I SAY UNTO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU,

a

where they-crucified him, and

two other

d with him,"

18

"one on the-right-hand, and the-other on the-left. on-either-side one EVTEU EV Kai Evtevbev, fand Jesus in-the-midst.

Jesus' prayer.-Luke xxiii. 34.

34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they-know not what they-do.-(See p. 461.)

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

Gilead, 'round heap of witness,' and Gilgal, so called from being the place where the Lord rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off the Israelites, Jos. v. 9, when the great circumcising of Israel took place, ver. 2-8-Col. ii. 10, .1, And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:'

Mt. xxvii. 34. vinegar... gall-Ps. Ixix. 21, 'They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.'-See again, Mt. xxvii. 48, p. 467, infra.

of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.'-To this depth of humiliation Jesus, Ph. ii. 8, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.'--Col. i. 20, Made peace through the blood of his cross,'-1 Pe. ii. 24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,'

34. forgive them-Thus Jesus exemplified his own precept, Mt. v. 44 see margin-so afterwards the first martyr, Ac. vii. 60-so the apostles exhorted, Rom. xii. 14-see margin-1 Pe. iii. 9, 'Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.'

know not what they do-The Roman soldiers conducted the crucifixion, Mt. xxvii. 27, p. 455, suprasee ver. 54, § 92, p. 471-Ac. iii. 17, I wot that through NOTES.

Lu. xxiii. 33. crucified-Ac. iv. 10, Whom ye crucified,' &c. v. 30, Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. An accursed death, De. xxi. 23-Gal. vi. 14, 'But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross uncertain on what account this place was so called. In Lu. xxiii. 33, it is called Calvary,' a word of the same meaning with that here translated skull.' That this place was nigh to the city,' we learn from Jno. xix. 20, p. 460.

[Mt. xxvii. 34. They gave him vinegar... mingled with gall. The vinegar was a sour kind of light wine, and the usual beverage of the Roman soldiers. The word gall is used to denote anything bitter. The offering of it appears to be a fulfilment of Ps. Ixix. 21. We may observe here how Matthew often adopts in his narrative the very words of prophecy, where one or more of the other evangelists give the matter of fact detail.]

to the person that was nailed to it a most violent and convulsive shock, so as greatly to increase his sufferings. The crucified person was then suffered to hang commonly till pain, exhaustion, thirst, and hunger ended his life. The punishment was deemed the most disgraceful and ignominious that was practised among the Romans. It was the way in which slaves, robbers, and the most notorious and abandoned wretches were commonly put to death. As it was the most ignominious punishment known, so it was the most painful. The position of the arms and body was unnatural, the arms being extended back, and almost immoveable. The least motion gave violent pain. The nails being driven through the parts of the hands and feet which abound with nerves and tendons, created most exquisite anguish. The exposure of so many wounds to the air brought on a violent inflammation, which greatly increased the poignancy of the suffering. The free circulation of the blood was prevented. The consequence was intense pressure in the blood vessels, which was the source of inexpressible misery. The pain gradually increased. There was no relaxation and no rest. The sufferer was commonly able to endure it till the third, and sometimes even to the seventh day. 34. Father, forgive them. This also fulfilled the same prophecy, Is. liii. 12, He made intercession for PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

Lu. xxiii. 33. There they crucified him. To 'crucify,' means to put to death on a cross. The manner of the crucifixion was as follows:-After the criminal had carried the cross to the place of execution, a hole was dug in the earth to receive the foot of it. The cross was laid on the ground; the person condemned to suffer was stripped, and was distended on it, and the soldiers fastened the hands and feet. After they had fixed the nails deeply in the wood, they elevated the cross with the agonizing sufferer on it; and in order to fix it more firmly in the earth, they let it fall violently into the hole which they had dug to receive it. This sudden fall must have given

Mt. xxvii. 33, .4. Let us patiently endure all that those whom the world casts out as evil. Lu. xxiii. 33. Let us not regard as alike guilty all our heavenly Father may appoint. *While the preparations were making to erect the cross, the offer of the wine mixed with myrrh, which St. Matthew expresses by vinegar and gall (the former capable of being literally understood, because it may denote the ordinary beverage of the Roman soldiers, who, having to keep watch about the crosses for the rest of the day, must have brought their provisions with them; the latter a general description for something bitter), may have taken place: Ps. Ixix. 21. If this potion was intended to produce a stupifying effect, and so to deaden the sensibility of pain, it might be no uncommon thing under such circumstances; or at least in the present instance it might be the act of some compassionate by-stander, whether one of the soldiers or not. To accomplish prophecy, which had specified this circumstance in particular, our Lord, as St. Matthew informs us, tasted of it; but that he might not diminish or alleviate by artificial means the entire burthen of his sufferings, as both St. Matthew and St. Mark apprise us, he would not drink of it.'— Ibid., p. 244.

VOL. II.]

BLESS, AND CURSE NOT.-Rom. xii. 14.

[459

AND PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU ;-Matt. v. 44.

THE LORD IS KNOWN BY THE JUDGMENT WHICH HE EXECUTETH: THE WICKED IS SNARED IN THE WORK OF HIS OWN HANDS.-Psa. ix. 16.

His superscription.-John xix. 19—22.*

19 And Pilate wrote a-title, and put it on the cross. And the-writing was, JESUS OF20 NAZARETH THE KING OF-THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was-crucified was nigh-to the city: and it-was written in-Hebrew, 21 and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief-priests of-the Jews to-Pilate, Write not, The

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers' (the Romans).-1 Co. ii. 8, Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.'-Paul, who had been a bitter persecutor, obtained mercy, because he did it ignorantly in unbelief, 1 Ti. i. 13.

Jno. xix. 19. the writing-Col. ii. 14, Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;'

Jesus-The Lord the Saviour, Is. xlv. 21, 2, A just God and a Saviour; . . . . Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God,

and there is none else.'

of Nazareth-A name of reproach, separated'Jesus was, He. vii. 26, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,'-The word may also mean a branch or slip cut off for planting-And this is he of whom it was written, Eze. xvii. 22, .3, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it:'see the transfiguration, Mt. xvii. 1-8, § 51, pp. 51-.6.

| the King of the Jews-Jesus is the King of a royal priesthood, an holy nation,' 1 Pe. ii. 9, by whom he shall be praised, as having washed them from their sins in his own blood,' Rev. i. 5, 6-He is Jesus (the Saviour) of Nazareth,' the branch separated from his brethren, Ge. xlix. 26, whom Ephraim was at length to hear say, Ho. xiv. 8, From me is thy fruit found.' And with those who are Jews in truth, Rom. ii. 29, whose praise is not of men, but of God,' are to be made one in Christ, Eph. ii. 14-.6, For he the enmity,.... 16, that he might reconcile both is our peace,.... 15, having abolished in his flesh unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby :'

20. Hebrew,... Greek,... Latin-The languages through which the word has come, to the people unto whom more especially it was sent, the lost sheep of the hotse of Israel,-Je. xxxi. 3, The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.'-10, Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.'

NOTES..

[Our Lord passed most of the time on the cross in silence: yet seven sentences which he spoke thereon are recorded by the four evangelists, though no one evangelist has recorded them all. Hence it appears, that the four gospels are, as it were, four parts, which, joined together, make one symphony; sometimes one of these only, sometimes two or three, sometimes all sound together. Father-so he speaks both in the beginning and at the end of his sufferings on the cross: forgive them how striking is this passage! While they are actually nailing him to the cross, he seems to feel the injury they did to their own souls, more than the wounds they gave him; and as it were to forget his own anguish out of a concern for their salvation.] And how eminently was his prayer heard! It procured forgiveness for all that were penitent, and a suspension of vengeance even for the impenitent.' Wesley.

the transgressors.' This was a prayer for both Jews | Oporo-mankind, the Jewish nation, as the next and Romans: the Jews ignorantly condemned him moving agent in his death-but all of us, inasmuch as a blasphemer, and the Romans ridiculed his pre- as for our sins he was bruised.'-Alford.] tensions to be a king. They know not what they do. It was done through ignorance,' Ac. iii. 17. Paul says, that had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory,' 1 Co. ii. 8. Ignorance does not excuse altogether a crime if the ignorance be wilful, but it diminishes its guilt. They had evidence, they might have learned his character, and might have known what they were doing. And thus they might be held answerable for all this. [Jno. xix. 19. A tille. Tirλos answers to the Latin titulus, a diminutive from titus, derived from ríros, and that from Tío, which signifies primarily to hold up or out. Thus Tírλos meant simply a board fastened to anything, to hold out, i. e., notify something connected with it. Here it denotes that board (painted white, with an inscription in black letters) which was fixed up publicly to indicate the cause of any one's condemnation. The custom of affixing these Tiro to every malefactor about to be executed, is an oriental one of the most remote antiquity, and still [Lu. xxiii. 34. Forgive them. That is, the soldiers, retained in the East, especially in Turkey, where the whose work it had been to crucify him. The Totovo Tírλos is called Yafta, a writing.'-Bloomf.] points directly at this.... for they were sinners even 20. In Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. We learn as others, and their obedient and formal performance from Josephus that it was usual about this period to of their duty was not without a sinful pleasure in set up public notices in different languages. This doing it.... But not only to them, but to them as made it legible by all; they all understood one or representatives of the sin of the world, does this other of these languages; and the Jews carefully prayer apply. The nominative to motovo is a v-brought up their children to read.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

Lu. xxiii. 34. Let us pray for our enemies, more especially for those who are so in ignorance, that they may be made acquainted with the truth, and be brought to know the forgiving grace of God. [Jno. xix. 19. Let us be grateful that the writing of divorce, which was against Israel, has been taken out of the way. It was nailed to the Redeemer's

cross. The Lord as King of the Jews, the remnant of Israel, had given All Israel a bill of divorce and sent her away, but now he dies, that he may take up resurrection life, and in that life receive back to his embrace her that was made Lo-ammi,' but who is now espoused unto the Lord according to the new and everlasting covenant.]

as

*To this part above the head the title declaring the crime for which he suffered.... would be attached; and of the several forms of the inscription, each of the evangelists records one: St. Matthew, as was to be expected, the native Hebrew or Aramaic; St. Mark, with equal propriety, the Latin; and St. Luke, consistently, the Greek. It is observable, however, that none of them notices the fact of the inscription in the same place except St. Matthew and St. Mark: St. John's reason for mentioning it will appear presently; and St. Luke's is manifestly its connection with the history of the two thieves, and with their different conduct towards our Lord on the cross, respectively. The same inscription, setting him forth as the King of the Jews, that is as the Christ, produced the railing address of the one, and the expression of 460] THE LORD IS KING FOR EVER AND EVER:-Psa. x. 16. [VOL. II.

UPON THE WICKED HE SHALL RAIN SNARES, FIRE AND BRIMSTONE, AND AN HORRIBLE TEMPEST:... THE PORTION OF THEIR CUP.

Psa. xi. 6.

LET ALL THOSE THAT PUT THEIR TRUST IN THEE REJOICE: LET THEM EVER SHOUT FOR JOY,

JOHN xix. 22.

22 King of the Jews; but that he said, I-am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What Ihave-written I-have-written.

Lots are cast for his garments.
MARK XV. 24, .5.
LUKE Xxiii. 34.
(See p. 459.)

25 dAnd it-was the-third hour, and they-crucified him.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

the faith of the other. On this account St. Luke mentions it where he does; and, but for this, it is probable that he would not have alluded to it at all.'-(See ver. 38-43, p. 464.)-Ibid., p. 246.

With this event we may date the arrival of the third hour of the day. For St. Mark is express that it was at this hour Jesus was crucified; and if the procession had left the prætorium soon after the second hour of the day (which is manifestly possible), then Calvary being near to the city, and probably not three quarters of a Roman mile from the prætorium itself, though we made every allowance for the slowness of its motion, and for the proceedings by the way, still the crosses might all have been set up, and the sufferers affixed to them, before the third hour was actually come.'-Ibid., p. 247.

PUT THEM IN FEAR, O LORD:-Psa. ix. 20.

BECAUSE THOU DEFENDEST THEM: LET THEM ALSO THAT LOVE THY NAME BE JOYFUL IN THEE.-Psa. v. 11.

THE WICKED IN HIS PRIDE DOTH PERSECUTE THE POOR: LET THEM BE TAKEN IN THE DEVICES THAT THEY HAVE IMAGINED.-Psa. x. 2.

Mt. xxvii. 37. His accusation. It was a common custom to affix a label to the cross, giving a statement of the crime for which the person suffered. This is still the case in China, when a person is crucified. It is with much propriety that Matthew calls this airia, accusation; for it was false that ever Christ pretended to be KING OF THE JEWS, in the sense the inscription held forth: he was accused of this, but there was no proof of the accusation; however it was affixed to the cross.-And see on Jno. xix. 19, p. 460.

38. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, &c. This was done with the view of adding to the ignominy of our Saviour's sufferings. But this act of malignity, like many other instances of the same nature, answered a purpose little intended by the authors of it. It was the fulfilment of a prophecy of Isaiah, in which, alluding to this very transaction, he says of the Messiah,He was numbered with the transgressors.'-Comp. Lu. xxii. 37, § 87, p. 377.

(G. 101.)-[Lesson 95, continued.]-PARTICULARS OF WHAT TRANSPIRED FROM THE TIME WHEN JESUS WAS AFFIXED TO THE CROSS, TO THE TIME WHEN HE GAVE UP THE GHOST.-Matt. xxvii. 39-50. Mark xv. 29-37. Luke xxiii. 35-46. xix. 25-30.-See Greswell, Vol. III. Diss. xlii. pp. 248—.52.

INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS.

Mt.xxvii.39,40. Mk.xv.29,30. Lu.xxiii.35. Jno.xix. Jesus is reviled by the people, who make a mockery of his sayings, and of his very name, the Saviour; and of his being called 'the Son of God.'

-xxvii.41-.3. xv.31,.2. - xxiii.35. The chief priests, scribes, and rulers, also jeer at his being called the Saviour, the Christ, the chosen of God, the King of Israel.' They also fulfil Ps. xxii. 8. xxiii.36-.8. The soldiers mock him, offering him vinegar, and making taunting allusions to the superscription, which declares him to be the King of the Jews. -xxvii.44. - xv.32. -xxiii.39.

John

Mt.xxvii.45. Mk.xv.33. Lu.xxiii.44,.5. Jno.xix. It is noon, but there is darkness over all the land, and for three whole hours thereafter.

- xxvii.46. -xv.34. About three in the afternoon, being the ninth hour of the Jewish day, Jesus cries as in the commencement of Ps. xxii.; which Psalm so strikingly describes the sufferings of Christ, and the latter part of it the glory that should follow.

xxvii.47. -xv.35. Some, turning the words he has uttered into mockery, pretend that he calls for Elias.

The very thieves that are being crucified with Jesus Jesus saith, I thirst.'
revile him, one of them saying, If thou be Christ,
save thyself and us.'

--

xxvii.48. -xv.36.

- xix.28.

- xix.29.

One runs, fills a sponge with vinegar, puts it on a

reed, and gives him to drink.

-xxvii.49. -xv.36.

Others cry to let him alone, and see what Elias will do for him.

- xix.30.

Jesus assures the penitent malefactor that to-day he Jesus having received the vinegar, says, ‘It is finished :' will be with Him in paradise. -xxiii.45. The veil of the temple is rent in the midst. xxvii.50. xv.37. -xxiii.46. -xix.30. Jesus having cried with a loud voice,' says, 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:' and bowing his head, he gives up the ghost.

- xix.25.

The three Marys stand beside the cross of Jesus.

Jesus commends his mother and the beloved disciple to each other's love and care.

xix.26,.7.

462]

THE FOOLISH SHALL NOT STAND IN THY SIGHT:-Psa. v. 5.

[VOL. II.

HIS MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND DECEIT AND FRAUD: UNDER HIS TONGUE IS MISCHIEF AND VANITY.-Psa. x. 7.

THE WICKED BEND THEIR BOW, THEY MAKE READY THEIR ARROW UPON THE STRING,

NOTES.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

The remarks of the multitude present, as specified by St. Luke: the various contumelies heaped upon Jesus, still hanging alive on the cross, partly by the passers by, according to St. Matthew and St. Markpartly by the members of the sanhedrim, according to the three first evangelists, in whose words, as reported VOL. II.]

THE WICKED WALK ON EVERY SIDE, ETC.

THAT THEY MAY PRIVILY SHOOT AT THE UPRIGHT IN HEART.-Psa. xi. 2.