Bible Commentaries

Christ before Pilate. Matthew 27:1-31; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-40; John 19:1-16.

Envy; the uneasiness which they felt at his superior excellence and increasing influence.

When men who have the Bible and profess to be religious, prefer a robber and a murderer to the Prince of life, the Saviour of men, and wish the one to be set at liberty and the other crucified, they show that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Jeremiah 17:9. No one, in view of such facts, need to marvel that men must be "born again," in order to inherit the kingdom of God.

Pretorium; the hall where the Roman governor, or praetor, held his court.

A reed; the reed, or staff, which, in derision, they had put into his hand as a sceptre.

Worshipped him; prostrated themselves in derision, or bowed before him, as subjects do before their king.

The crucifixion. Matthew 27:32-64.

Wine; Matthew says vinegar. It was probably wine which was soured, and might be called by either name.

Mingled with myrrh; see note on Matthew 27:34.

Men may be perfectly free, and accountable for their conduct, may commit great wickedness, and be ripening for ruin, and yet, in doing this, be fulfilling predictions which were uttered hundreds of years before; thus proving the truth of the Scriptures, and fulfilling the purposes of God. Psalms 22:18.

Third hour; nine o’clock in the morning.

The King of the Jews; the crime for which the chief priests accused him before Pilate was, that he claimed to be king of the Jews, and thus was guilty of treason against the Roman government; though it was not for this, but for blasphemy in claiming to be the Son of God, that their council condemned him.

The scripture was fulfilled; Isaiah 53:12.

Sixth hour-until the ninth hour; from twelve o’clock, or noon, till three o’clock in the afternoon.

As Jesus Christ never committed sin, but was in all things a pattern of perfection, and yet voluntarily died a most shameful and agonizing death, he must have died a propitiation for the sins of men, "the just for the unjust," "that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." 1 Peter 3:18; John 3:15.

This love of Jesus, as manifested in his humiliation and kindness, his sufferings and death for the sins of men, is great beyond all finite comprehension; and to be constrained by it to love and serve him, is guilt unspeakably great.

Christ’s burial. Matthew 27:55-61; Luke 23:50-56; John 10:31-42.

The preparation; the first day of the feast was called the day of preparation; the next, commencing at the setting of the sun, was the Sabbath; and it was a rule that the body of a malefactor should not remain on the cross over the Sabbath.

Waited for the kingdom of God; he believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and expected that he would soon set up his kingdom.

Boldly; he was inspired by the Holy Spirit with courage, notwithstanding the Saviour was dead, thus to show his attachment to him. Jesus Christ sometimes has friends where we should least expect them. They may be associated with the wicked, and yet, through grace, be kept from being partakers of their sins. On the other hand, exceedingly wicked men may be connected with the people of God. In the council which condemned the Saviour was Joseph waiting for the kingdom of God; while among the apostles, Christ’s chosen friends, was Judas who betrayed him. Luke 23:51.

The centurion; the officer who had charge of the crucifixion. Thus it was rendered certain that Jesus was truly dead.

A sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock; God so ordered things, that he was not buried in the graveyard of common malefactors, but where there could be the fullest evidence that on the third day he rose from the dead.