Our Redeemer is stripped,

and sent to be crucified.

diers.

28 And they stripped him, and bput on him a scarlet robe. 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the Jews!

30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

a Or, governor's house-b Lake 23.11.-c Psa 60.19. Tan, 53 3-1 Ian. 50.6. Ch.26. 67.-e (sa 53.7.-f Num. 15.35. 1 Kings 21.13. Acta 7.56. Heb. 13.12.

tude, applicable to these Jews, they were a SWINISH MULTI

TUDE.

22. What shall I do then with Jesus?] Showing hereby, that it was his wish to release hin.

23. What evil hath he done?] Pilate plainly saw that there was nothing laid to his charge, for which, consistently with the Roman laws, he could condemn him.

But they cried out the more] What strange fury and injus tice! They could not answer Pilate's question, What evil hath he done? He had done none, and they knew he had done none; but they are determined on his death.

24. Pilate took water and washed his hands] Thus sig nifying his innocence. It was a custom among the Hebrews, Greeks, and Latins, to wash the hands in token of innocence, and to show that they were pure from any imputed guilt. In case of an undiscovered murder, the elders of that city which was nearest to the place where the dead body was found. were required by the law, Deut. xxi 1-10. to wash their hands over the victim which was offered to expiate the crime, and make thus public protestation of their own innocence. David says, I will wash my hands in innocence, so shall I compass thine altar, Psal. xxvi. 6. As Pilate knew Christ was innocent, he should have prevented his death: he had the armed force at his command, and should have dispersed this infamous mob. Had he been charged with countenancing a seditious person, he could have easily cleared himself, had the matter been brought before the emperor. He therefore was inexcusable.

25. His blood be on us, and on our children.) If this man be innocent, and we put him to death as a guilty person, may the punishment due to such a crime be visited upon us, and upon our children after us! What a dreadful imprecation! and how literally fulfilled! The notes on chap. xxiv. will show how they fell victims to their own imprecation, be ing visited with a series of calamities unexampled in the his tory of the world. They were visited with the same kind of punishment; for the Romans crucified them in such num bers when Jerusalem was taken, that there was found a defi ciency of crosses for the condeinned, and of places for the crosses. Their children or descendants have had the same curse entailed upon them, and continue to this day a proof of the innocence of Christ, the truth of his religion, and of the justice of God.

26. Scourged Jesus] This is allowed to have been a very severe punishment of itself among the Romans, the flesh being generally cut by the whips used for this purpose; so the poetHorribili SECTERE flagello. "To be cut by the horrible whip." HOR Sat. 1. 3. 119. And sometimes, it seems, they were whipped to death. See the same poet, Sat. 1. 2. 41. İlle FLA GELLIS AD MORTEM Casus. See also HORAT. Epod. od. iv. v. 11. It has been thought that Pilate might have spared this additional cruelty of whipping; but it appears that it was a common custom to scourge those criminals which were to be crucified; (see Josephus De Bello, lib. ii. c. 25.) and lenity in Christ's case is not to be allowed: he must take all the misery in full tale.

Delivered him to be crucified.) Tacitus, the Roman historian, trentions the death of Christ in very remarkable terms: Nero-quæsitissimus pænis affecit, quos vulgus CHRISTI ANOS appellabat. Auctor nominis ejus CHRISTUS, qui Tiberio imperitante, per Procuratorem Pontium Pilalum sup plicio affectus erat. -"Nero put those who commonly went by the name of Christians to the most exquisite tortures. The author of this name was CHRIST, who was capitally punished in the reign of TIBERIUS by PONTIUS PILATE the PROCURATOR."

27. The common hall] Or, pretorium. Called so from the prætor, a principal magistrate among the Romans, whose bu siness it was to administer justice in the absence of the consul. This place might be termed in English the court-house, or

common hall.

28. Stripped him) Took off his mantle, or upper garment A scarlet robe.] Or, according to Mark and John, a purple robe, such as emperors and kings wore.

29. A crown of thorns] Στεφανον εξ ακανθων. It does not appear that this crown was intended to be an instrument of punishment or torture to his head, but rather, to render him ridiculous; for which cause also they put a reed in his hand, by way of sceptre, and bowed their knees, pretending to do him homage. The crown was not probably of thorns, in our sense of the word: there are eminently learned men, who think that the crown was formed of the herb acanthus and Bishop Pearce and Michaelis are of this opinion. Mark, chap. xv. 17. and John, chap. xix. 5. term it σεφανών ακανθιvov, which may very well be translated an acanthine crown, or wreath formed out of the branches of the herb acanthus,

off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

32f And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

3316 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha that is to say, a place of a skull,

34 They gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

g Mark 15.21. Luke 23.26.-h Mark 15. 22. Luke 23.33. John 19. 17.-1 Psa. B 21. See Verac 48.

or bear's foot. This, however, is a prickly plant, though nothing like thorns, in the common meaning of that word, Many Christians have gone astray in inagnifying the suffer ings of Christ from this circumstance; and painters, the worst of all cominentators, frequently represent Christ with a crown of long thorns, which one standing by is striking into his head with a stick. These representations engender ideas both false and absurd.

There is a passage produced from Philo by Dr. Lardner, which casts much light on these indignities offered to our blessed Lord.

Caligula, the successor of Tiberius, gave Agrippa the tetrarchy of his uncle Philip, with the right of wearing a dia dem or crown. When he came to Alexandria, on his way to his tetrarchate, the inhabitants of that place, filled with envy at the thoughts of a Jew having the title of king, showed their indignation in the following way. They brought one Carabas (a sort of an idiot) into the theatre; and having placed him on a lofty seat, that he might be seen by all, they put a diadem upon his head, made of the herb byblos, (the ancient papyrus, or paper flag:) his body they covered with a mat or carpet, instead of a royal cloak. One seeing a piece of reed, παπύρου, (the stem probably of the aforesaid herb) lying on the ground, picked it up, and put it in his hand in place of a sceptre. Ha ving thus given him a mock royal dress, several young fellows, with poles on their shoulders, came and stood on each side of him as his guards. Then inere came people, some te pay their homage to him, some to ask justice, and some to consult him on affairs of state and the crowd that stood round about, made a confused noise, crying Mario, that being, as they say, the Syriac word for LORD: thereby showing, that they intended to ridicule Agrippa, who was a Syrian." See PHILO, Flacc. p. 970. and Dr. Lardner, Works, vol. I. p. 159. There is the most remarkable coincidence between this account and that given by the evangelists; and the conjecture concerning the acanthus, will probably find no inconsidera ble support from the byblos and papyrus of Philo. This plant, Pliny says, grows to ten cubits long in the stem; and the flowers were used ad deos coronandos, for CROWNING THE GODS. See Ilist. Nat. lib. xiii. c. 11.

The reflections of pious Quesnel on these insults offered to our blessed Lord are worthy of serious attention. "Let the crown of thorns make those Christians blush, who throw away so much time, pains, and money, in beautifying and adorning a sinful head. Let the world do what it will to render the roy. alty and mysteries of Christ contemptible, it is my glory to serve a King thus debased; my salvation, to adore that which the world despises; and my redemption, to go unto God through the merits of him who was crowned with thorns." 30. And they spit upon him] "Let us pay our adoration," says the same pious writer, "and humble ourselves in silence at the sight of a spectacle which faith alone renders credible, and which our senses would hardly endure. Jesus Christ, in this condition, preaches to the kings of the earth this truth: that their sceptres are but reeds, with which themselves shall be smitten, bruised and crushed at his tribunal, if they do not use them here to the advancement of his kingdom."

32. A man of Cyrene him they compelled to bear his cross.] In John, chap. xix. 16, 17. we are told Christ himself bore the cross, and this, it is likely, he did for a part of the way; but being exhausted with the scourging and other cruel usage which he had received, he was found incapable of bearing it alone; therefore they obliged Simon, not, I think, to bear it entirely, but to assist Christ by bearing a part of it. It was a constant practice among the Romans, to oblige criminals to bear their cross to the place of execution; insomuch that Plu tarch makes use of it as an illustration of the misery of vice. "Every kind of wickedness produces its own particular torment, just as every malefactor, when he is brought forth to execution, carries his own cross." See Lardner's Credib. Vol. I. p. 160.

33. A place called Golgotha] From the Hebrew of גלתה golgoletna skull, probably so called from the many skulls of those who had suffered crucifixion and other capital punishments, scattered up and down in the place. It is the same as Calvary, Calvaria, i. e. calvi capitis area, the place of bare skulls. Some think the place was thus called, becanse it was in the form of a human skull. It is likely that it was the place of public execution, similar to the Gemonia Scala at Rome.

34. They gave him vinegar-mingled with gall] Perhaps the word χολη, commonly translated gall, signifies no more than bitters of any kind. It was a common custom to administer a stupifying potion compounded of sour wine, which is the same as vinegar, from the French vinaigre, frankincense, and myrrh, to condemned persons; to help to alleviate their sufferings, or so disturb their intellect, that they might not

In Hebrew-Eβρα σι:

ישוע נצריא מלכא ריהוריא

In Greek--Ελληνιςι:

INCOYCO NAZωραιος ο Bacιλεγο ΤΩΝ ΙΟΥΔΑΙΩΝ
In Latin-Pωμα σι:

IESUS NAZARENUS REX IUDAEORUM It is only necessary to observe, that all the letters both of the Greek and Roman alphabets, were those now called square or uncial, similar to those above.

33. Two thieves] Ληςαι, robbers, or cut-throats: men who had committed robbery and murder; for it does not appear that persons were crucified for robbery only. Thus was our Lord numbered (his name enrolled, placed as it were in the death warrant) with transgressors, according to the prophetic declaration, Isa. liii. 12. and the Jews placed him between these two, perhaps to intimate that he was the worst felon of the three.

39. Wagging their heads] In token of contempt. 40. Thou that destroyest] Who didst pretend that thou couldst have destroyed the temple, and built it up again in three days-This malicious torturing of our Lord's words, has been noticed before. Cruelty is obliged to take refuge in lies, in order to vindicate its infainous proceedings.

If thou be the Son of God) Or rather, Υιος του Θεου, A son of God, i. e. a peculiar favourite of the Most High; not O Υιος του Θεου, THE Son of God. "It is not to be conceived," says a learned man, "that every passenger who was going to the city, had a competent knowledge of Christ's supernatural conception by the Holy Spirit, or an adequate comprehension of his character as the Messiah and (κατ' εξοχην,) THE SON OF GOD. There is not a single passage, where Jesus is designed to be pointed out as the MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD, where the article is omitted: nor, on the other hand, is this designation ever specified without the article, thus, Ο Υιος του Θεου. See chap. xvi. 16. xxvi. 63. xxviii. 19."

41. Chief priests-scribes and elders] To these, several ancient MSS. and Versions add, και Φαρισαίων, and PhariBut though the authority for this reading is respectable,

sees.

yet it does not appear that the Pharisees joined in with the others in the condemnation of our Lord. Probably his dis courses and parables, related in some of the preceding chapters, which were spoken directly to them, had so far convinced them, that they would at least have no hand in putting him to death. All the infamy of this seems to fall upon the PRIESTS, scribes, and elders.

42. He saved others; himself he cannot sare] Or, Cannot he save himself? Several MSS. read this with the mark of interrogation as above; and this makes the sarcasm still more keen.

A high-priest who designs to destroy the temple of God; a saviour who saves not himself; and the Son of God cruci fied; these are the contradictions which give offence to Jews and libertines. But a high-priest who dispels the types and shadows, only that he may disclose the substance of religion, and become the minister of a heavenly sanctuary; a sa viour who dies only to be the victim of salvation; and the Son of God who confines his power within the bounds of the cross, to establish the righteousness of faith: this is what a Christian adores, this is the foundation of his hope, and the fountain of his present comfort and final blessedness. See Quesnel.

We will believe him] Instead of auro, him, many excellent MSS. have επ' αυτώ, IN him; this is a reading which Gries hach and other eminent critics have adopted.

43. If he will have him) Or, if he delight in himει θελει αυτον. The verbs θελω, and εθέλω, are used by the Septua gint in more than forty places for the Hebrew חפץ chaphets, which signifies, earnestly to desire, or delight in. Now as this is a quotation from Psal. xxii. 9. He trusted on the Lord, that he would deliver him; let him deliver him,)כי חפץ בו ki chaphets bo) for he HATH DELIGHTED IN HIM: ότι θέλει αυτον, Sept. This will sufficiently vindicate the above translation; as the evangelist quotes the words from that version, with the simple change of st, if, for ori, because.

44. The thieves also cast the same in his teeth.] That is, one of the robbers; for one, we find, was a penitent, Luke

The wonderful darkness.

446 The thieves also which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

451 Now from the sixth hour, there was darkness over all the land, unto the ninth hour.

46 And about the ninth hour, d Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

c Amos 8.9. Mark 15.33. Luke 23.44.-d Heb.5.7. e Pa. D2.1.

xxiii. 39, 40. See this form of expression accounted for, on chap. xxvi. 8.

45. There was darkness over all the land] I am of opinion, that πάσαν την γην does not inean all the world, but only the land of Judea. So the word is used chap. xxiv. 30. Luke iv. 25. and in other places. Several eminent critics are of this opinion: Beza defends this meaning of the word, and translates the Greek super universam REGIONEM, over the whole COUNTRY. Besides, it is evident that the evangelists speak of things that happened in Judea, the place of their residence. It is plain enough there was a darkness in Jerusalem, and over all Judea; and probably over all the people among whom Christ had for more than three years preached the everlasting Gospel: and that this darkness was supernatu ral, is evident from this, that it happened during the passover, which was celebrated only at the full moon, a time in which it was impossible for the sun to be eclipsed. But many suppose the darkness was over the whole world, and think there is sufficient evidence of this in ancient authors. PHLE GON and THALLUS, who flourished in the beginning of the se. cond century, are supposed to speak of this. The former says, "In the fourth year of the 202d Olympiad, there was an extraordinary eclipse of the sun at the sixth hour, the day was turned into dark night, so that the stars in heaven were seen; and there was an earthquake in Bithynia, which overthrew many houses in the city of Nice." This is the substance of what Phlegon is reputed to have said on this subject:-but, 1. All the authors who quote him differ, and often very materially, in what they say was found in him. 2. Phlegon says nothing of Judea: what he says is, that in such an Olympiad (some say the 102d, others the 2021) there was an eclipse in Bithynia, and an earthquake at Nice. 3. Phlegon does not say, that the earthquake hap. pened at the time of the eclipse. 4. Phlegon does not intimate that this darkness was extraordinary, or that the eclipse happened at the full of the moon, or that it lasted three hours. These circumstances could not have been omitted by him, if he had known them. 5. Phlegon speaks merely of an ordinary, though perhaps total eclipse of the sun, and cannot mean the darkness mentioned by the evangelists. 6. Phlegon speaks of an eclipse that happened in some year of the 102d or 202d Olympiad; and therefore little stress can be laid on what he says, as applying to this event.

The quotation from THALLUs, made by AFRICANIUS, found in the Chronicle of SYNCELLUS, of the eighth century, is al lowed by eminent critics to be of little importance. This speaks, "of a darkness over all the world, and an earthquake which threw down many houses in Judea and in other parts of the earth." It may be necessary to observe, that THALLUS is quoted by several of the ancient ecclesiastical writers, for other matters, but never for this: and that the time in which he lived is so very uncertain, that Dr. Lardner supposes there is room to think, he lived rather before than after Christ.

DIONYSIUS the Areopagite, is supposed to have mentioned this event in the most decided manner; for being at Heliopo lis in Egypt with his friend Apollophanes, when our Saviour suffered, they there saw a wonderful eclipse of the sun, where. upon Dionysius said to his friend, "Either God himself suffers, or sympathises with the sufferer." It is enough to say of this man, that all the writings attributed to him are known to be spurious, and are proved to be forgeries of the fifth or sirth century. Whoever desires to see more on this subject, may consult Dr. Lardner, (vol. vii. page 371. edit. 1788.) a man whose name should never be mentioned but with respect, notwithstanding the peculiarities of his religious creed; who has done more in the service of divine revelation than most divines in Christendom; and who has raised a monument to the perpetuity of the Christian religion, which all the infidels in creation shall never be able to pull down or deface. This miraculous darkness should have caused the enemies of Christ to understand, that he was the light of the world, and that because they did not walk in it, it was now taken away from them.

46. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?! These words are quoted by our Lord from Psal. xxii. 1. they are of very great importance, and should be carefully considered. Some suppose "that the divinity had now departed from. Christ, and that his human nature was left unsupported to bear the punishment due to men for their sins." But this is by no means to be admitted, as it would deprive his sacrifice of its infinite merit, and consequently leave the sin of the world without an atoneinent. Take deity away from any redeeming act of Christ, and redemption is ruined. Others ima gine, that our Lord spoke these words to the Jers only, to prove to them that he was the Messiah. "The Jews," say they, "believed this psalm to speak of the Messiah: they quoted the eighth verse of it against Christ-I'e trusted in God that he would deliver him, let him deliver him, seeing he de

It has been asked, What language is it that our Lord spoke? Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, some say it is Hebrew-others Syrier. I say, as the evangelists quote it, it is neither. St.

Matthew comes nearest the Hebrew, אלי אלי למה עזבתי Eli, E'i, lama azabthani, in the words Ηλι Πλι, λαμα σαβαχθανί, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, And St. Mark comes nearest the Syriac, chap. xv. 43. LOAN PE N Alohi, Alchs, Imono shebachtheni, in the words Ελωι, Έλωι, λαμμα σαβαχθανι, Εloi, Eloi, lamma sabachthani. It is worthy of note, that a Hebrew MS. of the twelfth century, instead of thani, forsaken mereads שכחתי shechachthani, PORGOTTEN THE. This word makes a very good sense, and comes nearer to the subachthani of the evangelists. It may be observed also, that the words, Why hast thou FORGOTTEN me? are often used by David and others, in times of oppression and distress. See Psal. xlii. 9.

Some have taken occasion from these words, to depreciate the character of our blessed Lord. "They are unworthy," say they, "of a man who suffers, conscious of his innocence, and argue imbecility, impatience, and despair." This is by to means fairly deducible from the passage. However, some think that the words, as they stand in the Hebrew and Syriac, are capable of a translation which destroys all objections, and obviates every difficulty. The particle lama may be translated to what to whom to what kind or sort to what purpose or profit: Gen. xxv. 32. xxxii. 29. xxxiii. 15. Job ix. 29. Jer. vi. 20. xx. 18. Amos v. 18. and the verb עזב za sig. nifies to leave to deposit to commit to the care of. See Gen. xxxix. 6. Job xxxix. 11. Psal. x. 14. and Jer. xlix. 11. The words taken in this way, might be thus translated: My God! my God! to what sort of persons hast thou left me? The words thus understood are rather to be referred to the wicked Jews, than to our Lord, and are an exclamation indicative of the obstinate wickedness of his crucifiers, who steeled their hearts against every operation of the Spirit and power of God. bee Ling. Brit. Reform. by B. Martin, p. 36.

Through the whole of the Sacred Writings, God is represented is doing those things, which, in the course of his providente, be only permits to be done, therefore, the words, to whom hast thou left or given me up, are only a form of expression for, "How astonishing is the wickedness of those persons into whose hands I am fallen!" If this interpretation be admitted, it will free this celebrated passage froin much embarrassment, and make it speak a sense consistent with itself, and with the dignity of the Son of God.

The words of St. Mark, chap. xv. 34. agree pretty nearly with this translation of the Hebrew: Εις τι με εγκατίλίπες; To what sort of persons, understood] hast thou left me? A literal translation of the passage in the Syriac Testament, gives a similar sense: Ad quid dereliquisti me? "To what hast thou abandoned me?" And an ancient copy of the old Itala rsion, a Latin translation before the time of St. Jerom, ren ders the words thus: Quare me in opprobrium dedisti? Why hast thou abandoned me to reproach ?"

It may be objected, that this can never agree with the Ivarí, why, of Matthew. To this it is answered, ivari must have the same meaning as εις τι as the translation of למה lama and that if the meaning be at all different, we must follow that evangelist who expresses most literally the meaning of the original: and let it be observed, that the Septuagint often translate by vari, instead of εις τι, which evidently proves that it often had the same meaning. Of this criticism I say, Valet quod valet, Let it pass for no more than it is worth: the subject is difficult:--but whatever may be thought of the above mode of interpretation, one thing is certain, viz. That the words could not be used by our Lord, in the sense in which they are generally understood. This is sufficiently evident; for he well knew why he was come unto that hour; nor could Ache forsaken of God, in whom dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. The Deity however, might restrain so much of its consolatory support, as to leave the human nature fully sensible of all its sufferings; so that the consolations might not take off any part of the keen edge of his passion; and this was necessary to make his sufferings meritorious. And it is probable, that this is all that is intended by our Lord's quota tion from the twenty-second Psalm. Taken in this view, the words convey an unexceptionable sense, even in the common

translation.

47. This man calleth for Elias.) Probably these were hellenistic Jews, who did not fully understand the meaning of our Lord's words. Elijah was daily expected to appear as the fore

He gives up the ghost.

51 And behold the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And d came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

54° Now when the centurion, and they that were with hím, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that

e Fixml. 25 31. 2 Chron.3.14 Mark 15.39, Luke 23,45.-4 Ch.25.53, Acts 10.41.e Ver.35. Mark 15.39 Luke 23.47.

runner of the Messiah; whose arrival, under the character o a mighty prince, was generally supposed to be at hand through out the East. See Mal. iii. 23. Matt. ii. 2-4. xvii. 10-12.

48. Took a sponge) This being the most convenient way to reach a liquid to his mouth, tied it on a reed, that they might be able to reach his lips with it. This reed, as we leara from St. John, was a stalk of hyssop, which, in that country, must have grown to a considerable magnitude. This appears also to have been done in mercy, to alleviate his sufferings. See ver. 34.

49. After this verse, RCL, and five others add, another taking a spear, pierced his side, and there came out blood and water. Several of the Fathers add the same words here: they appear, however, to be an interpolation from John xix. 34.

50. Yielded up the ghost.] Αφηκε το πνευμα, he dismissed the spirit. He himself willingly gave up that life which it was impossible for man to take away. It is not said that he hung on the cross till he died through pain and agony; nor is it said that his bones were broken, the sooner to put him out of pain, and to hasten his death: but that himself dismissed the soul, that he might thus become, not a forced sacrifice, but a freewill offering for sin

Now, as our English word ghost, from the Anglo-Saxon, zart, gast, an inmate, inhabitant, guest, (a casual visitant) also a spirit, is now restricted among us to the latter meaning, always signifying the immortal spirit or soul of man, the guest of the body; and as giving up the spirit, ghost, or soul, is an act not proper to man, though commending it to God, in our last moments, is both an act of faith and piety; and as giving up the ghost, i. e. dismissing his spirit from his body, is attributed to Jesus Christ, to whom alone it is proper, I therefore object against its use in every other case.

Every man since the fall, has not only been liable to death, but has deserved it; as all have forfeited their lives because of sin. Jesus Christ, as born immaculate, and having never sinned, had not forfeited his life; and therefore may be considered as naturally and properly immortal. No man, says he, taketh it, my life, from me, but I lay it down of myself; Ihave power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; therefore doth the Father love me, because I lay down my life that I might take it again, John x. 17, 18. Hence we rightly translate Matt. xxvii. 50. αφηκε το πνευμα, he gave up the ghost; i. e. he dismissed his spirit, that he might die for the sin of the world. The evangelist St. John (xix. 30.) makes use of an expression to the same import, which we translate in the same way: παρέδωκε το πνευμα, he delivered up his spirit. We translate Mark xv. 37. and Luke xxiii. 46. he gave up the ghost, but not correctly, because the word in both these places is very different-εξέπνευσε, he breathed his last, or expired; though in the latter place, Luke xxiii. 46. there is un equivalent expression-O Father, into thy hands, παρατίθεμαι το πνευμα μου, I commit my spirit; i. e. I place my soul in thy hand: proving that the act was his own; that no man could take his life away from him; that he did not die by the perfidy of his disciple, or the malice of the Jews, but by his own free act. Thus HE LAID DOWN his life for the sheep. Of Ananias and Sapphira, Acts v. 5, 10. and of Herod, Acts xil. 23. our translation says they gave up the ghost; but the word in both places is εξεψύξε, which simply means to breathe out, to expire, or die: but in no case, either by the Septuagint in the Old, or any of the sacred writers in the New Testament, is αφηκε το πνευμα, οι παρέδωκε το πνευμα, he dismissed his spirit, or delivered up his spirit, spoken of any person but Christ. Abrabarn, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, &c. breathed their last; Ananias, Sapphira, and Herod, expired; but none, Jesus Christ excepted, gave up the ghost, dismissed or delivered up his own spirit, and was consequently free among the dead. Of the patriarchs, &c. the Septuagint use the word εκλείπων, failing; or κατεπαυσεν, he ceased, or rested.

51. The vail of the temple was rent] That is, the vail which separated the holy place where the priests ministered, from the holy of holies, into which the high-priest only entered, and that once a year, to make a general expiation for the sins of the people. This rending of the vail was emblematical, and pointed out, that the separation between Jews and Gentiles! was now abolished, and that the privilege of the high-priest was now communicated to all mankind: ALL might henceforth have access to the throne of grace, through the one great atonement and mediator, the Lord Jesus. See this beautifully illustrated in Heb. x. 19, 20, 21, 22.

52. And the graves were opened] By the earthquake; and many bodies of saints which slept, i. e, were dead, sleep be ing a common expression for death in the Scriptures.

53. And came out of the graves after his resurrection] Not BEFORE, as some have thought, for Christ was himself the FIRST FRUITS of them who slept, 1 Cor. xv. 20. The grates 137