Who, though he were perfectly innocent, Isa. liii. 9, was yet adjudged to all the contumelies that the most shameful death could bring along with it; And when he was reviled by them, Matt. xxvi. 67, he was far from reviling them again; when he was crucified, he gave them not so much as an ill word, but prayed his Father to forgive them, as many as had any excuse of ignorance to plead for them; and for all others, he remitted them, and all the injuries done him by them, to God's tribunal; Who bare on the cross the punishment of our sins, that we might never think fit to go on in that course which brought such sufferings on Christ, but live piously, by way of gratitude to him and kindness to ourselves, for ever after, having been cured by these sufferings of his. [h] bare our sins] Ἀναφέρειν is to carry up, to bear to an higher place: and because the θυσιαστήριον or altar was such, it therefore signifies to offer up a victim there, Heb. vii. 27, James ii. 21; but here being joined (not, as there, with θυσίας, sacrifices, but) with ὁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, our sins, and ἐπὶ ξύλον, to, or upon, the cross, (which was an high place also, and therefore his crucifixion is expressed by ὑψωθῆναι, being lifted up or exalted,) it must therefore here signify to bear, or carry up, our sins thither, which is a phrase for suffering the punishments of sin, making expiation for them; as Numb. xiv. 33, where the Hebrew read וְנָשָׂא אֶת־וְנָתְכֶם, and they shall bear, or carry, your fornications, the Chaldee render it וַיְקַבְּלוּ, et suscipient, "and they shall undergo," that is, literally, ἀναφέρειν, which the most learned P. Fagius renders luent pœnas peccatorum vestrorum, "they shall bear the punishments of your sins." Thus βαστάζειν κρίμα, Gal. v. 10, to bear the judgment, is to be punished for sin; and Ezek. xviii, The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, that is, be punished for it.