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He recommends his mother to the care of John.

413

cxci.

the wife of Cleophas, name was also Mary), who was [the wife] of SECT. and Mary Magdalene. Cleopas, and Mary Magdalene; and with them also John, his intimate friend; the relater of this story.

ther, and the disciple

behold thy son.

John XIX. 25.

26 When Jesus Jesus therefore seeing his mother, and John 26 therefore saw his mo- the disciple whom he peculiarly loved, standing standing by whom he near, his affectionate care and regard to both, so loved, he saith unto wrought in his heart in the midst of all his agohis mother, Woman, nies, that he said to his mother, Woman, behold thy son; consider that dear friend of mine as thy own child, and treat him with the same affection and care which thou wouldest shew to me under that near relation. And then he said to 27 that disciple, Behold thy mother, and entertain towards her that reverence and love which a child owes to a worthy parent; for I now solemnly with my dying breath bequeath her to thy care. And from that hour that disciple took her home to his own [house], and maintained her most cheerfully and respectfully, as if she had indeed been his own mother.

27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy that hour that disciple took her unto his own

mother. And from

home.

MAT. XXVII. 45.

about the sixth hour,

45

And Jesus having hung upon the cross about Mat. Now [LUKE, it was three hours, it was now near noon, or, accord- XXVII. and] from the sixth ing to the Jewish manner of expressing the time, hour there was dark- it was about the sixth hour; and from the sixth ness over all the land hour, there was an amazing and supernatural unto darkness over the whole land of Judea till the ninth

b His mother's sister, Mary [the wife] of Cleopas.] It is not determined in the original whether she was the wife, or mother, or daughter of Cleopas; but critics generally suppose she was his wife; and that he was also called Alpheus, and was the father, as this Mary was the mother, of James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas, who are therefore called our Lord's brethren or kinsmen. (Mat. xiii. 55.) See note e on John xiv. 22, p. 309.-Grotius indeed thinks that Cleopas was her father, and Alpheus her husband. After all, we cannot certainly determine it; but, like most other undeterminable points, it is a matter of no great importance. I know none who has set it in a plainer and juster light than Dr. Edwards Exercit. part ii. No. 1, p. 163, & seq.

c Said to his mother, Woman.] We have observed elsewhere that Joseph probably was dead some time before (compare note b on John ii. 1, Vol. VI. p. 131, and note a on John vi. 42, Vol. VI. p. 430); and as Jesus now shewed the tender concern he had for his mother in committing her to the

hour

care of John, so this concern that he ex-
pressed for her support must have affected
her no less than if he had called her mo-
ther; which some have thought he might
not choose to do, to avoid exposing her to
the abuses of the populace, by a discovery
of her near relation to him. But woman
was a title he before had used in speaking
to his mother where no such caution was
necessary; and it was frequently applied
in ancient times, even to persons that were
the most respected. See noted on John ii.
4, Vol. VI. p. 132.

d Behold thy Son.] Some have explained
these words as if they only signified, “ Be-
hold a person who will carry it to thee as
thy son, and will take care of thee." But
as the tenderness of Jesus for his mother is
expressed in the next verse, in the direc-
tion that he gives to John to treat her as
his mother, it seems more natural to under-
stand this former exhortation as expressive
of his kindness for John, and so take it as
a direction given to his mother to regard
him as her son with all the affection of a
tender parent.

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414

cxci.

Mat.

Jesus cries out of God's forsaking him.

unto the ninth hour.

[MARK XV.33. LUKE XXIII. 44.]

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried

SECT. hour, or till three o'clock in the afternoon ; during which time it was as dark as if there had been a total eclipse of the sun, though in a XXVII. natural way it was impossible, as it was now full 46 moon f. And this darkness, with which the face of nature seemed overspread, was a lively with a loud voice, sayemblem of the darkness and distress of spirit ing [Eloi, Eloi], lama with which the Lord of nature was then over- sabachthani? that is whelmed, and with which he struggled in the to say being interpreted], My God, my solemn silence, and unutterable bitterness of God, why hast thou his soul. But about the ninth hour, Jesus cried forsaken me? [MARK with a loud voice, saying in the Hebrew, or raXV. 34.] ther in the Syriac language, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? that is, being interpreted into other words, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? which was as if he had said, O my heavenly Father, wherefore dost thou add to all my other sufferings those which arise from the want of a comfortable sense of thy presence? Wherefore dost thou thus leave me alone in the combat, destitute of those sacred consolations, which thou couldest easily shed abroad

e

There was darkness over the whole land.] There are so many places in which yn signifies a particular country, and not the whole earth, that I have chosen here to follow our translation; and the rather, because the farther we suppose this darkness to extend, the more unaccountable it is, that no Heathen writers should have mentioned it except Phlegon; if he is indeed to be excepted. A darkness over the whole earth at once must have been preternatural at any time; and it is morally impossible, that a multitude of accounts of it should not, even by a tradition of many hundred years, have been transmitted to posterity. What is said of the Chinese chronicles mentioning it, must be very uncertain; and as of Josephus, his omission of it, I think Dr. More with reason accounts for it, by his unwillingness to mention a fact which had so favourable an aspect on Christianity: and the Jews would, no doubt, disguise it as much as they could, and perhaps might

upon

his excellent Connection of the Sacred and Profane History of the World, has advanced some important considerations to prove, that it is at least very uncertain whether the Jewish months, according to the Mosaic institution, began with a new moon, and consequently whether their passover, which was fixed to the fourteenth day of the first month, must always happen at full moon. But he allows that, towards the decline of their state, it did. And indeed Josephus, who, being a Jewish priest, is an unexceptionable witness in this case, seems to put it beyond all possibility of doubt; expressly asserting, that the day of expiation, and consequently their other feasts, were reckoned by the age of the moon. (Joseph. Antiq. lib. iii. cap. 10, § 3. AixaÎn To un xala σeλnvnv.)

g Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?] It is evident these are Syro-Chaldaic, and not properly Hebrew words; for in the original of Psal. xxii. 1, it is not, as here,

למה עזבתני but ,למה שבקתני אלהי persuade him, and others, who heard the

report of it at some distance of time or
place, that it was only a dark cloud, or a
thick mist, which the followers of Jesus had
exaggerated, because it happened when
their Master died. Such representations
are exceeding natural to hearts corrupted
by infidelity.

f As it was now full moon.] Mr. Shuck-
ford, in his preface to the third volume of

N. Dr. Edwards thinks our Lord in his agony repeated the words twice with some little variation, saying at one time, Eloi, and at the other Eli. This is possible; and if it were otherwise, I doubt not but Mark has given us the word exactly, and Matthew a kind of contraction of it. See Edwards's Exercit. p. 193-196.

h Why

The Jews pretend that he was calling for Elijah.

415

upon my soul, and which thou knowest I have SECT. done nothing to forfeith?

cxci.

47 [And] some of

there, when they heard

Mat.

Jesus by the use of these words, borrowed them that stood [by] from the beginning of the twenty-second psalm, XXVII. that, said, [Behold] gave the spectators a useful hint that the whole 47 this man calleth for of it referred to him; and it might well have led Elias. [MARK XV. them to observe how many passages of it had

35.]

JOHN XIX. 28. Af

ter this, Jesus know now accomplished, that the

ing that all things were

then a literal accomplishment in him: but if
this was any part of the design, it was not ap-
prehended by them; for the Jews took them in
a different sense, and some of them that stood by
there, hearing [that] sound of Eli, said in a
scornful and insulting manner, Behold, this
[man], who has been used to talk as if he had
earth and heaven at command, resolves to keep
up the air of the Messiah to the last, and there-
fore calls for Elijah his forerunner, as if he had
any authority to bring that great prophet down
from paradise to his assistance'.

Immediately after this doleful cry, Jesus John
knowing that all the grievous and terrible things XIX. 28
he had to suffer in the way to death, were now
upon the point of being perfectly accomplished,
and finding himself parched with a violent
drought, as the consequence of what he had so
long endured both in mind and body, that the
scripture might be fulfilled (Psal. xxii. 15, and
lxix.

h Why hast thou forsaken me?] The pious and judicious Lord Chief Justice Hale has a strange reflection on these words; "We may (says he with reverence conceive, that at the time of this bitter cup, the soul of our blessed Redeemer was for the present overshadowed with so much astonishment and sorrow, as to overpower and cover the distinct sense of the reason of his sufferings, at least in some measure and degree." (Hale's Contemplations, Vol. 1. p. 72) But the sense given in the paraphrase is much more natural. Thus in a most humble and affectionate manner he reminds his heavenly Father, that he was only by imputation a sinner, and had himself done nothing to incur his displeasure.-I choose not, with Dr. More (in his Theological Works, p. 292), to render it How far, or to what degree, hast thou for saken me! because though this would be a just version of, the Greek word wal, which answers to it in Matthew, is not liable to such ambiguity.-I conclude with adding, that this interruption of a joyful' sense of his Father's presence (though there was, and could not but be, a rational ap

prehension of his constant favour, and high
approbation of what he was now doing),
was as necessary as it was that Christ should
suffer at all. For had God communicated
to his Son on the cross those strong consola-
tions which he has given to some of the
martyrs in their tortures, all sense of pain,
and consequently all real pain, would have
been swallowed up; and the violence done
to his body, not affecting the soul, could not
properly have been called suffering.

And some of them that stood by, &c.]
Whether this was, as Dr. Edwards (Exercit.
p. 196-203), and Mr. Cradock (Harm.
part ii. p. 256), suppose the mistake of
some Hellenist Jews, who did not under-
stand the Syro-Chaldaic language; or whe-
ther it proceeded from his being raised so
high, that, amidst the rude noise around
him, they did not distinctly hear; I do not
pretend to say. Perhaps the malice of those
who did hear what he said, might misre-
present his words, to prevent any serious
reflections on the psalm from which they
were taken, and to expose him to farther
contempt,

416

In his thirst, they give him vinegar to drink.

SECT. Ixix. 21), where the Messiah is described as cry- the scripture might be

cxci. ing out, "My tongue cleaveth to my jaws, and fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

John

in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink,"

xix. 28. to shew that he endured all that had been fore

29

told concerning him, said, I thirst.

Now there was set, as usual on such occasions,

a

29 Now there was

his

and filled it with vinegar,] and put it upon hyssop [on a reed], and put it to mouth, [and gave him to drink.] XXVII. 48. XV. 36.-1 XV. 36.-XVII. The rest said, [Let a lone,] let us see whe

[MAT.

MARK

a vessel full of vinegar near the cross; and im- set a vessel full of vinegar: [and straightmediately upon his mentioning his thirst, one of way one of them ran, them ran, and took a spunge, and filled [it] with and took a spunge, this vinegar; and putting it round [a stalk of] hyssop, which they had fastened on the top of kind of cane, or large reed, they put it up to his mouth, and in a contemptuous manner gave it Mat. him to drink. But the rest of them that stood XXVII. bv, said, Let [him] alone, and let us see whether Elijah, whom he has just been calling upon, will come and save him from the cross; [and] indeed he must take him down quickly, if at all. ther Elias will come So little were their hearts affected with this pre-him down.] [MARK to save him, [and take ternatural darkness, which had continued now XV.-36. three hours; and thus cruelly did they insult him, even in his expiring moments, which had been most inhuman, though he had really been the vilest malefactor.

John

49

XXIII.

46

MAT. XXVII. 49.

JOHN XIX. 30.When Jesus therefore

LUKE XXIII. 46. And [when he had

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, XIX. 30 and thus had perfectly fulfilled the prophecies had received the vinerelating to his sufferings, he said, It is finished; gar, he said, It is finishthe important work, for which I came into the ed. world, is now completed, the demands of the law are satisfied, the justice of God is atoned, And Luke and my sufferings are now at an end. crying out again with a great and strong voice, cried again with a loud which plainly shewed that much of the strength voice,] he said, Father, of nature was yet in him; he said, with a lively into thy hands I comfaith and holy joy, Father, for so I will still call having said thus, he thee, though that claim is thus derided by mine [JOHN,bowed his head, enemies, I am now coming to thee, and into and gave up the ghost.] thy hands I commit my departing Spirit, deposit- MARK XV. 37. JOHN [MAT. XXVII. 50. ing it with thee as a sacred trust, which I am XIX.―30.] confident thou wilt receive and keep. And when he had said thus, declining his head, he voluntarily dismissed or delivered up his Spirit, and expired'.

A vessel full of vinegar.] It is well known that vinegar and water (which mixture was called posca) was the common drink of the Roman soldiers: perhaps therefore this vinegar was set here for their use, or for that of the crucified persons, whose

And

mend my Spirit: and

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Jesus dismisses his spirit, and the earth trembles.

while the sun was

the rocks rent; [MARK

45.]

417

cxci.

MAT. XXVII. 51. And behold, God by a very awful and mira- SECT. And behold [LUKE, culous interposition, avowed the relation which darkened], the vail of his Son claimed, and evidently appeared to Mat. the temple was rent in take the charge of that dear and excellent Spirit XXVII. twain [LUKE, in the which Jesus so solemnly recommended to him: 51 midst], from the top to the bottom; and the for immediately upon his death, [while] the sun earth did quake, and was still darkened, as was observed before (ver. XV. 38. LUKE XXIII. 45), the veil of the temple, which separated between the holy and the most holy place, though made of the richest and strongest tapestry, was miraculously rent in two in the midst, from the top to the very bottom; so that while the priest was ministering at the golden altar, it being the time of evening sacrifice, the sacred oracle was laid open to full view: God thereby declaring, as it were, the abolition of the whole Mosaic ritual, which depended on a distinction between those two parts of the temple; and intimating that a passage was opened into the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, which was now poured out on mount Calvary, And at the same time, to increase the terror, the earth trembled even to the very spot of ground on which the temple stood, and several of the rocks in the 52 And the graves neighbouring parts were torn asunder»; And 52

were

in the same manner, he yielded, or gave up the ghost. Mark and Luke say VEUSE he expired; John, wagedane to wea, he yielded up his Spirit; but Matthew's language is yet more singular, apпXE TO TIVELμA, he dismissed his Spirit (as the same word apin is used, Mat. xiii. 36. Mark iv. 36. xi. 6, and elsewhere). Now this expression seems admirably to suit our Lord's words, John x. 18. No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself, &c. (see the paraphrase and note there, p. 86), shewing, as the strong cry which so much impressed the centurion did, that he died by the voluntary act of his own mind, according to the power received from the Father, and in a way peculiar to himself, by which he alone, of all men that ever existed, could have continued alive even in the greatest tortures, as long as he pleased, or have retired from the body whenever he thought fit. Which view of the case, by the way, suggests an illustration of the love of Christ manifested in his death, beyond what is commonly observed; inasmuch as he did not use this power to quit bis body, as soon as ever it was fastened to the cross, leaving only an insensible corpse to the cruelty of his murderers, but continued his abode in it, with a steady resolution, as long as it was proper; and then retired from it

some

with a majesty and dignity never known,
or to be known, in any other death; dy-
ing, if I may so express it, like the Prince
of life.

m While the priest was ministering at
the golden altar, oc,] This being so high
a day, it is probable that Caiaphas himself
might now be performing the solemn act of
burning incense just before the veil; which
if he did, it is inexpressibly astonishing
that his obdurate heart should not be im-
pressed with so awful and significant a
phenomenon. There is no room to doubt,
but many of the other priests, who had a
hand in Christ's death, saw the pieces of
the veil; which, considering its texture,
and the other circumstances, must as fully
convince them of the reality of this ex-
traordinary fact as if they had actually been
present when it was rent.

n The rocks were torn asunder.] Mr. Fleming tells us (in his Christology, Vol. II. p. 97, 98), that a deist lately travelling through Palestine was converted, by viewing one of these rocks, which still remains torn asunder, not in the weakest place, but cross the veins; a plain proof that it was done in a supernatural manner.-Sandys, in his excellent Travels, p. 164, has given an accurate description and delineation of this fissure; and Mr. Maundrel in his

Journey

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