FORASMUCH... AS THE CHILDREN ARE PARTAKERS OF FLESH AND BLOOD, HE ALSO HIMSELF LIKEWISE TOOK PART OF THE SAME; SECTION 91.-(G. 100.)-[Lesson 95.]-PARTICULARS WHICH TRANSPIRED AFTER JESUS WAS DELIVERED TO BE CRUCIFIED, UNTIL THE TIME OF HIS DEATH. -Matt. xxvii. 27-50. Mark xv. 16-37. Luke xxiii. 26-46. John xix. 16―30.— See Greswell, Vol. III. Diss. xlii. pp. 236-.40. INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Mt.xxvii.27 Mk.xv.16. The order for crucifixion having been given by Pilate, Jesus is led by the Roman soldiers into their common hall, where they gather unto him the whole band. -xxvii.28,.9.xv.17,.8. In mockery they array him in a royal robe, put a crown of thorns on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and bowing the knee before him, they salute him with Hail, king of the Jews!' - xxvii.30. -xv.19. They spit upon him; and taking the mock sceptre from his hand, they strike him there with on the head. -xxvii.31. -xv.20. Having mocked him, they remove the purple robe, put his own raiment on him, and lead him away to execution. - xxvii.32. -xv.21. Lu.xxiii. 26. Jno.xix. 16, .7. The soldiers lay hold upon Simon, a Cyrenian, whom they meet coming out of the country, and him they compel to assist Jesus in bearing his cross. -xxiii. 27. A multitude. follow Jesus, among whom are many women, weeping and compassionating the man of sorrows.' xxiii. 28-31. Jesus turus, and addressing the daughters of Jerusalem, tells them to weep rather for themselves and their children; for the days draw nigh when, because of the misery coming upon their offspring, they will no longer regard barrenness as a curse, but a blessing; when, rather than face the calamity they dread, they will call on the mountains to fall on them. If the things they witness are done to one altogether innocent, what must become of those who, by reason of their sins, are ripe for destruction? -xxiii.32. Two others, malefactors, are led away with Jesus to execution. -xxvii.33. -xv.22. -xxiii.33. Jno.xix.17. They come to the place of execution, called Golgotha, or Calvary, in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Mt.xxvii.34. Mk.xv.23. Lu.xxiii. Jno.xix. They give Jesus wine mingled with gall to drink, but he refuses to be in this way rendered insensible to the torture he is about to undergo. - xxiii.33. - xix. 18. They affix Jesus to the cross, placing him between the two malefactors who are crucified with him. -xxiii.34. Jesus prays the Father in behalf of his executioners. - xix. 19. Pilate causes the accusation of Jesus to be affixed to the cross. The writing is, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.' - xix.20. This title is read by many Jews, the place of execution being not far from the city; and the writing being in Hebrew, the language of the country; in and in Latin, the language of the governor and other Greek, generally understood by Jews from abroad; Romans. — xix.21,.2. The chief priests object to the title, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS' (see Mt. xxvii. 37); but Pilate refuses to alter the writing. xxvii.35. -xv.24. -xxiii.34. -xix.23..4. Jesus' garments are parted among the soldiers; and for his coat, which is without seam, they cast lots; thus fulfilling the scripture, Ps. xxii. 18. -xv.25. Jesus is crucified at the third hour, or nine o'clock, A.M. -xxvii.36. The soldiers sit down to watch Jesus. xxvii.37. -xv.26. -xxiii.(38.) - xix.(20.) The accusation over his head upon the cross is conspicuous, declaring him to be THE KING OF THE JEWS.' -xxvii.38. -xv.27,.8. xxiii.(33.) — xix.(18.) Two thieves are crucified with him, on each side one, Jesus being in the midst-fulfilment of Is. liii. 12. (For remainder of INTRODUCTION, &c., see p. 462.) first scourged with rods, and then given up to the insults of the soldiers, assembled together for that purpose. Compare with this account of the honours paid in mockery to our Saviour, the description of the affronts put upon Herod Agrippa by the Alexandrian mob, as recorded by Philo Judæus, ii. 522, 1. 26, et seq. Adv. Flaccum. The scourging took place in public, and was the second instance of the infliction of such violence upon our Saviour this morning; but the mockery was confined to the prætorium, where the robe and the crown of thorns, spoken of here by St. Matthew and St. Mark, had been employed, as we learned from St. John, for a like purpose not long before; and would consequently be ready for the same use now. The purple robe, in which Jesus returned from Herod, either had been taken off from him before the address of Pilate recorded under Article VII. [p. 449], or would necessarily be removed from his person previous to the infliction of the scourging: and that putting of such a robe on again, which is here ascribed to the soldiers, might literally have taken place. Upon the detail of these particulars, both as something minutely related by his predecessors, and, as part of the history of our Lord's contumelious treatment in general, because they bore no indefinite resemblance to what had been experienced from the sanhedrim before, St. Luke, with his usual regard to conciseness, is silent. so It was XI. The insults of the band being concluded, and Jesus being again clothed in his own raiment, he is finally consigned to the four soldiers who were to accomplish his execution, and led away from the prætorium to be crucified..... (See Mt. xxvii. 27-31, &c., p. 455.) The demeanour of our Lord, from the time when Pilate ascended the tribunal, assumed a new appearance for whereas in his examination before Pilate, apart from the people and within the prætorium, his conduct exhibited no marks of reserve and no intentional silence whatever, yet now, on being produced to the multitude, and arraigned pro tribunali-saving that one reply to a question of the judge's, and not an accusation by the people, which St. Paul denominates the good confession-it does not appear that he much as opened his lips. The same fact is observable in his deportment before Herod likewise. now, consequently, that the language of prophecy, respecting this part of the Messiah's demeanour under his sufferings, the importance of which to its fulfilment we may judge of from the testimony of St. Peter, 1 Ep. ii. 21-.3, compared with Is. liii. 7, began to be strictly verified by the event. The mission to Herod, and the consequent trial of Jesus before the Tetrarch of Galilee as well as before the Jewish council and the Roman governor, was one of the incidents belonging to this period in particular; and the importance of that fact also to the fulfilment of prophecy may be estimated from the reference made to it, Ac. iv. 27..... The supposition of some such proceedings between Jesus and Pilate, as recorded by St. John, anterior to the proceedings in the other evangelists, possesses its use in clearing up or explaining certain things which occur in them. As first; it would not have appeared from their account why the charge, brought against our Lord at the outset of his examination, was the specific charge of stirring up the people, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar; and why, ever after, this insinuation should lie at the bottom of any other subsequently advanced. It is seen, however, from St. John, that the other charges-charges more purely of a 454] THE LORD SHALL ENDURE FOR EVER:-Psa. ix. 7. [VOL. II. THAT THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM THAT HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL;-Heb. ii. 14. LET OUR BLESSED REDEEMER BE CLOTHED WITH MAJESTY, AND CROWNED WITH GLORY; AND BE GIVEN THE SCEPTRE OF UNIVERSAL SOVEREIGNTY. Mt. xxvii. 28. put on him a scarlet robe- Clothed him with purple' [Mk. xv. 17-This appears to have been supplied by Pilate's soldiers, Jno. xix. 2, § 90, p. 443-They put on him a purple or royal robe, in mockery of his being called King of the Jews,' Mk. xv. 18. p. 443. 16 17 bow down before thee.'-Ps. lxxii. 11, 'Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.'-Is. xlv. 23, I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.'-Ph. ii. 10, That at the name of things in earth, and things under the earth;'-see Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and this universal homage paid to the Redeemer, Rev. v. 8-14, And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and saints. 9, And they sung a new song, saying, Thou thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10, And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 11, And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts NOTES. 29. a crown of thorns-see also Jno. xix. 2, § 90, a reed in his right hand-in mockery of the sceptre, whereby kings indicated their will, as Ahasuerus to Esther, v. 2-It was predicted, Nu. xxiv. 17, a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.'-The sceptre of Christ is yet to prove a rod of iron,' Ps. ii. 9; Rev. xix. 15-A rod of strength out of Zion, with which he is to rule in the midst of his enemies, Ps. cx. 2. bowed the knee-The homage which was thus given to the Saviour in mockery, will yet be given to him in truth, Ge. xlix. 8,Thy father's children shall Mt. xxvii. 27. The common hall. According to 29. Had platted. The word platted here means the original, the "prætorium," as Mk. xv. 16, from woven together, or having made a wreath. which passage we gather, that the place called the prætorium was a public hall in the Roman governor's Hasselquist, a Swedish naturalist, supposes a very house. See the same word translated" the judgment common plant, naba, or nabka of the Arabs, with hall," Jno. xviii. 28, 33; xix. 9, § 90, pp. 440, .1, ..4. many small and sharp spines; soft, round, and pliant branches; leaves much resembling ivy, of a very deep green, as if in designed mockery of a victor's Unto him. Rather, 'against him.' wreath.'-Alford. Lonsdale and Hale. The whole band. Or, cohort. This was a body of foot, commanded by the governor, appointed to prevent disorders and tumults, especially on solemn occasions. 28. They stripped him. Possibly of the mantle in which he had been sent back by Herod.'-Alford. [A scarlet robe. xλaμúda xoxxívny. Rather, a kind of purple robe, which is esteemed the regal colour. Dr. Macknight affirms that scarlet was named purple by the ancients, and that they designated all colours by that name which had any mixture of red in them. St. Mark, xv. 17, and St. John, xix. 2, speak of Jesus being clad in a purple robe; a variety of expression which is found in other ancient authors when describing the same colours.] Upon his head. In the form of a garland or diadem. The whole head was not covered, but it was placed in a circle round the temples. And a reed in his right hand. A reed is a straight, slender herb growing in marshy places, and abun dant on the banks of the Jordan. It was often used for the purpose of making staves for walking. Kings commonly carried a sceptre, made of ivory or gold, as a sign of their office or rank, Est. iv. 11; viii. 4. This reed or staff they put in his hand, in imitation of a sceptre, to deride also his pretensions of kingship. Bowed the knee. The phrase signifies to place the knees (ie., on the ground).' The sense is, 'on bended knees.' legal character-on which his enemies denounced him at first, having been urged and failed, the course of proceedings had of necessity conducted to this. Secondly, it would not have appeared why Pilate, without any examination, properly so called, of the prisoner, should so soon have expressed himself satisfied of his innocence. It is seen, however, from St. John, that he was convinced of it, or predisposed to acquiesce in such a belief, already. In like manner it would not have appeared how he came to know, or to conclude, that our Lord's accusers had delivered him up through envy: but St. John shews that he had seen reason enough to suspect that. Nor would it have appeared why all at once, and without any previous statement of his motives for desiring it, he should have been so anxious to release Jesus instead of Barabbas; subsequently, why he should have been so reluctant to consent to his death at last. But it must appear from St. John that this was no new alternative; and that his conviction of the innocence of Jesus, even before he began to try him officially, was so strong as not to be easily overcome by any considerations whatever.'-Greswell, Vol. III. Diss. xlii. pp. 233-.40. OFFER THE SACRIFICES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS,-Psa. iv. 5. VOL. II.] nor, [455 LET EVERY KNEE BEND BEFORE HIM, AND EVERY TONGUE CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. LET US GO FORTH THEREFORE UNTO HIM WITHOUT THE CAMP, BEARING HIS REPROACH.-Heb. xiii. 13. they-found a-man of Jesus bears his cross to crucifixion.* 21 And + they-compel LUKE Xxiii. 26. a And as they 26 led-him-away, they-laid-hold-upon 20 JOHN xix. 16. (See ibid.) And they-took Jesus, and led-him-away. (Ver. 17, p. 458.) Cyrene, Simon by-name: one Simon a-Cyrenian, one Simon, a-Cyrenian, SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thou sands; 12, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13, And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. 14, And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.' Mt. xxvii. 29. Hail, King of the Jews!-Jno. xix. 3, § 90, p. 443-and yet this is He of whom Jacob spake, Ge. xlix. 8, Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise:'-and of whom David wrote, Ps. lxxii. 15, Prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.'-19, And blessed be his glorious name for ever; and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.' Mk. xv. 19. smote him on the head-Yet this is He with regard to whom the word shall be found fulfilled, Ps. cx. 6, He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.'-Hab. iii. 13, Thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked,'-Je. xxx. 23, The whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it out, &c.-Naboth, falsely accused of blasphemy, they carried forth out of the city, and stoned,' 1 Ki. xxi. 13-so did the Jews with Stephen, Ac. vii. 58The sin offering was burnt without the camp,' Le. iv. 11, 2, 21; ix. 11; xvi. 27; He. xiii. 11-4-ver. 12,3, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.' 21. Cyrenian-comp. Ac. ii. 10; vi. 9-The compulsion here used upon this inhabitant of Africa, seems NOTES. Mt. xxvii. 29. Hail, King of the Jews! The term hail was a common mode of salutation to a king, or even to a friend. It implies commonly the highest respect for office, as well as for the person, and is an invocation of blessings on the person. Here it was used to carry on what they thought to be the farce of his being a king. 30. And they spit upon him. This was a token of the deepest contempt and insult. Mk. xv. 19. Worshipped him. Mocked him with the appearance of homage. The word worship here denotes the honour done to princes and kings. Mt. xxvii. 32. Came out. Out of the city; for, as in the wilderness offenders were executed without the camp, so at Jerusalem without the walls of the city. There was a typical allusion in this.-See He. xiii. 11-.3.-R. Watson. A man of Cyrene. Cyrene was a city of that part of Africa called Libya, on the Mediterranean sea; glory, honour, and immortality, be unmoved though PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. Mk. xv. 18, .9. Let us not renew the mockery of Jesus, by pretending to worship him with the lip and the knee, while the heart has no appreciation of his worth, and the hand is wickedly employed in smiting him in his poor and despised followers upon earth. [19 ver. Let him who, by Christ Jesus, aspires to *The setting out of Jesus from the prætorium (is) a fact specified by all the evangelists; and along with Jesus of two others, malefactors and Aporaí-a fact which, though implicitly recognised by all, is mentioned in this, which is its proper place, solely by St. Luke, xxiii. 32 (p. 458). These men.... were probably companions or accomplices of Barabbas, whom St. John also calls a Aporns..... With regard to the number of soldiers by whom this procession would be escorted, as there were four appointed for the execution of Jesus in particular, there might be as many more for each of the two others; or twelve in all, under the command of the same centurion."-Greswell, Vol. III. Diss. xlii. p. 240. The object of this detention was certainly not to relieve our Lord from his cross altogether-to carry which was, under all circumstances, a preliminary part of the punishment of persons condemned to be crucified-but to divide the burthen of it with him: for St. John is express that part of it, at least, was carried by our Lord himself; and the other evangelists, especially St. Luke, are equally so that part of it was laid upon Simon.....'-Ibid., p. 241.-And see NOTE, Mt. xxvii. 32, next page. 456] PUT YOUR TRUST IN THE LORD.-Psa. iv. 5. [VOL. II. FOR... HE TOOK NOT ON HIM THE NATURE OF ANGELS; BUT HE TOOK ON HIM THE SEED OF ABRAHAM.-Heb. ii, 16. LET US... FEAR, LEST, A PROMISE BEING LEFT US OF ENTERING INTO HIS REST, ANY.... SHOULD SEEM TO COME SHORT OF IT.-Heb. iv. 1. Jesus turns round to the women who bewail him.-Luke xxiii. 27-31.* 27 And there-followed him a-great company of-people, and of-women, which also bewailed 28 and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep 29 not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the-days arecoming, in the-which they-shall-say, Blessed are the barren, and the-wombs that never SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. to have been turned into blessing unto his children stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the and neighbours, by its bringing him into acquaint- staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon ance with Jesus, the truth respecting whom he may it, and will cut off man and beast from it: 14, though thus have learned, and thence communicated unto these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, them-Men of Cyrene are mentioned among the first they should deliver but their own souls by their preachers of the gospel to the Grecians, Ac. xi. 20-righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. 15, If I cause Mention is made, xiii. 1, of Lucius of Cyrene,' noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: 16, though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GoD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. 17, Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: 18, though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GoD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. 19, Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: 20, though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter: they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. 21, For thus saith the Lord GoD; How much more when I send my four sore judg ments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast ?' Mk. xv. 21. Alexander and Rufus-The familiarity with which these children of the Cyrenian are mentioned by Mark, who, it is said, wrote his gospel for the Christians at Rome, would seem to intimate that they were well known to the believers there; and if the acquaintance of the disciples with the family of Simon began with the circumstance of his being compelled to bear the cross after Jesus, then it is likely that they would also become well known to the apostles; and as much as this is intimated in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, xvi. 7, 13, with regard to Andronicus and Rufus, the remarkable expression is used, 'chosen in the Lord,'-Both appear to have been nearly related to the apostle, or at least to have become very dear to him: the Junia' mentioned along with the former, ver. 7, was probably of the same family, and the mother is mentioned along with Rufus, ver. 13It would appear that salvation had early come to the whole household. Lu. xxiii. 28. weep for yourselves, &c.--see the evil case of Jerusalem, when the Lord would bring upon it his long-threatened four sore judgments, Eze. xiv. 12-21, The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 13, Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I 29. the days are coming- see ch. xix. 43, § 82, p. 264-They had been predicted by Moses, De. xxviii. 33-7, The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat NOTES. where, as we learn from Josephus, great numbers of the locality now pointed out, and to which they give 27. There followed him.... of women, &c. These were not the women who had followed him from Galilee, but the ordinary crowd collected in the streets on such occasions, and consisting, as is usually the case (and especially at an execution), principally of women. 28. Weep for yourselves, &c. This refers to the calamities that were about to come upon them in the desolation of their city by the Romans. Those who were now young wives would not be more than sixty, when, A.D. 70, the city was taken. 29. Days... in the which they, &c. On this saying, comp. Ho. ix., especially ver. 12-.6.-See SCR. ILLUS. PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. tears of repentance on account of our own sins, and excite us to anxious concern that posterity may escape the awful condemnation of those who reject the Saviour. [29 ver. Such is the awful nature of sin, that it turns even the blessing of God into a curse. people are far from being in a righteous and happy condition, among whom a childless state is to be preferred.] The assistance of some one to bear the cross after Jesus would be the more necessary if the place of crucifixion was upon a height outside the city, and not upon a comparatively level place within, as is Mk. xv. 21. This was doubtless one of the greatest aggravations of the sufferings of Jesus, that another should be compelled to suffer on his account: yet it may have led to Simon's acquaintance with the Saviour, and have introduced salvation to his house. The greatest cross that comes in our way can be rendered conducive to our obtaining the crown of glory. Lu. xxiii. 27. .8. It matters little how much we grieve over the sufferings of Christ, unless they bring This pause, which no doubt was involuntary on the part of the soldiers, must have been produced by the same kind of awe which influenced the band in the garden.'-Ibid., p. 242. VOL. II.] IN THE LORD PUT I MY TRUST:-Psa. xi. 1. That [457 SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE: AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOR EVER.-Ps. xxiii. 6. IF A MAN ABIDE NOT IN ME, HE IS CAST FORTH AS A BRANCH, AND IS WITHERED; LUKE Xxiii. 30, .1. 30 bare, and the-paps which never gave-suck. Then shall-they-begin to-say to-the moun31 tains, Fall on us; and to-the hills, Cover us. For if they-do these-things in a green tree, what shall-be-done in the dry? Of two thieves.-Luke xxiii. 32. 32 And there-were-also two others, malefactors,-led with him to-be-put-to-death. SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS. up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: 34, so that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. 35, The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head. 36, The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. 37, And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.'-Ephraim had already experienced the truth of the prophetic threatening, Ho. ix. 12, Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I depart from them!'-17, My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.'-See also as to Samaria, the capital of Israel, xiii. 16, Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.'-And the like judgment was to be accomplished upon the Jews and Jerusalem, Je. vii. 15, .6,I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim. Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.' king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large : the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.' -See again the judgment of Tophet, Je. xix. 6-13, Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter. 7, And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. 8, And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof. 9, And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them. 10, Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, 11, and shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. 12, Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet: 13, and the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods." See Eze. xx. 47, .8. This the Lord had threatened of old, De. xxxii. 22, For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell,' &c.The scornful men that ruled the people in Jerusalem, Is. xxviii. 14, had disregarded the warning, ver. 15-21 ver. 22, Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.'-See Jno. xv. 6, margin. Mt. xxvii. 33. Golgotha-Supposed to be a word from the same root as Galilee, and the first part of NOTES. Lu. xxiii. 30. Fall on us-The same had been predicted of the other house of Israel, Ho. x. 8, The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.'-Similar language is used with regard to the day when the Lord ariseth to shake terribly the earth, Is. ii. 19, And they shall go into the holes,' &c.-See the great day of the wrath, &c., Rev. vi. 16. 31. what shall be done in the dry?-Pr. xi. 31, 'Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.'-Is. xxx. 33, For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the Lu. xxiii. 30. Then shall they begin, &c. This is a strong figurative description of a people in such extremity of terror and despair, as to desire to be buried alive under their own mountains and hills, rather than meet the wrath of an offended God. This was partially and primarily accomplished when multitudes of the Jews towards the end of the siege sought to escape death by hiding themselves in the subterranean passages and sewers under the city.'-Alford. 31. If they do these things in a green tree, &c. The Hebrews were accustomed to figuratively call the righteous green trees, and the wicked dry ones; as if to intimate that the righteous are undeserving of punishment, as a green tree is unfit for burning.See Abp. Newcome.-Comp. 1 Pe. iv. 18.'-Bloomf. PRACTICAL Lu. xxiii. 30. Let us seek shelter in the Rock of ages cleft for us; so need we never be left to the fearful alternative of the rejectors of Christ, that of calling to the mountains to fall on us. 458] [32. Two other, malefactors, &c. Erepos duo nakoupуos should be rendered two others, malefactors."A. C. The best translation is, "two others, malefactors."-Alford. As St. Luke only records our Lord's declaration that the prophecy in Is. liii. 12, which had foretold that the Messiah should be “numbered with the transgressors," ch. xxii. 37, § 87, p. 377, was on the point of being fulfilled in him, so the same evangelist alone has informed us that it was fulfilled, not only by his being crucified between two malefactors, see Mk. xv. 27, p. 462, but also by their being "led with him" to the place of crucifixion. That these malefactors were robbers, we learn from Mt. xxvii. 38, [Mk. xv. 27,] p. ib.'—Lonsdale.] Mt. xxvii. 33. A place called Golgotha, &c. It is REFLECTIONS. 31 ver. If God spared not his own Son, the spotless Lamb of God, when our sins were found upon him, how can sinners hope to escape? It is only as being found in Him. WHO IS A ROCK SAVE OUR GOD?-Psa. xviii. 31. [VOL. II. AND MEN GATHER THEM, AND CAST THEM INTO THE FIRE, AND THEY ARE BURNED.--John xv. 6. |