Ver. 1. See Matthew 27:2 Joh 18:28.
Ver. 2. Perverting the people] Gr. διαστρεφοντα, turning them upside down, wreathing them from their right minds. So Luke 23:5 “He stirreth up the people,” Gr. ανασειει, he maketh an earthquake in them; rectum tollit de cardine mentem, he throws them off the hinges.
Ver. 3. See Matthew 27:11 Mr 15:2 Joh 18:33.
Ver. 4. See John 18:38.
Ver. 5. He stirreth up the people] In the present tense, q.d. He doth nothing else; he maketh it his whole trade and constant practice, Mendacium putidum. decietful and rotten.
Ver. 6. He asked] As desirous to rid his hands of him.
Ver. 7. He sent him] So seeking to ingratiate with Herod.
Ver. 8. He was exceeding glad] As if he had gotten some magician or enchanter, that would show him some pleasant sight.
Ver. 9. But he answered him nothing] Princes use to correct the indecencies of ambassadors by denying them audience, as if silence were the way royal to revenge a wrong. Christ spoke not a word to Herod (saith one), because Herod had taken away his voice by beheading the Baptist, who was vox clamantis a shouting voice.
Ver. 10. Vehemently accused him] Gr. ευτονως, with great intention of spirit, and contention of speech. Clamant, ut Stentora vincant.
Ver. 11. Set him at nought] Gr. εξουθενησας, made nobody of him. Arrayed him in a gorgeous robe] Or a white robe, as the old interpreter hath it, λαμπραν. Pilate’s soldiers clad our Saviour in purple (a colour more affected by the Romans), Herod in white, as more affected by the Jewish nobility. Mocked him] Gr. εμπαιξας, handled him like a boy, or made a baby of him, made sport with him.
Ver. 12. Pilate and Herod were made friends] Two dogs that are fighting can easily agree to pursue the hare that passeth by them. Martial brings in the hare thus complaining: “ In me omnis terraeque, aviumque, marisque rapina est: Forsitan et coeli, si canis astra tenet.” In littore Siculo cum lepus canum venaticorum vim evasisset, a cane marino captus dicitur: est enim voracissima maris bellua, saith Bodin. The wicked can easily unite against the saints.
Ver. 13. See Matthew 27:23 Joh 18:38.
Ver. 14. See Matthew 27:23 Joh 18:38.
Ver. 15. No, nor yet Herod] Nor any man alive, though he had the devil to help him. The poets bring in Momus finding fault with the creaking of Venus’ slipper. But Christ was αμνος αμωμος, as St Peter calleth him, 1 Peter 1:19, the spotless Lamb of God, in whom Momus himself could find nothing amiss, after long seeking. See John 14:30.
Ver. 16. I will therefore chastise him] And so he did, purposely to move pity, John 19:1, but all in vain: yea, though he afterwards presented him a pitiful spectacle, with “Behold the man.”
Ver. 17. For of necessity] Tyrannus ille trium literarum Mos, would needs have it so. See John 18:29 Mt 27:15.
Ver. 18. Release unto us] What marvel though murderers desire a murderer? Similis similem sibi quaerit.
Ver. 19. See John 18:40. [See Trapp on “Joh 18:40”]
Ver. 20. Pilate therefore willing, &c.] I read of one that did verily think that Pilate was an honest man, because he was so unwilling to crucify Christ. But this arose only from the restraint of natural conscience against so foul a fact.
Ver. 21. Crucify him, crucify him] As if they should say, Do it twice over, rather than fail. The modern Jews, as mad as their forefathers, say that rather than we Gentiles should have benefit by their expected Messiah, they would crucify him a hundred times over.
Ver. 22. The third time] It is well observed here, that Peter for fear denied Christ three times, and yet repented; Pilate three times justified Christ, and yet for popular favour condemned him. It may teach us neither to despair if we repent, nor presume because we have begun well.
Ver. 23. And they were instant with loud voices] It is said of Nestorius the heretic, that he was homo superbus, et indoctus, sed audax, et magnae loquentiae; qua unica fretus, nihil non audebat; et quidem saepenumero faeliciter, quod volebat, obtinebat; a proud dunce, but bold and loud spoken, whereby he had what he would many times. (Zanchius.)
Ver. 24. See Matthew 27:26 Mr 15:15.
Ver. 25. Him that for sedition] The Jews, before they were banished out of this kingdom, threw bags of poison into the wells and fountains that the people were to drink of; and so endeavoured to poison them all. So deal those that sow sedition; these are the pests, the botches of human society.
Ver. 26. See Matthew 27:32 Mr 15:21.
Ver. 27. Which also bewailed] This was all they could do, and it was much they dared do it in so evil a time. In the reign of Tiberius, one Vitia was punished with death for that she had lamented Geminus her son, executed as friend to Sejanus. And because they could not accuse women for attempting against the State, their tears were criminal, saith Tacitus.
Ver. 28. Weep not for me] We are not so much to lament Christ’s dolorous sufferings (as Papists use to do in their stage playing descriptions of his passion) as to lay to heart and lament our sins, the cause of all. When a Papist came to Master Hooper at the stake, and said, “Sir, I am sorry to see you thus,” “Be sorry for thyself, man,” said hearty Hooper, “and lament thine own wickedness, for I am well, I thank God, and death to me for Christ’s sake is welcome.” (Acts and Mon.)
Ver. 29. Blessed are the barren] Better be so than bring forth children to the murderer. Hence Hosea prays for barrenness as a blessing on his people, Hosea 9:14.
Ver. 30. See Revelation 6:16. [See Trapp on “Re 6:16”]
Ver. 31. What shall be done in the dry?] Lo, little sucklings also are here called dry trees, dry wood, such as God’s wrath will soon kindle upon.
Ver. 32. See Matthew 27:38.
Ver. 33. Which is called Calvary] As sad a sight to our Saviour, as the bodies of his slain wife and children were to Mauricius the emperor, who was soon after to be slain also by the command of the traitor Phocas. Let us learn to consider the tyranny and deformity of sin as often as we pass through churchyards and charnelhouses. Historians tell us that the way whereby Christ went bearing his cross to Calvary is to this day called The Dolorous Way. There they crucified him] Christ’s cross, with his naked and bloody body, being lift up on high, was let fall with violence into a mortise, that his joints were dissolved, said Origen to Alexander Severus the emperor.
Ver. 34. Father, forgive them] See the sweet mercy of Christ, mindful and careful of his enemies when the pains of hell had taken hold of him, and they, like so many breathing devils, were tormenting him. Pendebat et tamen petebat, saith Augustine. He was slain by them, and yet he begged for them.
Ver. 35. Derided him] Gr. εξεμυκτηριζον, blew their n oses at him.
Ver. 36. Offered him vinegar] Instead of wine, which kings drink much of.
Ver. 37. See Matthew 27:42.
Ver. 38. Greek, Latin, and Hebrew] This venerable eulogy and epitaph, set upon our Saviour’s cross, proclaimed him King of all religion, having reference to the Hebrews; of all wisdom, to the Greeks; of all power, to the Latins.
Ver. 39. Which were hanged, railed, &c.] Sic plectimur a Deo, nec flectimur tamen (saith Salvian), corripimur, sed non corrigimur. There are many, quos multo facilius fregeris, quam flexeris, saith Buchanan. Monoceros interimi potest, capi non potest. The wicked are the worse for that they suffer, and will sooner break than bend.
Ver. 40. But the other answering] Silent he was for a while, and therefore seemed to consent; till hearing Christ’s prayers and the enemies’ outrages, he brake out into this brave confession, worthy to be written in letters of gold.
Ver. 41. See Matthew 27:38. This good thief, like the olive tree, bore fruit late, but great store of that which was excellent.
Ver. 42. Lord, remember me] By this penitent prayer he made his cross a Jacob’s ladder, whereby the angels descended to fetch up his soul. So did Leonard Caesar, burnt at Rappa in Bavaria, whose last words were these, “Lord Jesus, suffer with me, support me, give me strength: I am thine, save me,” &c. (Scultet. Annal.) [See Trapp on “Mt 27:38”]
Ver. 43. Verily I say unto thee] See the infinite love of Christ to penitent sinners, in that when he hung upon the tree, and was paying dear for man’s sin, he rejected not this malefactor’s petition. Shall he not hear us now that all is paid and finished? Today shalt thou be with me] This is not every man’s happiness. A pardon is sometimes given to one upon the gallows; but whoso trusts to that, the rope may be his hire. It is not good to put it upon the psalm of Miserere Sorrow and the neck verse (saith one), for sometimes he proves no clerk. Most deal with repentance as country people do with physicians,—love not to have to do with them till they fear they are gasping the last breath. The mole begins not to see till he be at point of death: Oculos incipit aperire moriendo, quos clausos habuit vivendo, saith Pliny. The serpent stretcheth not himself out straight till he hath received his death’s wound. But what if God should say to such lingerers, as the crab in the fable did to the dying serpent, At oportuit sic vixisse, “It is too late now, you should have lived so?”
Ver. 44. See Matthew 27:25 Mr 15:33.
Ver. 45. See Matthew 27:51 Mr 15:38.
Ver. 46. See Matthew 27:50.
Ver. 47. Certainly this was a righteous man] Bennet the martyr, in King Henry VIII’s days, being brought to execution, the most part of the people (he exhorted them with such gravity and sobriety), as also the scribe who wrote the sentence of condemnation against him, did pronounce and confess that he was God’s servant, and a good man. So when Wiseheart and March the martyrs went toward the stake, they were justified by the beholders, as innocent and godly persons. (Acts and Mon.)
Ver. 48. See Matthew 27:54.
Ver. 49. See Matthew 27:55.
Ver. 50. See Matthew 27:57 Mr 15:43 Joh 19:38.
Ver. 51. The same had not consented] This proved him to be a good man and a just, as Psalms 1:1. Sir John Cheek was drawn in for fear of death to be present at the condemnation of some of the martyrs. The remorse whereof so mightily wrought upon his heart, that not long after he left this mortal life; whose fall, though it was full of infirmity, yet his rising again by repentance was great, and his end comfortable, saith Master Fox. So by the malice and subtilty of Stephen Gardiner, Cromwell was commanded by King Henry VIII to read the sentence of condemnation against Mr Lambert the martyr, for the which Cromwell afterwards asked him forgiveness. Waited for the kingdom of God] Gr. προσεδεχετο, entertained and embraced it.
Ver. 52. See Matthew 27:58-60.
Ver. 53. See Matthew 27:58-60.
Ver. 55. See Matthew 27:61.
Ver. 56. And rested the seventh day] From all servile work, yea, that (otherwise most honourable) work of embalming Christ’s dead body.