26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. |
27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. |
28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. |
29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. |
30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. |
31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? |
32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. |
33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. |
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. |
35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. |
36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, |
37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. |
38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. |
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. |
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? |
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. |
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. |
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. |
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. |
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. |
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. |
47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. |
48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. |
49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. |
50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller; and he was a good man, and a just: |
51 (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. |
52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. |
53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. |
54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. |
55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. |
56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. |
23
23:26 Mat 27:31; Mar 15:21; Joh 19:16.
23:30 Hos 10:8.
23:31 If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? - Our Lord makes use of a proverbial expression, frequent among the Jews, who compare a good man to a green tree, and a bad man to a dead one: as if he had said, If an innocent person suffer thus, what will become of the wicked? Of those who are as ready for destruction as dry wood for the fire?
23:34 Then said Jesus - 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 own salvation. And how eminently was his prayer heard! It procured forgivenessfor all that were penitent, and a suspension of vengeance even for the impenitent.
23:35 If thou be the Christ; Luk 23:37.If thou be the king - The priests deride the name of Messiah: the soldiers the name of king.
23:38 Mat 27:37; Mar 15:26; Joh 19:19.
23:39 And one of the malefactors reviled him - St. Matthew says, the robbers: St. Mark, they that were crucified with him, reviled him.Either therefore St. Matthew and Mark put the plural for the singular (as the best authors sometimes do) or both reviled him at the first, till one of them felt "the overwhelming power of saving grace."
23:40 The other rebuked him - What a surprising degree was here of repentance, faith, and other graces! And what abundance of good works, in his public confession of his sin, reproof of his fellow criminal, his honourable testimony to Christ, and profession of faith in him, while he was in so disgraceful circumstances as were stumbling even to his disciples! This shows the power of Divine grace. But it encourages none to put off their repentance to the last hour; since, as far as appears, this was the first time this criminal had an opportunity of knowing any thing of Christ, and his conversion was designed to put a peculiar glory on our Saviour in his lowest state, while his enemies derided him, and his own disciples either denied or forsook him.
23:42 Remember me when thou comest - From heaven, in thy kingdom - He acknowledges him a king, and such a king, as after he is dead, can profit the dead. The apostles themselves had not then so clear conceptions of the kingdom of Christ.
23:43 In paradise - The place where the souls of the righteous remain from death till the resurrection. As if he had said, I will not only remember thee then, but this very day.
23:44 There was darkness over all the earth - The noon - tide darkness, covering the sun, obscured all the upper hemisphere. And the lower was equally darkened, the moon being in opposition to the sun, and so receiving no light from it. Mat 27:45.
23:45 Mar 15:38.
23:46 Father, into thy hands - The Father receives the Spirit of Jesus: Jesus himself the spirits of the faithful.
23:47 Certainly this was a righteous man - Which implies an approbation of all he had done and taught.
23:48 All the people - Who had not been actors therein, returned smiting their breasts - In testimony of sorrow.
23:50 Mat 27:57; Mar 15:43; Joh 19:38.