He is insulted on the cross. A.M. 4035. a 26 And the superscription of his | there was darkness over the whole land A. M.4053. An. Olymp. accusation was written over, THE until the ninth hour. CCIL. 1. KING OF THE JEWS. 27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. A. D. 29. An. Olymp. CCII. 1. 34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave hin to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39 ¶ And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. 40° There were also women looking on Pafar 33 ¶ And when the sixth hour was come, off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Matt. 27. S7. John 19. 19. 22.37. 23. 39. Matt. 27. 38.- c Isai. 5%. 12. Luke -4 Ps. 22. 7.— ch. 14. 58. John. 2. 19.- f Matt. 22. 44. Luke - Matt. 27. 45. Luke 23. 44. Ps. 21. 1. Matt. 27. 46. Matt. 27. 48. John 19: 29.– * Ps. 69. 21. Matt. 27. 50. Luke 23. 46. John 19. 30. - Matt. 27. 51. Luke 23. 45.——" Matt. 27.54. Luke 23. 47. Matt. 27, 55. Luke 23: 49-Ps. 38. 11. M'Knight, Lightfoot, Rosenmuller, &c. on this perplexing point. Verse 27. Two thieves] A copy of the Itala tells their names: One on the right hand--named Zoathan; and one on the left hand-named Chammatha. Verse 28. The scripture was fulfilled] All this verse is wanting in many MSS. some Versions, and several of the Fathers. Verse 25. The third hour] It has been before observed, that the Jews divided their night into four watches, of three hours each. They also divided the day into four general parts. The first began at sunrise. The second three hours after. The third at mid-day. The fourth three hours after, and continued till sun-set Christ having been nailed to the cross a little after mid-day, John xix. 14-16, 17. and having expired about three o'clock, Mark xv. 33. the whole business of the crucifixion was finished within the space of this third Verse 32. And believe.] In him is added by DFGHP-BHV. division of the day, which Mark calls here the third hour.and upwards of sixty others; as also the Armenian, Slavonic, Commentators and critics have found it very difficult to reconcile this third hour of Mark, with the sixth hour of John, chap. xix. 14. It is supposed that the true reading in John xix. 14, should be rern, the third, instead of x, the sixth : a mistake which might have readily taken place in ancient times, when the character I gamma, which was put for TT, three, might have been mistaken for s episema, or sigma tau, which signifies six. And Τρίτη, the third, instead of the sixth, is the reading of some very eminent MSS. in the place in question, John xix. 14. See Bengel, Newcome, εκτή, and four Itala. Verse 34. My God, my God, &c.] See on Matt. xxvii. 46. Verse 37. Gave up the ghost.] This was about 3 o'clock, or what was termed by the Jews the ninth hour; about the time that the paschal lamb was usually sacrificed. The darkness mentioned here, must have endured about two hours and a half. Concerning this eclipse, see on Matt. xxvii. 45. Verse 40. Joses] Some MSS. and Versions read Joset, others Joseph. See on Matt. xxvii. 56. Joseph of Arimathea begs the body, A. M. 4033. A. D. 29. CCII. 1. a ST. MARK. Mary, the mother of James the less 41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him ;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. b And now when the even was come, 42 ¶ because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43 Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. and lays it in a new tomb. A. M 4038. 44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead and calling unto him An Olymp the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. CCII. 1. of through his blood. Strange as it may appear, the death of Je sus is the grand cause of confidence and courage to a believing soul. Verse 47. Beheld where he was laid.] The courage and affection of these holy women cannot be too much admired. The strength of the Lord is perfected in weakness; for here, a timid man, and a few weak women, acknowledge Jesus in death, when the strong and the mighty utterly forsook him. Human strength and human weakness are only names in religion. The mightiest MAN in the hour of trial, can do nothing without the strength of God; and the weakest woMAN can do all things, if Christ strengthens her. These truths are suffici Verse 43. Went in boldly unto Pilate] He who was a coward before, now acts a more open fearless part, than any the disciples of our Lord! This the Holy Spirit has thought worthy of especial notice. It needed no small measure of courage, to declare now for Jesus, who had been a few hours ago condemned as a blasphemer by the Jews, and as a seditious||ently exemplified, in the case of Peter and all his brother disperson by the Romans; and this was the more remarkable in || ciples on the one hand; and Joseph of Arimathea and the two Joseph, because hitherto for fear of the Jews, he had been Marys, on the other. And all this is recorded, equally to preonly a secret disciple of our Lord; see Jolin xix. 38... vent both presumption and despair. Reader, let not these exThe Apostle says, We have BOLDNESS to enter into the holiest amples be produced before thee in vain. CHAPTER XVI. Early in the morning after the sabbath, the three Marys come to the sepulchre, bringing sweet spices to embalm the body, 1-4. They see an angel, who announces the resurrection of our Lord, 5-8. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene, who goes and tells the disciples, 9-11. He appears also to the two disciples who were going into the country, who also tell it to the rest, 12, 13. Afterwards he appears unto the eleven, and commissions them to preach the gospel to all mankind, 14-16. And promises to endue them with power to work miracles, 17, 18. He is received up into heaven, 19. And they go forth to preach and work miracles, 20. Women bring spices to embalm the body, CHAP. XVI. A M. 4033. A.D. 29. An. Olymp. CCIL 1. and see a vision of angels. A. M. 4053. CCII. 1. ND 'when the sabbath was past, || 4 And when they looked, they saw Mary Magdalene, and Mary the that the stone was rolled away: for it An. Olymp. mother of James, and Salome, had was very great. bought sweet spices, that they might come and 5 5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were af frighted. 6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted:. Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him....: * Matt. 28. 4. ́Enke 24. 1. John 20 1. Luke 23. 56. Luke 24. 1. John 20. 1. Luke 24. 3. John 20. 11, 12. Matt. 28. 5, 6, 7. NOTES ON CHAP. XVI. " IV. non pro Sun-rise: from the hinde of the morning going forth, until the enst begins to lighten ; and from the time the east begins to lighten, until sun-rise, &c. Verse 1. And anoint him.] Rather, to embalm him. This is a proof that they had not properly understood what Christ || had so frequently spoken, viz. that he would rise again the According to these four parts of time, one might not third day. And this inattention or unbelief of theirs, is a improperly suit the four phrases of the Evangelists. Accordproof of the truth of the resurrection. ing to the first, Matthew's, Tn expoxy, As at began to Verse 2. Very early in the morning] This was the time they dawn. According to the second, John's, Igwî cxoria; e i bons, left their own houses, and by the rising of the sun they got Early in the morning when it was yet dark. To the third, to the tomb. As the preceding day was the sabbath, they Luke's, Oędęs Baliw;, Very early in the morning. To the could not, consistently with the observances of that day, ap-fourth, Mark's, Alav gui, Very early in the morning. And proach the tomb. See the concluding notes at the end of John. The following observations from Lightfoot, will serve to illustrate this subject. yet, Avathλavtos từ nhs, At the rising of the sun. For the women came twice to the sepulchre, as St. John teaches, by whom the other Evangelists are to be explained; which being "The distinction of the twilight among the Rabbins was well considered, the reconciling them together is very easy." this: “ I. emen anbug The hinde of the morning-the first appearance R. Charia Rab and R. Simeon ben Chalaphta trawelling together on a certain morning in the valley of Arbel, saw the hinde of the morning, that its light spread the sky. R. Charia said, Such shall be the redemption of Israel. First, it goes forward by degrees and by little and little; but by how much the more it shall go forward, by so much the more it shall increase. It was at that time that Christ arose, namely in the first morning, as may be gathered from the words of St. Matthew. And to this, the title of the 22d Psalm seems to have respect-an buy by See also Rev. xxii. 16. I am the bright and morning star. And now you may imagine, the women went out of their houses towards the sepulchre. Verse 4. For it was very great ] This clause should be read immediately after the third verse, according to D. three copies of the Itala, Syriac, Hier. and Eusebius. "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? for it was very great. And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away." They knew that the stone was too heavy for them to roll away; and unless they got access to the body, they could not apply the aromatics which they had brought to finish the embalning. -When one may distinguish be משיכיר בין תכלת ללבן .II • tween purple colour and white. From what time do they recite their phylacterical prayers in the morning? From that time that one may distinguish between purple colour and white. R. Eliezer saith, Between purple colour and green. Before this time was obscurum adhuc cœpta lucis, the obscurity of the begun light, as Tacitus's expression is. “III. men map When the east begins to lighten. Verse 6. Jesus of Nazareth] The Jews had given this name to Christ by way of reprouch, Matt. ii. 23. but as it was under this name that he was crucified, John xix. 19. the angel here, and the apostles after, have given him the same name; Acts iv. 10, &c. Names, which the world, in derision, fixes' on the followers of God, often become the general appellatives of religious bodies: thus Quakers, Puritans, Pietists, and Methodists, have in their respective times been the nicknames, given in derision by the world, to those who separated themselves from its corruptions. Our Lord, by continuing to bear the name of the Nazarene, teaches us not to be too nice or scrupulous in fixing our own appellation. No matter what the name may be, as long as it implies no particular evil, and "That in the verses immediately going before the discourse is of the two disciples going to Emmaus, is without all controversy. And then how do these things consist with that relation in Luke, who saith, That they two returning to Jer salem, found the eleven gathered together, and they that were with them; who said, The Lord is risen indeed and has appear Verse 7. Tell his disciples and Peter] Why is not Peter included among the disciples? For this plain reason, he had forfeited his discipleship, and all right to the honour and pri vileges of an apostle, by denying his Lord and Master. How-ed to Simon? Luke xxiv. 34. The word λeyouras, saying, ever he is now a penitent-tell him that Jesus is risen from evidently makes those to be the words Twy irdena, of the eleven, the dead, and is ready to heal his backsliding, and love and of those that were gathered together with them: which, kim freely; so that after being converted, he may strengthen when you read the Versious, you would scarcely suspect. For his brethren. Verse 9. Now when Jesus was risen, &c.] This, to the conclusion of the Gospel, is wanting in the famous Codex Vaticanus, and has anciently been wanting in many others. See Wetstein and Griesbach. In the margin of the latter Syriac version, there is a remarkable addition after this verse; it is as follows: And they declared briefly all that was commanded, to them that were with Peter. Afterwards Jesus himself published by them, from east to west, the holy and incorruptible preaching of eternal salzation. Amen. Mary Magdalene] It seems likely, that after this woman had carried the news of Christ's resurrection to the disciples, that she returned alone to the tomb; and that it was then, that Christ appeared to her, John xx. 1-11, 12. and a little after he appeared to all the women together, Matt. xxviii, 9. Luke xxiv. 10. Verse 10. Them that had been with him] Not only the eleven disciples, but several others who had been the occasional companions of Christ and the apostles. Mourned and wept.] Because they had lost their Lord and Master, and had basely abandoned him in his extremity. Verse 12. He appeared-unto two of them] These were the two who were going to Emmaus. The whole account is given by Luke, chap. xxiv. 13–34. where see the notes. ܟܕ ܐܡܪܝܢ ,when that word is rendered by the Srnac يقولون وهم cad amrin; by the ARABIC, wehom gekolon; by the VULGATE, dicentes; by the ITALIAN, dicendo; by the FRENCH, disans; by the ENGLISH, saying: who, I pray, would take it in another sense, than that those two that returned from Emmaus, said, The Lord is risen indeed, &c. But in the original Greek, when it is the accusative case, it is plainly to be referred to the eleven disciples, and those that were together with them: as if they had discoursed among themselves of the appearance made to Peter, either before, or now in the very access of those two coming from Emmaus. And yet says this our Evangelist, that when those two had related the whole business, they gave no credit to them: so that, according to Luke, they believed Christ was risen, and had appeared to Simon, before they told their story; but according to Mark, they believed it not, no not when they had told it. The reconciling therefore of the Evangelists is to be fetched thence, that those words pronounced by the eleven, Ori nyigen å Kugios outws, &c. The Lord is risen indeed, &c. do not manifest their absolute confession of the resurrection of Christ, but a conjectural reasoning of the sudden and unexpected return of Peter. I believe that Peter was going with Cleophas into Galilee, and that being moved with Dr. Lightfoot's criticism upon this passage, is worthy of the words of. Christ, told him by the women, Say to his disnotice. ciples and Peter, I go before you into Galilee-think with your from with, and axoordew I follow. Them that believe] The believers, as we express it; i. e. the Apostles, and all those, who in those primitive times were endued with miraculous powers, for the confirmation of the doctrines they preached. In my name] That is, by the authority and influence of the Almighty Jesus. self how doubtful Peter was, and how he fluctuated within this is the proper import of the original word aganohovÎnσe, himself after his threefold denial, and how he gasped to see the Lord again, if he were risen; and to cast himself a humble suppliant at his feet. When therefore he heard these things from the women, (and he had heard it indeed from Christ himself, while he was yet alive, that when he arose he would go before them into Galilee) and when the rest were very little moved with the report of his resurrection, nor as yet stirred from that place, he will try a journey into Galilee, and Alpheus with him: which, when it was well known to the rest, and they saw him return so soon and so unexpectedly -Certainly, say they, the Lord is risen and hath appeared to Peter, otherwise he had not so soon come back again. And yet, when he and Cleophas open the whole matter, they do not yet believe even them." Verse 14. And upbraided them with their unbelief] Never were there a people so difficult to be persuaded of the truth of spiritual things, than the disciples. It may be justly asserted, that people of so sceptical a turn of mind, would never credit any thing till they had the fullest evidence of its truth. The unbelief of the disciples is a strong proof of the truth of the gospel of God. See the addition at the end. Verse 15. Go ye into all the world] See on Matt. xxviii. 19. And preach the gospel to every creature.] Proclaim the gladtidings-of Christ crucified, and raised from the dead- -to all the creation, was an x-to the Gentile world; for in this sense berioth, is often understood among the Rabbins; because HE, through the grace of God, hath tasted death for EVERY man, Heb. ii. 9. And on the rejection of the gospel by the Jews, it was sent to the whole Gentile world. Verse 16. He that believeth] He that credits this gospel as a revelation from God: and is baptized-takes upon him the profession of it, obliging himself to walk according to its precepts: he shall be saved-redeemed from sin here, and brought at last to the enjoyment of my eternal glory. But he that believeth not, shall be damned—because he rejects the only provision, that could be effectual to his soul's salvation. Verse 17. These signs shall follow] Or rather, accompany; || Cast out devils] Whose kingdom Jesus Christ was manifested to destroy. Speak with new tongues] This was most literally fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, Acts ii. 4-12. Verse 18. Take up serpents] Several MSS. add Ey TOIS XEROIV, in their hands-shall be enabled to give, when such a proof may be serviceable to the cause of truth, this evidence of their being continually under the power and protection of God, and that all nature is subject to him. This also was literally fulfilled in the case of Paul, Acts xxviii. 5. If they drink any deadly thing] Oavasspor, (Paguaxov) being understood-if they should through mistake, or accident, drink any poisonous matter, their constant preserver will take care that it shall not injure them. See a similar promise, Isai. xliii. 2. They shall lay hands on the sick] And I will convey a healing power by their hands, so that the sick shall recover, and men shall see that these are sent and acknowledged by the Most High. Several instances of this kind are found in the Acts of the Apostles. That the Apostles of our Lord should not lose their lives by poison, is most fully asserted in this verse, and there is neither record nor tradition to disprove this. But it is worthy of remark, that Mohammed, who stiled himself THE APOSTLE OF GOD, lost his life by poison: and had he been a true Apostle of God, he could not have fallen by it. Al Kodai, Abul Feda, and Al Janabi, give the following account. When Mohammed, in the seventh year of the Hejra, A. D. 628. had taken the city of Kheebar, from the Arab Jews, he took up his lodgings at the house of Hareth, the Y y |