Thrice happy shall he be, if, when his Master comes to visit, he continue to be thus employed, and so be found about the duties of his trust constant and persevering, ver. 13. His Lord shall enlarge his trust, and make him steward of all, and not only of his household; either preserve him to be a governor in his church, after these sad times are over, or otherwise reward him as he seeth best. If that servant shall prove dishonest, and say or think that Christ means not to come and visit as he said he would, 2 Peter iii. 4; And thereupon join in the persecuting of his brethren, (as the Gnostics did with the Jews against the Christians,) and indulge himself presumptuously to licentious living, (see 2 Peter iii. 3, and Jude 18,) The time of visitation shall come on him when it is least looked for, when he is in the worst posture to be surprised, And shall deal with him as a false debtor or deceitful steward, hew him asunder, and assign him the same lot which befalls the unbelieving Jews, Luke xii. 46, bring the same destruction on the Gnostic Christians and the Jews together, and that shall be an irreversible and a most miserable destruction. [a] passover] The connexion of the parts of this verse depends on a tradition of the Jews, that when any were condemned to death, they were kept from execution till the solemn feast, of which there were three in the year, חג המצות, the feast of unleavened bread, or the passover, חג השבועות, the feast of weeks, and חג הככות, the feast of tabernacles, in which all the Jews came up to Jerusalem to sacrifice, and then did they put the malefactors, especially rebels, and impostors, to death, in the presence and sight of all the people, that all Israel might see and fear, Deut. xvii. 13; hence it is that this feast of passover And although it were customary to put malefactors to death at solemn times, Acts xii. 4, that their punishment might be more exemplary, yet they had an exception to that, because of the great opinion the people had of him, which might cause a sedition among them if it were done at any such time of resort, and therefore they deliberated, and had some thoughts of putting it off till after the feast. (But it seems this counsel was laid aside upon Judas's proffer, ver. 15, only a fit season was sought by Judas, ver. 16, perhaps only that of apprehending him in the night.) d one Simon, known and distinguished from others by this, that he had once had a leprosy, and it is probable, had been cured of it by Christ, and so was a disciple of his, a Christian, there came— e See note [b] on Luke vii. f one of them, by name Judas Iscariot, (see note [h] on ch. xxvii. and ch. xxi. 2,) murmured that so much ointment should be cast away upon Christ. [b] alabaster box] What the Greek ἀλάβαστρον here signifies may be observed and judged by the signification of it among the grammarians, and in other authors. In Hesychius and Phavorinus it is λήκυθος μύρου, a vessel of oil, but that not any kind of vessel, as λήκυθος signifies, but, as it is added, μὴ ἔχον λαβὰς, λίθινον, &c. a vessel that hath no handles (which is the clear derivation of the word from a privative, and λαβή, a handle, saith Methodius) and made of stone ordinarily, yet not that it takes its name from the stone which we ordinarily call alabaster, but that that stone ordinarily called ὄνυξ, is from this surnamed, as it were, ἀλάβαστρίτης λίθος, the stone of which the ἀλάβαστρα are ordinarily made. Hence hath Suidas defined it in plain words, ἄγγος μύρου μὴ ἔχον λαβὰς, "a vessel of ointment that hath no handles," which is directly opposed to amphotis, so called because it hath two ears or handles, which makes it clear not to be a box, as it is oft rendered, but βίκιον, urceolus, as Epiphanius calls it, and that either of stone or any other materials. The particular form of it may be best discerned by Pliny, Nat. Hist. l. 9. c. 35, where speaking de elenchis, he saith, they are fastigiata longitudine, alabastrorum figura, in pleniorem orbem desinentes, "long and slender toward the top, and more round and full toward the bottom, which is the figure of the alabasters." In which respect it is, that the same author resolves unguentum optime servari in alabastris, that any "ointment is best kept in vessels of this fashion." The Greek translators of the Old Testament have rendered אַלְחָה ἀλάβαστρος, 2 Kings xxi. 13, which I suppose alludes to this figure of it (not as of a dish, but a narrow-mouthed vessel), by that which follows of turning it upside down, which is the only way of emptying or getting all the water or oil out of such kind of vessels. The same word little altered אַלְחָה, Isaiah 2 Kings ii. 20. rendered ὑδρία, a water-pot or vessel for those like purposes. So much for the fashion of this vessel. For the matter of it, it is certain that it was commonly made of marble, and so by Nonnus it is paraphrased μάρμαρον ἄγγος, a marble vessel, and particularly of the onyx, which is acknowledged by Gorrhæus and others to be marmoris species, "a sort of marble," (which by the way will resist the opinion that we ordinarily have in this matter of the woman's breaking the vessel, the marble being not so fit for that purpose, and the manner of pouring out ointment being intimated by b Pollux in his λύε τὰ ἀλάβαστρα, θάττον σύ, open them, take out the stopple or cork out of the mouth of them, and then use a little stick, or spathula or rudicula, putting it in and tasting the oil, πρὶν καταχέειν, "before it be poured out,") but it was also made of silver and glass, or other metals; so Theocritus makes mention χρυσέων ἀλαβάστρων, of "golden alabasters," (and so the style in Athenæus imports περιενεγκόντων τῶν παίδων ἐν ἀλαβάστροις καὶ ἄλλοις χρυσοῖς σκεῦσαι μύρα, "the boys carrying about unguents in alabasters and other golden vessels;") Epiphanius of βύκιον ὑέλιον, and the etymologist calls it σκεῦός τι ἕξ ὑέλου, "a vessel a Dioscor. βιβ. ε'. κεφ. κζ'. whence that of Martial, l. 2. Profertur cosmi nunc mihi siccus onyx. b Onom. l. 10. c. 26. [c] at meat] The use of this myrrh or ointment (at this time) which the woman poured upon him, was that which was usual at feasts; that thus it was usual in the entertainments of the Jews, it is clear by many places, psalm xxiii. 5, where, after the preparing a table, follows, thou anointest my head with oil, &c.; and so when wine is said to make glad the heart of man, and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen, there are the three parts of a festival entertainment, bread and wine taken in for the gladding, or refreshing, and strengthening the heart, and the oil for the outside (exteriora oleo irrigentur, said Democritus), for the countenance, or the head rather, on which it was poured here, as a perfume, which was the compliment of festivities. Hence it is, that amongst the steward's expenses, Luke xvi, he reckons ἱκανὸν βάτους ἐλαίου, an hundred measures of oil, provided especially for such festival uses. So 1 Chron. xii. 40, the oil is mentioned among the festival provision; so Philo in Leg. ad Caium. p. 797. D. ἀλείμματα and τροφῆ, anointing and food, are a description ἐπιμελεστέρας διαίτης, of a more delicate life; and so wine and oil, Prov. xxi. 17, as signs of one that had lived luxuriously and enjoyingly. The same, I conceive, to be the notion of the oil of gladness, psalm xlv. 7, as referring to the oil used in feasts, (which are called gladness or joy, as 1 Chron. xii. 20, there was joy in Israel,) and so consequently it must be understood, Heb. i. 9, that Christ was better dealt with by God, more royally treated, and more abundance of grace poured on him than any other. By which also may appear what is the χρίσμα ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἁγίου, unction from the Holy One, 1 John ii. 20, a most liberal effusion or communication of grace from the Spirit which had descended upon the apostles. So among the heathens f, Jul. Pollux, ὅτι δὲ καὶ μύρον ἐν τοῖς συμποσίοις, ἐπιμνηστέον; so Athen. lib. 11. out of the ancients, c Casanb. in Bar. f Onomast. l. 6. c. 16. d In Alexand. e Lib. 34. tit. 2. lege Argumento sunt. When it might have been sold at a good rate, and that have relieved many poor people. g Why do you murmur or complain of this woman's action, seeing that which she hath now done is an act of charity or piety very seasonable at this time? For you are sure to have continual opportunities of giving alms to the poor, but ye are not likely to have so towards me. And indeed this very act which she now hath done is more than an act of charity, it is a presage very significant, that I shall die and be buried very shortly, for which this ointment is proper, by way of embalming. Then Judas, he that had made that mutiny, and consequently that had had this answer given him, in foul displeasure upon this occasion, (and knowing that they of the sanhedrin were desirous to apprehend him privately) went unto— shekels. such an opportunity as they meant, ver. 4, that is, an opportunity of taking him when the people should not be aware, to deliver him up unto them. [d] pieces of silver] That by ἀργύρια here are meant shekels may be concluded, not only by the reading the Greek and Latin MS. which hath στατήρας instead of it, (staters and shekels being all one, see note [e] ch. xvii.) but also because 2 Sam. xviii. 12, the ten pieces of silver there are by the Targum rendered ten shekels of silver, or five of the double shekels, that is, twenty-five shillings. In proportion to which the thirty ἀργύρια here will be three pounds and fifteen shillings, and so it is Maimonides' observation (More Nev. par. 3. c. 40.) from Exod. xxi. 32, that thirty shekels, or pieces of silver was the price of servants a free man being, saith he, generally valued at Now on the Thursday evening, wherein the thirteenth day of the month Nisan was concluded, (see note [c] on Mark xiv.) and the fourteenth day began, the day of preparation to the feast of unleavened bread, whereon they put all leaven out of their houses, that is, on the evening which began the paschal day, the disciples came— The season of my death is so near at hand, being likely to befall me before this paschal day at even, (wherein they were wont to eat the lamb,) that I cannot solemnly observe the paschal sacrifice; I will therefore eat the unleavened bread and bitter herbs, the memorial of the afflictions and deliverance in Egypt, at thy house this night. See note [c] on Mark xiv. after sun-set some time: see note [c] on Mark xiv. Or, staters, for the Gr. and Lat. MS. reads στατήρα. deliver him up, παραδῷ. It is prophesied of the Messias that he shall be put to death, and accordingly it shall be, but woe be unto that man that shall be the instrument of it! it were more for the advantage of that man never to have been, than by this sin to incur that woe. It is as thou hast said. And whilst Judas was there, before any of them were risen from the table, Jesus, in imitation of the Jews' custom after supper, (of distributing bread and wine about the table as an argument of charity, and a means of preserving brotherly love among them,) instituted the sacrament of the eucharist as a contesseration of charity among all Christians, and to that end taking bread, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave it to the disciples to take and eat, telling them that this taking and eating was now instituted by him as an holy rite and ceremony of annunciating and commemorating his death, and a means of making all worthy receivers partakers of the benefits of his death. [e] This is my body] What is the full importance of this phrase, Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου, This is my body, is a difficulty which may perhaps be cleared by degrees, by premising these few observations. First, from the Jewish phrases and customs, that the lamb dressed in the paschal supper, and set upon the table, as a sacrificial feast, or festival sacrifice, was wont to be called נופו של מכח, "the body of the passover," or נופו של כבש המכח, "the body of the paschal lamb." So in the Talmud, De Pasch. c. ult. R. M. Maim. in Hilchos Camets umatzah, c. viii. §. 1. and §. 7. So in Mekilta, fol. 4. col. 1. To which phrase or form of speech among them Christ may probably allude, when he saith, This is my body, making himself, that was now to be slain for them, answerable to that paschal lamb (as by Paul he is called our Passover, that is sacrificed for us), and so mentioning this crucifixion of his, in that form, by which the presentation of the Lamb on the table in the Jewish feast, whereof they were to eat by God's appointment, was wont to be expressed. This for the words σῶμά μου, my body. Secondly, for the τοῦτό ἐστι, this is, or the whole phrase, Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου, This is my body. This seems to be by Christ substituted instead of the paschal form הא לחמא דעניא, "This is the bread of affliction, which our fathers eat in Egypt," or, "This is the unleavened bread," &c. or, "This is the passover:" where it is evident that that is not the identical bread, which their fathers in Egypt eat, but only the transcript of it, the commemoration of that Egyptian state of slavery, from which they had been delivered, and the celebration of that annual feast, which in Egypt was first instituted. As when in ordinary speech, on Christmas, or Easter day, we say, 'This day Christ was born, or arose,' which example St. Augustine accommodates to this matter in his Epistles. Thirdly, it must here be observed, that the word τοῦτο, this, (Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ σῶμά μου, This is my body,) is not the relative to ἄρτος, bread, but of the neuter, whereas that is of the masculine gender, and consequently it is not here said that this bread is my body (the body of Christ), but either indefinitely this, or λάβετε, φάγετε, Take eat, this is my body, this taking and eating is, or denotes my body, which is more fully expressed Luke xxii. 19: This is my body which is given for you: do this in remembrance, or commemoration of me: and so 1 Cor. xi. 23, Take, eat, this (not οὗτος, this bread, but τοῦτο, this taking and eating) is my body, which is broken for you: do this in remembrance of me. This is a little further improved by St. Paul. 1 Cor. x. 15, 16: The cup of blessing which we bless, that is, our blessing the cup in the sacrament, and ἄρτον ὃν κλῶμεν, the bread which we break, that is, the breaking of the bread which is delivered to us to eat, οὐχὶ κοινωνία τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐστι; is it not the communication of the body of Christ? where what was before said in Christ's words to be his body, is more manifestly said to be the communication of his body, that is, the For this is a federal rite between me and you, a sacrament of that blood of mine which I shall shortly pour out upon the cross; and by which I will seal to you a new covenant, a promise of pardoning the sins of all that shall return from their sins and obey me. (See note on the title of these books.) It is not long that I shall abide with you, nor shall I again thus celebrate this or any the like feast among you, till we meet in heaven, and partake together of those joys which are wont to be expressed by new wine figuratively. [f] not drink] That Christ did after his resurrection, before his ascension, eat and drink with his disciples, seems to be affirmed by many places of scripture, and those such as are to that sense interpreted by the ancients. Thus Acts x. 41, St. Peter saith, the disciples eat and drank with him after his resurrection, and that is used by him as a proof of the reality and certainty of his resurrection, which it would not have been if they only had eat and drank, and he had not. Thus when, Acts i. 4, it is said that Christ was συναλιζόμενος, &c. though perhaps that may be thought to signify no more than his having conversed with them, and not necessarily to infer his eating or drinking, yet both the origination of the word ἄλς, salt, and the Syriac and Arabic interpretation, make it signify all one as if it had been συνεσθίειν, and St. Chrysostom gives his judgment of it, that by it is meant that which the apostles, Acts x. 41, use as an argument of Christ's resurrection, their eating and drinking with him. And so Theophylact, and Ecumenius, συναλιζόμενος, τουτέστι κοινωνῶν ἄλων καὶ κοινωνῶν τραπέζης, it signifies "partaking of the table with them," and on Acts x. 41, the Scholion is, Ἐντεῦθεν τὴν ἀνάστασιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ διαβεβαιούται ἐκ τοῦ συμφαγεῖν αὐτῷ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, "He confirms the resurrection of Christ by their eating with him after it," οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀναστὰς ἐποίησέ τι σημεῖον αὐτὴ γὰρ ἡ ἀνάστασις μέγα σημεῖον ἦν· ταύτης δὲ οὐδὲν σημεῖον ἦν ὡς τὸ φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν, "for after he was risen he did not work any miracle, for the resurrection itself was a great miracle, and of that none so great an evidence as to eat and drink." So Leontius de Sect. πρᾶξ. 1. p. 330. C. Εἰ γὰρ λέγεται φαγεῖν μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, τοῦτο δι' οἰκονομίαν ἐποίησεν, οὐκ ὡς τῷ ὄντι πεινῶν, ἀλλ' ἵνα δείξῃ τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι b T. 4. Savil. ed. p. 611. [o] sign] This σημεῖον may possibly signify some special prodigy, that should fall about that time attending on that destruction. Josephus mentions many, de Bell. Jud. l. 7. c. 12, especially that of a comet in form of a fiery sword, which for a year together hung over the city. But this was but a presage of the fatal destruction of that city, and so, though it were a visible sign of the Son of man's coming, that is, of the vengeance which he meant to work upon this people, and that ἵν οὐρανῷ, being literally in heaven, yet it cannot belong to this place, which sets down the consequents which ensued, μετὰ, after the distress and straits of those days, that is, after the siege of Jerusalem, ver. 29. And therefore this sign of the Son of man may rather signify here such a manifestation of Christ's presence in this punishment of the Jews, as should convince them, that it was for their crucifying of him, that it was come upon them, and accordingly mourn (all the tribes of Israel, as it follows) &c. [g] sung an hymn] It was the custom of the Jews after supper to say grace, and then to say or sing ומִירָה, verses or songs, especially over the paschal lamb, saith Paulus Burgensis, at which time, saith he, they were wont to sing from the exiith to the exiith psalm, the matter of those psalms agreeing perfectly with the paschal lamb. This may have been the hymn, or rather hymns or psalms, which Christ sang here with his disciples; see P. Fagius in Annot. upon the Chaldee Paraphrase, Deut. viii. But it is also not improbable, that it was some other hymn accommodated to this particular institution of Christ's, and this sung by them all, in the same manner as we read of the Christians' hymn, Acts iv. 24. Between supper and going abroad Jesus spake these words to his disciples, Ye shall all fall off from me before morning, and fulfil the prediction, Zach. xiii. 7, which foretold that Christ should be apprehended, and thereupon the apostles, the chief of his little flock of believers, (for sheep he had others which were not of this flock,) see Mark xiv. 27, 28, should fly away and forsake him. But though I am taken from you, and ye fly from and forsake me, yet I will not leave you so, I shall rise from the dead; and when I am risen I will go into Galilee, where you may meet me. 'Though all men fall off and forsake thee, yet, whatsoever befalls me, I will not. 'before the space of time be ended which men especially call the cock-crowing, that is, before the morning watch come, thou shalt three times renounce being my disciple. 'Peter and James and John, whom he most admitted to his secrets (see ch. xvii. 1), and was in a very great agony of sorrow. 'and he lay prostrate, (which in time of great anxiety is the usual posture, and a token of the greatest humiliation, and renouncing of himself,) and said, My Father, if all that I came about may be achieved without it, let this bitter potion that is now approaching, this contumelious and bloody death, be removed from me. But if not, I more desire the doing what thou hast designed for me, than the escaping any kind of suffering. And this is a most just reward for your doings, your impiety and uncharitableness of all sorts. For when I was ready to furnish for hunger, you would spare nothing out of your plenty to relieve me. And then they, as if not conscious of this impiety, shall begin to expostulate that they never dealt thus unkindly with Christ, never saw him in any distress without relieving him. CHAP. XXVI. So he left them without saying much to them, as before, their eyes being so oppressed with sleep, that they were not in fit case to consider or answer what was said to them. You may now enjoy your drowsy humour, I shall make no farther use of your vigilance; the minute is now come upon you that your Master shall be apprehended and taken from you, and carried before the tribunal of the Gentiles, the Romans, (by whose judicature he shall be put to death, see note [f] on Luke xxii.) delivers me up into their hands. a commander and band of soldiers (see note [f] on Luke xxii.) provided with arms for the apprehending him, sent upon this service by the sanhedrim of the Jews. apprehend him. Were you so unable to watch with me one small while? Obrus obi loxbeare plae Epar &c. [p] cut him asunder] It was the law for debtors that were accused and cast in judgment for falseness, or not performance of promise and obligation to creditors, διχοτομεῖσθαι, to be cut asunder, saith Tertull. Apol. p. 22, and so proportionably stewards that have not performed their masters' trusts. And these are ranked with hypocrites, that is, knaves, false, deceitful persons, expressed by St. Luke, in setting this down, ch. xii. 46, by ἄπιστοι, unbelievers or unfaithful. And the meaning of the verse seems to be this, that they which, instead of serving Christ in his church, in bringing in believers to him, shall (upon the persecuting of Christians by the Jews, and the deferring this vengeance of Christ upon that people) begin to join with the Gnostics; 1st, in their complying with the Jews, and persecuting the orthodox Christians; 2dly, in indulging to the licentious practices observable among them; these apostate false servants of Christ shall pay dearly for it, shall be destroyed by Christ, like false stewards, be joined with the Gnostics, (those hypocrites or unbelievers, abominable reproaches, and stains of the Christian profession,) as in their practices, so in their destruction. If I would forcibly be relieved I could have a full army, or host of angels, consisting, as among the Romans, of twelve legions. But the prophets have foretold I must suffer, and their predictions must be accomplished. as against a malefactor, with a band of soldiers to apprehend me? see ver. 47. The next thing done was, that upon Christ's speaking to have the disciples let go they were permitted, John xviii. 8, and all of them having that liberty departed from him, and that with so much terror, that one in the company, being a young person, ran away perfectly naked, Mark xiv. 5. At that time, or instant, de l'avey v. 2pg. HAMMOND, VOL. I. K Now the sanhedrim used all diligence to get any false testimony against him that were capital. [h] false witness] The professed coming in and entertaining of false witnesses against Christ will not seem strange, if it be remembered, that among the Jews in actions against seducers of the people, or false prophets, it was lawful to say any thing, whether true or false, no man being permitted to say any thing in defence of them. In the condemning of other men, they expected a day and a night, to see if any thing could be produced which might profit the prisoner, but not in these cases of false prophets, and seducers of the people to idolatry: see P. Fagius in his notes on the Chald. Paraph. on Deut. xiii. 8, and Maimonides in Hileoth Sanhedr. c. 11. So it is said in the story of Stephen, they did ὑποβάλλειν ἄνδρας, suborn men, and again, ἔστησαν μάρτυρας ψευδεῖς, ver. 13, they substituted false witnesses, &c. Besides, the sanhedrim were so resolved to take away his life, that they did professedly seek false witness that should come and swear any thing against him, ver. 59. And what was here done in their process against him is just the antitype or further impletion of that which was first performed on Jeremy, ch. xxvi. 8, 9. But none that came was of any force, because they were all but indeed single witnesses. At the last— And misreported a speech of his related truly, John ii. 19, saying, This fellow— k Hast thou no answer to make to these accusations thus testified by two witnesses? l spake again unto him, saying, I lay an oath upon thee, and by that which is most sacred require thee to speak and say freely whether thou art the Messias, whom we know to be the Son of God. m As low as I am, I am he. But I tell you, within a little while you shall discern this Son of man, whom you are now ready to crucify as man, assumed into his throne, installed in his heavenly kingdom. An effect of which shall be most visible in his acting vengeance upon you, and that as discernibly as if he were coming with his angels, who use to appear in bright clouds. [i] adjure thee] It was a custom among the Jews to adjure, which was by some form of execration laid upon the person, if he did not speak and answer truly. This among them obliged the person adjured, as much as if he had taken an oath; and therefore Christ, though before he had held his peace, now being adjured, thinks himself bound to answer him. Many examples we have of this in the Old Testament: Judges xvii. 2, the silver which thou hast lost, and about which thou didst use execration, that is, didst adjure; so Prov. xxix. 24, of the partaker with the thief, that is so secret, he heareth cursing, and betrayeth it not, that is, will not reveal, though he be adjured. 1 Kings viii. 31: If any man sin against his brother, וְנָשָׂא בוֹ אֵלֶּה לְהֵאִלֵּתוּ, and he impose on him an imprecation to adjure him, for so אלה signifies, psalm x. 7, and is rendered by the Chaldee Paraphrase, לָזְמִין, maledictions, and so הֵאִלֵּתוּ in hiphil is literally and critically to make swear, to adjure, and is expressed by St. Paul's ὁρκίζω, 1 Thess. v. 27. I bind you under the curse of God. The law concerning this we have Levit. v. 1: [k] power] The right hand of power is the right hand of God the Father, who is called power by the Hebrews: so Jarchi on Numb. vii. 10; Moses received it not from their hands, till he was commanded from the mouth of power; and so the δεξιὰ μεγαλωσύνης, the right hand of greatness, Heb. viii. 1. So 1 Pet. iv. 14, the spirit of glory is the spirit of God. [l] rent his clothes] That rending of clothes was an expression of indignation, holy zeal, and piety among the Jews, expressed on several occasions, especially of grief in humiliation, and of anger on the hearing of any blasphemous speech, is ordinarily known by all. Only the difficulty here is, how this could be fit or proper for the high priest to do, which is made unlawful for the priests, Levit. x. 6. xxi. 10. Thus hath Baronius objected, Annal. t. 1. an. Ch. 34; but the answer is easy, that that prohibition in Levit. extends only to the not tearing of the sacerdotal garments, that is, of those which are used only in the priest's office, Exod. xxviii. 32, and xxxix. 23, and agreeably the Jews have a rule, Qui dilaceraverit vestes sacerdotales, vapulabit, "He that shall tear any of the priests' garments shall be beaten." Besides this, it was indeed also unlawful to enter into the court of the Israelites in the temple with rent clothes, but that was unlawful to any other, as well as to a priest, who differed not from others in this matter, save only in this one circumstance, that the high priest tore his garment from the bottom to the top, the rest of the priests and all others from the top to the bottom. What is the vote or sentence of the council concerning him? They answered, He is guilty of a fault which is punishable with death. Then did some of the officers of their court spit in his face, and buffet him, and blindfold him, Luke xxii. 64, and then gave him blows on the face, [m] smote him &c.] 'Ῥαπίς is by Hesychius rendered ῥάβδος, a rod or wand, ῥαπίσαι, ῥάβδῳ πλῆξαι, ἢ ἀλοῆσαι, to strike with a rod or to thresh, to use such a stick as was ordinary in threshing out corn, a staff or cudgel; and again, ῥαπίζει, σκώπτει, ἀλοᾷ, παίζει μαστιγοί, τύπτει, to strike, and to mock. But then the old Greek and Latin Lexicon hath it otherwise, ῥαπίζω, expalmo, alapo, to box, or strike with the hand. And so ¹St. Augustine reads it, Si cum expalmaretur voluit se vindicare? "Would he revenge himself when he was boxed?" So Nonnus on John: ἄγριος ἀνὴρ Τολμηρῇ παλάμῃ ῥαθέην ἐπάταξε παρείην. "The rude man struck his divine cheek with his audacious hand;" and Sedulius, Non denique passim Vel colaphis pulsare caput, vel cedere palmis, Aut spuere in faciem plebs execranda quievit: "The accursed multitude ceased not to cuff him, or to strike him with the palms of their hands, or to spit on him." And so Suidas, ῥαπίσαι, πατάξαι τὴν γνάθον ἀπλῇ τῇ χειρὶ, it signifies "to strike the cheek with the bare hand;" and so Juvencus of the passion of Christ, Et palmæ in malis, colaphique in vertice crebri, Insultant, — and —prophetabis cujus te palma cecidit: ¹ Tom. 7. in Ep. Johan. t. 9. col. 626. Saying, Thou who by thy title of Christ pretendest to unction prophetical, make use of it for thyself, and by it tell us who it is that smites thee. wert a prime companion or disciple of (see Mark iii. 14.) Jesus of Galilee. I am not guilty of what thou laysest to my charge. saying, I have no relation to him. thy dialect or tone, peculiar to those of Galilee from the rest of the Jews, betrayeth thee to be a Galilean and follower of his. to lay imprecations on himself, and to swear— Before the second cock-crowing, which is in the middle watch, between midnight and morning: see note on Mark xiii. 35. * cudgelled him. K 2 And having retired for a while, the whole sanhedrim, consisting of chief priests and rulers of the people, &c., met together in council, and there decreed that he was to be put to death, and accordingly that they would press the Roman procurator to do justice on him capitally. And accordingly, as one pre-condemned by them, they bound him, and led— a cast by the Jews' sanhedrim, wished that he had not done it, and was exceedingly grieved and afflicted in mind, and brought— b I have committed a foul sin, in delivering up into your hands a most innocent person to be put to death. And when they would not receive the money, he would not carry it back again, but threw it down as a detestable thing that he was resolved to rid his hands of, and leaving it in the temple, departed to his home; and was there so affected with sorrow, and horror, and despair, that in a fit of melancholy or suffocation he suddenly fell down upon his face, and burst, and died, Acts i. 18. [a] hanged himself] What is here meant by ἀπήγξατο, or how it is reconcilable with what is related of Judas, Acts i. 18, hath been a matter of some doubt and difficulty. That he hanged himself, is affirmed by many of the ancients, Origen, and St. Chrysostom and his followers, and Juvencus, and Leo, but especially by the Epistle that bears the name of Ignatius to the Philippians, but sure was not written by him. And some reverence is due to these authorities; otherwise, that which the words most easily and promptly bear, and which they might possibly mean by those words which we interpret to hanging, is this, that he fell into a violent suffocating fit of sadness or melancholy, and grieved so excessively, as to wish himself dead, and then suddenly fell flat upon his face (for so Hesychius renders πρηνὴς ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πηπτωκὼς, only falling on the face, not down any steep place) and then burst, Acts i. 18. And Phavorinus, Πρηνὴς εἰς τοῦμπροσθεν, ἐπὶ στόματος, ἐπὶ προσώπου, it signifies falling forward on the mouth, on the face; and, Πρηνὴς κείσθαι λέγεται ὁ ἐπὶ στόμα κείμενος, ὁ δὲ ἀνάπαλιν ὕπτιος, "He is said to lie πρηνὴς who lieth upon the face; and opposite thereto is lying on the back." This seems to be a Theophylact's understanding of it, who speaking of the excessive sorrow that the incestuous Corinthian, if not timely absolved, might probably fall into, expresseth it by εἰς ἀγχόνην ἤξη ὡς Ἰούδας, "coming to a suffocation, as Judas did." And this seems to have caused Ecumenius on the Acts, having resolved that he died not by hanging, to fly to some fables of Papias, of his being so swollen, that he could not pass by a chariot in the way, &c. In which fable I suppose there might probably be so much truth, that by this fit of extreme melancholy he was so swollen, that, as the text saith, he burst asunder, and his bowels gushed out. So in Ælian, where it is said of Poliager, κωμωδούμενος ἀπήγξατο, "being reproached he was suffocated," that is to be interpreted by the words immediately precedent, σκώμματα οὐ μόνον ἐλύπησε πολλάκις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπέκτεινε, "εcoffs have not only grieved men often, but also killed them with grief." Thus in b Chrysostom, τῷ συνειδότη ἀπάγχισθαι, is "to be suffocated through grief, (strangled, as it were, or) miserably affected with conscience." And though it signify not in this sense to die, yet it doth note a violent disease, stifling and suffocating for want of vent, and affecting the patient so as to produce that death which Judas soon came to after this, falling upon his face, and then (as upon a violent stopping all natural passages, which the violence of despair had wrought in him) bursting asunder, his guts breaking out at his navel, Acts i. 18. That exceeding horror and grief being the only thing here mentioned, (as that which immediately followed, and came in naturally a In 1 Cor. ii. 7. b Hom. 22. ad Antioch. And they of the sanhedrim, ver. 3, seeing the money thus left in the temple, had some thoughts of putting it into the treasury of the temple, but considering that it was money given for the delivering one up to death, they conceived it not holy enough to be put in there. [b] price of blood] It was a custom among the Jews, imitated by the first Christians, that it should not be lawful for executioners to offer any thing, or for any alms to be received from them (the same also of money, that came out of the publicans' or quæstors' exchequer): so saith Clement in Constit. τῶν δημίων οὐ δεκτὰς εἶναι καρποφορίας, that "the offerings of executioners are not acceptable," or "fit to be received," and so by analogy any money by which a life is bought might not be put into the treasury, it was the price of blood, and the field bought with it called the field of blood. And upon consultation they decreed and resolved in council, that the money (which they in this hurry did not neglect the disposing of) should be laid out for a pious use, to buy a piece of ground, which had been the potters', for strangers to bury their dead in. [c] strangers] The strangers here may be either, 1. men of other nations; and then the thing from hence observable is, that they would not have commerce with them, even when they were dead, and therefore provided a separate place for them; or, 2dly, (which is more likely,) the Jews, which coming from far to Jerusalem to sacrifice, &c. died there before their return, and so the priests took this care to provide a burying place for them; these perhaps are the οἱ ἐπιδημούντες Ῥωμαῖοι, Acts ii. 10, those Jews that travelled from Rome thither. This field was by the people, for all the hypocrisy of the sanhedrim, called— And Jesus was brought to the bar and examined, whether he were the Messias so long expected by that people, and he answered, Yes, I am. And to all the accusations sent in against him by the sanhedrim, whether by a written bill of theirs or by some attorney instructed by them, (themselves coming not in, John xviii. 28,) he made no kind of reply. Dost thou not think fit to make apology for thyself, hearing what charges are sent in by the sanhedrim, and those sufficiently testified against thee? All this would not move Christ to make any apology or plea for himself, at which Pilate extremely wondered. Now this being the time of the yearly passover, a solemn feast of the Jews, it was customary with the procurator to gratify the Jews by pardoning some prisoner of that nation, and that it might be the greater obligation to them, to give them liberty to choose whom they pleased by votes of the people. which by many is taken to be the Messias? [d] wont to release] This custom was no custom of the Jews while the power was in their hands, but ad faciendum populum, a piece of popularity, a grace or favour of the procurator, brought in by Pilate, ver. 15. And thus the succeeding emperors, Valentinian, Theodosius, Arcadius, by a general law commanded the judges that on the first day of the passover all the prisoners of the Jews, but those which were committed for some certain faults, should be released. Of the same nature is the people's demanding him to be put to death, giving their suffrages, ver. 22, and Luke xxiii. 23, John xix. 15, which is mentioned also by St. Paul, Acts xxvi. 10, and was a Roman custom, Ne possent consules injussu populi in caput civis animadvertere, saith Pomponius. See Rewardus ad Leg. 12. Tab. c. 24. And it seemeth, it was put into the twelve tables, De capite civis nisi per maximum comitatum ne ferunto, as Tally cites it, De Leg. l. 3. All to this purpose, that the people had their voice in putting any freeman to death. That which moved him to make this proposal, was because he knew it was matter of malice in some great persons among them (wherein the multitude of the people were not concerned) that Christ was thus persecuted, and so that the multitude might probably be pleased to have him released. And this he would have been very glad of, because, when he was on the bench, his wife sent him a message, how she had been much troubled in a dream, and by those terrors incited to stop him from giving sentence of death against Jesus. But they of the sanhedrim prevailed with the multitude that they should make choice of Barabbas, and by cry and clamour require Jesus to be put to death. 'do you choose to have released or pardoned, according to that custom, ver. 15. ¶ The whole multitude, instigated by the sanhedrim, cried out, ver. 23. ¶ But the more Pilate seemed to believe him guiltless, the more violent were they in their clamours that he should be put to death. When Pilate discerned this, that his expressing his opinion of Christ's innocence did not at all allay the people's violence, but that contrariwise it made them ready to mutiny, put them into a rage and distemper, he solemnly called for water, and in the presence of them all washed his hands, desirous thereby to free himself of all guilt in doing any thing in this matter, and said, I will be guiltless, it shall (or, let the whole matter) lie upon you. And the whole people cried out, Let it be so; whatever guilt there is in putting him to death, let it lie upon us and our posterity. 'though he had intended to inflict no other punishment on Christ but that of scourging, Luke xxiii. 16, 22, (and therefore it appears, John xix. 1, that The whole band that guarded the temple came and surrounded him, as a guard to a malefactor. robe of state, such as persons of honour wear in public assemblies. And to make him somewhat which might look like a crown, they took thorns and platted them into that form and put it on his head, and instead of a sceptre in his hand they gave him a reed, and made him hold it in his right hand in a kind of state: and they bowed— 30, 31. And having thus dealt with him as a mock king, and derided him long enough that way, they then took the reed out of his hand, and spit upon him, and smote him on the head, and took off the robe of state, and put his own clothes on him again, by this ceremony signifying the dethroning him from his pretended kingdom, and then carried him to the place of crucifixion. they lighted on Simon of Cyrene, whether as a favourer of Christ, or as one which casually passed by at that time, (see Mark xv. 21,) and him (either without consideration who it was, or else particularly as a favourer of Christ, and so by the Jews' instigation) they pressed, as usually they did men to bear burdens, (see note [f] on ch. v.) forcing him to carry the cross after him, Luke xxiii. 26, to the place of crucifying. bitter poisonous ingredients to hasten death: and when— [e] bear his cross] It was the custom in that punishment of crucifixion, that he that was to be executed should himself carry the cross. So Plutarch de sera Numin. vind. ἕκαστος τῶν κακούργων ἐκφέρει τὸν αὐτοῦ σταυρόν. Hence came the name of furcifer, grown proverbial since. So Artemidorus, Ὄνειρ. l. 2. c. 61. ὁ μέλλων σταυρῷ προσηλοῦθαι, πρότερον αὐτὸν βαστάζει. So Nonius out of Plautus, Patibulum ferat per urbem, deinde affigatur cruci: "Let him carry it through the city, and then be fastened to it." This it seems, by John xix. 17. Christ carried himself; but it being so great a burden, (and perhaps not well supportable by all that were to suffer,) they used ἀγγαρεύειν, to press somebody else, as a porter or burden-bearer, to carry it after or near the person gall] Χολή here signifies all kind of bitter poisonous spices or mixtures, which St. Mark, in setting down this story, determines to be myrrh. The Hebrew שָׁמָּה signifies two things, gall, and a most poisonous herb, and the Greek χολή signifying one of these, gall, is put (Deut. xxix. 18, and xxxii. 32,) for the other, the poisonous herb, קוֹבֶּה φύουσα ἐν χολῇ, where the Hebrew is best rendered, a root sprouting out with that most poisonous herb, and so the word χολή, joined with πίκριας, is used by St. Peter of Simon Magus (see note [d] Acts viii.) though metaphorical. So again the Hebrew חַנָּה signifies both anger and poison; and so, from these usages in the Hebrew language, it comes to pass very consequently, that the word χολή in Greek being (as it denotes choler or anger) all one with θυμός, wrath, both these words χολή and θυμός are used promiscuously, and both in the Old Testament taken generally for poison, which being mixed with wine, stupified and astonished the person that drank it, and was ordinarily given to them that were put to death. So in the last of the Proverbs, Give strong drink to them that are ready to die; where the Hebrew sichar, softened by the Greek into σικίρα, signifies, saith St. Basil, πᾶν τὸ δυνίμενον μίθην ἐμποήσαι, “all that can cause drunkenness.” So psalm lx. 3, οἶνος κατανόξεως, the wine of stupidity, is by the Chaldee rendered the wine of malediction, such as is given to them that are to be executed, of which saith Rabbi Shelomo, that it “obnubilates the heart, and strikes the brain,” that is, disturbs and takes away the senses. And accordingly St. Paul useth πνεῦμα κατανόξεως, Rom. xi. for the spirit of stupidity, or slumber, having eyes and not seeing, &c. Thus οἶνος θυμοῦ, Apoc. xiv. 10, is not the wine of God’s wrath, but the wine mixed with all these stupifying spices, that is, the stupifying and astonishing judgments of God. And the same is expressed in the psalmist, psalm lxxv. 9, by the phrase of οἶνος ἄκρατος πλήρης κεράσματος, wine pure, (unmixed from water, or any softening allaying mixture,) and full of all these poisonous, stupifying ingredients; and so in like manner, by the οἶνος ἄκρατος κεκερασμένος, in that place of Rev. xiv. 10, the unmixed wine, mixed, which is there the periphrasis of οἶνος θυμοῦ, or the οἶνος ἐσμνησιμένος in St. Mark, the wine with myrrh in it. This, it seems, being useful to open the pores and hasten death, Christ refused to take, meaning to make good his own words of Ego pono, I lay down my life, not for his will only, but the act also; and so, though he gave way to natural things to work, yet he reserved all to his own power; and so when he had done all that he would, he saith, It is finished, John xix. 30, and bowed the head and gave up the ghost. And this was it that the centurion considering, was amazed at, Mark xv. 39. And they that fastened him to the cross, the executioners, stripped him, and then divided his garments, all but the inner garment, into four parts, and took every man one, but the inner, having no seam in it, they rent not asunder, but cast lots for it: that it might— And when they had crucified him, they parted, σταυρόσαντος δι' δυμορίσαντος. He pretended to do miracles in curing of the blind, &c., why can he not now deliver himself? If he be the Messias prophesied of among the Jews, let him now free himself from death, and then we shall have some inducement to believe him. ʳ if he have any special favour unto him, and will own him (as he pretended) to be his Son. [g] will] The word θέλω is used by the Greek translators of the Old Testament, and writers of the New, sometimes in a notion which seldom belongs to it in other authors, as when, 1 Sam. xviii. 22, θέλει ἐν σοὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς, the king delighteth or taketh pleasure in thee. So 2 Sam. xv. 26, and very frequently in other places, upon this ground, that the Hebrew יָתָה, which signifies to will, signifies also to delight in, and so is rendered εὐδοκέω, as well as θέλω, and when θέλω, it is taken in the same sense as if it were εὐδοκέω. And so it is here, for psalm xxii. 8, (from whence these words are taken, and from the translators there N 2 And one of the thieves that was crucified with him spake to the same purpose, Luke xxiii. 39, but the other found fault with him for it. [h] thieves] That which is here affirmed of the robbers in the plural number seems to be understood in the singular, only of one of them, Luke xxiii. 39, the other praying unto him and believing on him. Several examples of the like forms of speech seem to be in this book, ch. xxvi. 8, when his disciples saw it they had indignation, whereas only Judas was displeased at it, saith St. John ch. xii. 4. So ch. xxi. loose them (the ass and the foal), is Mark xi. 2, a colt tied, loose him. And this by an ordinary figure (which the Grecians call κοινότης or σύλληψις) frequently used in all languages. So when, John xiii. 28, it is said, that none of those that lay at meat with Christ knew to what purpose he spake to Judas, What thou doest, do quickly, it is not to be concluded, that John (who, ver. 25, asked, and was told, ver. 26, who it was that should betray him) was included in that number of those that knew not. So Heb. xi. 37, ἐπρίσθησαν, they were sawn asunder, in the plural, which yet is not found to belong to any, but to Isaiah only. But it is also possible that both these thieves might at first blaspheme and reproach him, and afterwards one of them confess him and pray to him. Thus Prosper understands it, cont. Collat. c. 12: Cum aliquandiu blasphemasset in Jesum Christum, repente est mutatus, &c. "When for some time he had railed on Jesus, he was suddenly changed." And so Titus Bostrensis, p. 833. Β. Ἐν ἀρχῇ μὲν οἱ δύο λῃσταὶ παραπλήσια τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἐφθίγγοντο ἴσως τίνα παρ' αὐτῶν βοήθειαν ἐντεῦθεν προσδοκῶντες εἰς ἄφεσιν "At first the two thieves spake as the Jews did, perhaps by that means expecting some help from them toward getting their pardon," but that expectation being frustrated, and hearing him pray for his crucifiers, Luke xxiii. 34, one was thereby wrought on, ver. 40. And if so, then the words here will refer to the former time, and in St. Luke to the latter. Now from twelve of the clock till three there was an eclipse or obscuration of the sun, and consequently darkness over all Palestine and far beyond over other parts. ᵗ delighteth in him. And some that heard the word Eli, but little else, conceived ridiculously that he had mentioned Elias's name, and called him to come unto him and rescue him; and this was generally whispered and talked about among them. Again Jesus said aloud, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, Luke xxiii. 46, and with those words he gave up the ghost. And behold the wall or partition, made of stone, which covered or veiled the sanctuary from the court where the people assembled, or else that covered the holy of holies from the sanctuary, was sent—(See note [d] on Luke xxiii.) 'many bodies of pious men, which had been dead, arose out of their graves, and after his resurrection they also went into the city of Jerusalem, and were there seen and known by many. captain of the Roman guards, and the soldiers s stones, wipes. guarding, repairers. [i] earth did quake] This is conceived by some to be the earthquake that Macrobius mentions as "the greatest," saith he, "which in the memory of mortal man was ever known," in the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, twelve cities of Asia being destroyed by it, see Marcil. Ficinus de Rel. p. 78. The same is mentioned by Pliny, Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 48. But it doth not by the text here appear that this earthquake belonged to any thing but the temple of Jerusalem, the parts of which are mentioned, the veil, and the ground, and the stones of the building, and the tombs, &c. And it is not improbable that this prodigy was shewed particularly on this place, to foretell the destruction of the temple and service, upon their crucifying of Christ. So ch. xxviii. 2, where there is mentioned μέγας σεισμός, a great shaking, it is not to be imagined that this was a shaking of the whole earth, but at the most of that P. 488. After the day was ended whereon he was crucified, probably on Friday evening, the chief— And therefore to prevent any more seduction of the people in this matter, be pleased to appoint a The night after the sabbath, toward the next morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, having with them spices to embalm his body, Luke xxiv. 1, came to see— [a] end] If ὀψὲ signify a distinct part of time, and that strictly the evening, then it must note that evening as the first part of the first day of the week, at which time these women began their journey, bought their spices, went out of the city, stayed all night in the suburbs, and very early, ὄρθρον βαθίος, Luke xxiv. 1, and σκοτίας ἔτι οὖσης, while it was yet dark, John xx. 1, came to the sepulchre, and so that will reconcile and connect the ὀψὲ σαββάτων to the ἐπιφωσκούση &c. But ὀψὲ may be also taken in a wider sense; see note [d] ch. xiv. And when they came, they found there had been a great concussion, probably of the air, a kind of thunder, with which the angels are wont to appear, but withal about the earth, at the removal of the gravestone: for the angel— they that guarded the sepulchre did shake— He is not here in the grave, but, according to guard: go, secure it as you know, κουστωδίας, ὑπάγει, ἀσφαλίσασε ὡς οἴδατε. with a guard, μετά τῆς κουστωδίας. 1 And the evening after the sabbath. shaking, concussion, σειπμός: see note [i] on chap. xxvii. 51. 2 appearance, ἡ ἰδία. 3 The word αὐτοῦ, of him, is not in the King's MS. Go quickly, and according to what I have told you do ye tell the disciples; viz., that he hath performed his promise in rising from the dead, and now will perform that other of going into Galilee, ch. xxvi. 32, the appointed place of meeting; thither if ye go ye shall be sure to meet him; God hath sent his angel from heaven to tell you this. And being affrighted with the appearance of the angels, but extremely joyed with the news of Christ's resurrection, they made all haste to carry his disciples word of this. b fell down and caught him by the feet, c disciples and kinsmen, 12, 13. And those chief priests calling the rest of the sanhedrim together, by decree of council appointed that a good sum of money should be given to the soldiers, sufficient to bribe them all to say, that his disciples— d the procurator Pilate's hearing, (see ch. xxvii. 14,) we will persuade him that it was so, and keep you from punishment for guarding the tomb no better. [b] all nations] What is meant sometimes by the word ἴθνη, nations, hath been said, (see note [e] ch. xxiv.) to wit, the tribes and families of the Jews, the regions and cities of Palestine; and though it do not so here, exclusively to the other nations of the world, yet neither doth it signify the nations of the heathen world, in opposition or exclusively to the Jews, as elsewhere it frequently doth; but primarily and in the first place, the several parts of Judæa, and the Jews, where-soever they are in their dispersions abroad, and then secondarily the Gentiles mingled with the Jews, and finally the whole Gentile world, when, upon the Jews rejecting the gospel, the apostles depart from them and go to the Gentiles. That this is the meaning of the place, I shall use two arguments to make most probable. First, because in other places, when the commission of preaching and gathering disciples is given to the apostles, it is with a command to go first to the Jews, and not at all to the Gentiles. So in their first commission, out of which the very Samaritans were excluded, Matt. x. 5: Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And in their second commission, Acts i. 8, although the Samaritans are taken in, and the utmost parts of the earth, yet, ch. iii. and ch. xiii. 46, it is still πρῶτον ὑμῖν, first to the Jews, that they must preach. And accordingly we find that the apostles, till the Jews reject them, and are ready to stone them, do not leave them off to go to the Gentiles. But then, Acts xiii. 46, they foretell them what they are to do: Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you (which refers, I suppose, to the precept of Christ, that made it necessary): but seeing ye have it put from you, &c. lo, we turn to the Gentiles. And when, ver. 47, they urge the Lord's commandment for so doing, it is not this parting precept of Christ, but one out of the prophet Isaiah, ch. xlix. 6, I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles, &c. And the same I conceive before intimated, vv. 40, 41: Beware lest that come upon you (Jews) which is spoken of in the prophet; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work which you shall in no wise believe, &c.; that is, upon the Jews' despising and holding out