, breathe out his soul in it: “Lord, remember
me, and I have enough; I desire no more; into thy hands I commit my
case.” Note, To be remembered by Christ, now that he is in his kingdom,
is what we should earnestly desire and pray for, and it will be enough
to secure our welfare living and dying. Christ is in his
kingdom, interceding. “Lord, remember me, and intercede for
me.” He is there ruling. “Lord, remember me, and rule in me by thy
Spirit.” He is there preparing places for those that are his. “Lord,
remember me, and prepare a place for me; remember me at death,
remember me in the resurrection.” See
[2.] The extraordinary grants of Christ’s favour to him: Jesus said
unto him, in answer to his prayer, “Verily I say unto thee,
I the Amen, the faithful Witness, I say Amen to this
prayer, put my fiat to it: nay, thou shalt have more than thou
didst ask, This day thou shalt be with me in paradise,”
Observe,
First, To whom this was spoken: to the penitent thief, to him,
and not to his companion. Christ upon the cross is like Christ upon the
throne; for now is the judgment of this world: one departs with
a curse, the other with a blessing. Though Christ himself was now in
the greatest struggle and agony, yet he had a word of comfort to speak
to a poor penitent that committed himself to him. Note, Even great
sinners, if they be true penitents, shall, through Christ, obtain not
only the pardon of their sins, but a place in the paradise of God,
This magnifies the riches of free grace, that rebels and traitors shall
not only be pardoned, but preferred, thus preferred.
Secondly, By whom this was spoken. This was another mediatorial
word which Christ spoke, though upon a particular occasion, yet with a
general intention to explain the true intent and meaning of his
sufferings; as he died to purchase the forgiveness of sins for
us
(v. 34),
so also to purchase eternal life for us. By this word we are
given to understand that Jesus Christ died to open the kingdom of
heaven to all penitent obedient believers.
1. Christ here lets us know that he was going to paradise himself, to
hades–the invisible world. His human soul was removing to the
place of separate souls; not to the place of the damned, but to
paradise, the place of the blessed. By this he assures us that his
satisfaction was accepted, and the Father was well pleased in him, else
he had not gone to paradise; that was the beginning of the joy set
before him, with the prospect of which he comforted himself. He went by
the cross to the crown, and we must not think of going any other way,
or of being perfected but by sufferings.
2. He lets all penitent believers know that when they die they shall go
to be with him there. He was now, as a priest, purchasing this
happiness for them, and is ready, as a king, to confer it upon them
when they are prepared and made ready for it. See here how the
happiness of heaven is set forth to us.
(1.) It is paradise, a garden of pleasure, the paradise of
God
(Rev. ii. 7),
alluding to the garden of Eden, in which our first parents were placed
when they were innocent. In the second Adam we are restored to all we
lost in the first Adam, and more, to a heavenly paradise instead of an
earthly one.
(2.) It is being with Christ there. That is the happiness of
heaven, to see Christ, and sit with him, and share in his glory,
(3.) It is immediate upon death: This day shalt thou be with me,
to-night, before to-morrow. Thou souls of the faithful, after they
are delivered from the burden of the flesh, immediately are in
joy and felicity; the spirits of just men are immediately made
perfect. Lazarus departs, and is immediately comforted; Paul
departs, and is immediately with Christ,
| The Crucifixion. |
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44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness
over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was
rent in the midst.
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave
up the ghost.
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 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.
In these verses we have three things:–
I. Christ’s dying magnified by the prodigies that
attended it: only two are here mentioned, which we had an account of
before.
1. The darkening of the sun at noon-day. It was now about the
sixth hour, that is, according to our computation, twelve
o’clock at noon; and there was a darkness over all the earth until
the ninth hour. The sun was eclipsed and the air exceedingly
clouded at the same time, both which concurred to this thick darkness,
which continued three hours, not three days, as that of
Egypt did.
2. The rending of the veil of the temple. The former prodigy was
in the heavens, this in the temple; for both these are
the houses of God, and, when the Son of God was thus abused, they could
not but feel the indignity, and thus signify their resentment of it. By
this rending of the veil was signified the taking away of the
ceremonial law, which was a wall of partition between Jews and
Gentiles, and of all other difficulties and discouragements in our
approaches to God, so that now we may come boldly to the throne of
grace.
II. Christ’s dying explained
(v. 46)
by the words with which he breathed out his soul. Jesus had
cried with a loud voice when he said, Why hast thou forsaken
me? So we are told in Matthew and Mark, and, it should seem, it was
with a loud voice that he said this too, to show his
earnestness, and that all the people might take notice of it: and this
he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
1. He borrowed these words from his father David
(Ps. xxxi. 5);
not that he needed to have words put into his mouth, but he chose to
make use of David’s words to show that it was the Spirit of Christ that
testified in the Old-Testament prophets, and that he came to fulfil the
scripture. Christ died with scripture in his mouth. Thus he directs us
to make use of scripture language in our addresses to God.
2. In this address to God he calls him Father. When he
complained of being forsaken, he cried, Eli, Eli, My God, my
God; but, to show that dreadful agony of his soul was now over, he
here calls God Father. When he was giving up his life and soul
for us, he did for us call God Father, that we through him might
receive the adoption of sons.
3. Christ made use of these words in a sense peculiar to himself as
Mediator. He was now to make his soul an offering for our sin
to give his life a ransom for many
(Matt. xx. 28),
by the eternal Spirit to offer himself,
Heb. ix. 14.
He was himself both the priest and the sacrifice; our souls were
forfeited, and his must go to redeem the forfeiture. The price must be
paid into the hands of God, the party offended by sin; to him he
had undertaken to make full satisfaction. Now by these words he
offered up the sacrifice, did, as it were, lay his hand upon the
head of it, and surrender it; tithemi–“I deposit
it, I pay it down into thy hands. Father, accept of my life and soul
instead of the lives and souls of the sinners I die for.” The animus
offerentis–the good will of the offerer, was requisite to the
acceptance of the offering. Now Christ here expresses his cheerful
willingness to offer himself, as he had done when it was first proposed
to him
Lo, I come to do thy will, by which will we are sanctified.
4. Christ hereby signifies his dependence upon his Father for his
resurrection, by the re-union of his soul and body. He commends his
spirit into his Father’s hand, to be received into paradise, and
returned the third day. By this it appears that our Lord Jesus,
as he had a true body, so he had a reasonable soul, which
existed in a state of separation from the body, and thus he was made
like unto his brethren; this soul he lodged in his Father’s hand,
committed it to his custody, resting in hope that it should not be left
in hades, in its state of separation from the body, no,
not so long as that the body might see corruption.
5. Christ has hereby left us an example, has fitted those words of
David to the purpose of dying saints, and hath, as it were, sanctified
them for their use. In death our great care should be about our souls,
and we cannot more effectually provide for their welfare than by
committing them now into the hands of God, as a Father, to be
sanctified and governed by his Spirit and grace, and at death
committing them into his hands to be made perfect in holiness and
happiness. We must show that we are freely willing to die, that we
firmly believe in another life after this, and are desirous of it, by
saying, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
III. Christ’s dying improved by the impressions it made upon those that
attended him.
1. The centurion that had command of the guard was much affected with
what he saw,
He was a Roman, a Gentile, a stranger to the consolations of Israel;
and yet he glorified God. He never saw such amazing instances of
divine power, and therefore took occasion thence to adore God as the
Almighty. And he bore a testimony to the patient sufferer:
“Certainly this was a righteous man, and was unjustly put to
death.” God’s manifesting his power so much to do him honour was a
plain evidence of his innocency. His testimony in Matthew and Mark goes
further: Truly this was the Son of God. But in his case this
amounts to the same; for, if he was a righteous man, he said
very truly when he said that he was the Son of God; and
therefore that testimony of his concerning himself must be admitted,
for, if it were false, he was not a righteous man.
2. The disinterested spectators could not but be concerned. This is
taken notice of only here,
All the people that came together to that sight, as is usual
upon such occasions, beholding the things which were done, could
not but go away very serious for the time, whatever they were when they
came home: They smote their breasts, and returned.
(1.) They laid the thing very much to heart for the present. They
looked upon it as a wicked thing to put him to death, and could not but
think that some judgment of God would come upon their nation for it.
Probably these very people were of those that had cried, Crucify
him, crucify him, and, when he was nailed to the cross, reviled and
blasphemed him; but now they were so terrified with the darkness and
the earthquake, and the uncommon manner of his expiring, that they had
not only their mouths stopped, but their consciences startled, and in
remorse for what they had done, as the publican, they smote upon
their breasts, beat upon their own hearts, as those that had
indignation at themselves. Some think that this was a happy step
towards that good work which was afterwards wrought upon them, when
they were pricked to the heart,
(2.) Yet, it should seem, the impression soon wore off: They smote
their breasts, and returned. They did not show any further token of
respect to Christ, nor enquire more concerning him, but went home; and
we have reason to fear that in a little time they quite forgot it. Thus
many that see Christ evidently set forth crucified among them in the
word and sacraments are a little affected for the present, but it does
not continue; they smite their breasts, and return. They see Christ’s
face in the glass of the ordinances and admire him; but they go
away, and straightway forget what manner of man he is, and what
reason they have to love him.
3. His own friends and followers were obliged to keep their distance,
and yet got as near as they could and durst, to see what was done
(v. 49):
All his acquaintance, that knew him and were known of him,
stood afar off, for fear lest if they had been near him they
should have been taken up as favourers of him; this was part of his
sufferings, as of Job’s
(Job xix. 13):
He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are
verily estranged from me. See
And the women that followed him together from Galilee were
beholding these things, not knowing what to make of them, nor so
ready as they should have been to take them for certain preludes of his
resurrection. Now was Christ set for a sign that should be spoken
against, as Simeon foretold, that the thoughts of many hearts
might be revealed,
ch. ii. 34, 35.
| The Burial of Christ. |
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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 Arimathæa, 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.
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.
54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee,
followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was
laid.
56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and
rested the sabbath day according to the commandment.
We have here an account of Christ’s burial; for he must be brought not
only to death, but to the dust of death
(Ps. xxii. 15),
according to the sentence
(Gen. iii. 19),
To the dust thou shalt return. Observe,
I. Who buried him. His acquaintance stood afar off; they had
neither money to bear the charge nor courage to bear the
odium of burying him decently; but God raised up one that had
both, a man named Joseph,
v. 50.
His character is that he was a good man and a just, a man of
unspotted reputation for virtue and piety, not only just to all,
but good to all that needed him (and care to bury the dead, as
becomes the hope of the resurrection of the dead, is one instance of
goodness and beneficence); he was a person of quality, a counsellor, a
senator, a member of the sanhedrim, one of the elders of the Jewish
church. Having said this of him, it was necessary to add that, though
he was of that body of men who had put Christ to death, yet he had
not consented to their counsel and deed
(v. 51),
though it was carried by the majority, yet he entered his protest
against it, and followed not the multitude to do evil. Note, That evil
counsel or deed to which we have not consented shall not be reckoned
our act. Nay, he not only dissented openly from those that were
enemies to Christ, but be consented secretly with those that
were his friends: He himself waited for the kingdom of God; he
believed the Old-Testament prophecies of the Messiah and his kingdom,
and expected the accomplishment of them. This was the man that appears
upon this occasion to have had a true respect for the Lord Jesus. Note,
There are many who are hearty in Christ’s interests, how, though they
do not make any show in their outward profession of it, yet will be
more ready to do him a piece of real service, when there is occasion,
than others who make a greater figure and noise.
II. What he did towards the burying of him.
1. He went to Pilate, the judge that condemned him, and
begged the body of Jesus, for it was at his disposal; and,
though he might have raised a party sufficient to have carried off the
body by violence, yet he would take the regular course, and do it
peaceably.
2. He took it down, it should seem, with his own hands, and
wrapped it in linen. They tell us that it was the manner of the
Jews to roll the bodies of the dead, as we do little children in
their swaddling-clothes, and that the word here used signifies
as much; so that the piece of fine linen, which he bought whole, he cut
into many pieces for this purpose. It is said of Lazarus, He was
bound hand and foot,
John xi. 44.
Grave-clothes are to the saints as swaddling-clothes,
which they shall out-grow and put off, when they come to the perfect
man.
III. Where he was buried. In a sepulchre that was hewn in stone,
that the prison of the grave might be made strong, as the church, when
she was brought into darkness, had her way enclosed with hewn
stone,
Lam. iii. 2, 9.
But it was a sepulchre in which never man before was laid, for
he was buried on such an account as never any one before him was
buried, only in order to his rising again the third day by his own
power; and he was to triumph over the grave as never any man did.
IV. When he was buried. On the day of the preparation, when the
sabbath drew on,
v. 54.
This is given as a reason why they made such haste with the funeral,
because the sabbath drew on, which required their attendance to
other work, preparing for the sabbath, and going forth to welcome it.
Note, Weeping must not hinder sowing. Though they were in tears for the
death of Christ, yet they must apply themselves to the sanctifying of
the sabbath; and, when the sabbath draws on, there must be
preparation. Our worldly affairs must be so ordered that they
may not hinder us from our sabbath work, and our holy affections must
be so excited that they may carry us on in it.
V. Who attended the funeral; not any of the disciples, but only the
women that came with him from Galilee
(v. 55),
who, as they staid by him while he hung on the cross, so they
followed him, all in tears no doubt, and beheld the
sepulchre where it was, which was the way to it, and how his
body was laid in it. They were led to this, not by their curiosity,
but by their affection to the Lord Jesus, which was strong as
death and which many waters could not quench. Here was a
silent funeral, and not a solemn one, and yet his rest was
glorious.
VI. What preparation was made for the embalming of his body after he
was buried
(v. 56):
They returned, and prepared spices and ointments, which was more
an evidence of their love than of their faith; for had they
remembered and believed what he had so often told them,
that he should rise again the third day, they would have spared
their cost and pains herein, as knowing that in a short
time there would be a greater honour put upon his body, by the glory of
his resurrection, than they could put upon it with their most
precious ointments; but, busy as they were in this preparation,
they rested on the sabbath day, and did none of this servile
work thereon, not only according to the custom of their nation, but
according to the commandments of their God, which, though the
day be altered, is still in full force: Remember the sabbath day, to
keep it holy.
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