A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
1. ANd the whole multitude of them aroſe, and led him unto Pilate. 2. And they began to accuſe him, ſaying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Ceſar, ſaying, That he himſelf is Chriſt a King.
1, 2. N. The laſt clauſe, which was true, gave a colour to the former which was falſe: They thought that Pilate could not believe that he could claim a Kingdom, and not be againſt Caeſar's Reign. And to this day the Devil's deſign is to make Princes jealous that Chriſt's Kingdom is againſt theirs, when as they have all their true power from him. No way ſeemeth ſo effectual to the Diaboliſts to get down Chriſt's Kingdom, as to raiſe jealouſie and enmity in Kings againſt it.
3. And Pilate asked him, ſaying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he anſwered him and ſaid, Thou …ayeſt it.
3 I am …o; I will not deny my Office and Dignity, (But my Kingdom is not of this Wor…d.)
4. Then ſaid Pilate to the chief prieſt and to the people, I find no fault in this man.
4. Though he call himſelf a King, he raiſeth no War or Sedition againſt Ca…ſar; and ſo the Law will not reach him.
5. And they were the more fierce, ſaying, He ſtirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jury, beginning from Galilee to this place.
5. His Preaching is ſeditious, diſaffecting the people to the Government, and to the publick Peace.
6. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilean. 7. And aſſoon as he knew that he belonged unto Herods juriſdiction, he ſent him to Herod, who himſelf was alſo at Jeruſalem at that time. 8. And when Herod ſaw Jeſus, he was exceeding glad, for he was deſirous to ſee him of a long ſeaſon, becauſe he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to have ſeen ſome miracle done by him.
6, 7, 8. N. When the King of Glory, in the form of a Servant, was thus toſſed in triumph and ſcorn, from Ruler to Ruler, it was to ſhew what we deſerved, and what we muſt expect.
9. Then he queſtioned with him in many words, but he anſwered him nothing.
9. N. As he was not over ſollicitous to refel their Accuſations; ſo he would no accuſe himſelf, nor give them matter againſt him out of his own mouth: He would not have taken an ex Officio Oath, to anſwer whatever Queſtion they ſhould aſk him, though they told him not what.
10. And the chief prieſts and Scribes ſtood, and vehemently accuſed him.
10, N. Conſecrated men are Satan's Agents with the King againſt Chriſt.
11. And Herod with his men of war ſet him at naught, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and ſent him again to Pilate.
11. N. The King and his Souldiers thought they were far enough above a deſpiſed unarmed Priſoner.
12. And the ſame day Pilate and Herod were made friends together; for before they were at enmity between themſelves.
12. N. They can agree in enmity and perſecution of the juſt, who cannot agree about their worldly intereſt.
13. And Pilate when he had called together the chief prieſts, and the rulers, and the people, 14. Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people, and behold, I having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching thoſe things whereof ye accuſe him: 15. No nor yet Herod: for I ſent you to him, and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. 16. I will therefore chaſtiſe him and releaſe him. 17. For of neceſſity he muſt releaſe one unto them at the feaſt.
13, 14, 15, 16, 17. His accuſation of Sedition is not proved to me, nor to Herod: I will therefore ſcourge him, and ſo releaſe him.
18. And they cryed out all at once, ſaying, Away with this man, and releaſe unto us Barabbas,
18. N. A Murderer, or the moſt deboiſt, ſeems better than Chriſt himſelf, to malignant Hypocrites.
19. (Who for a certain ſedition made in the city, and for murder was caſt in priſon.) 20. Pilate therefore willing to releaſe Jeſus, ſpake again to them. 21. But they cryed, ſaying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22. And he ſaid unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cauſe of death in him, I will therefore chaſtiſe him, and let him go.
19, 20, 21, 22. N. The malignant Jews are worſe than the Heathens in perſecuting rage.
23. And they were inſtant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified: and the voices of them, and of the chief prieſts, prevailed. 24. And Pilate gave ſentence that it ſhould be as they required.
23, 24. N. Wicked men dare deny God's importunity & mercy, but cannot deny temptations from mens importunity and worldly intereſt.
25. And he releaſed unto them, him that for ſedition and murder was caſt into priſon, whom they had deſired; but he delivered Jeſus to their will.
25. N. 1. It is the greateſt means of bad mens ruine, to let them have their wills. 2. God in fleſh was not innocent enough in the eyes of wicked men, to ſcape condemnation.
26. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian, coming, out of the countrey, 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 your ſelves, 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 that never gave ſuck.
26, 27, 28, 29. It is not my caſe that you have cauſe to lament, but your own and your Childrens, for the dreadful deſtruction that is coming.
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?
30, 31. Dreadful will be the approaching vengeance: For if they thus uſe me for my good works, what ſhall they endure, who by their heinous ſin are as wood dried for the fire.
32. And there were alſo two 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 malefactours, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
32, 33. Thus, for us, the Son of God was numbred with Malefactors, by the moſt ignominious death.
34. Then ſaid Jeſus, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and caſt lots.
34. Qu. Was this an abſolute Prayer of Chriſt? If ſo, were they not all forgiven, ſeeing he was always heard? And doth not he himſelf foretel their dreadful puniſhment? Anſ. It is as if he ſaid [I am dying to purchaſe pardon of ſin to all that repent and believe; I come not to deſtroy and condemn, but to ſave: It is therefore my part to deſire their Repentance and Salvation: Take them not as unpardonable, for they do this in ignorance and unbelief: Tender them forgiveneſs, and give them yet time of Repentance, and draw thine Elect to effectual Faith, and condemn none for killing me, that do not after my Reſurrection obſtinately reject thy offered mercy to the laſt.] This alſo was the ſenſe of Stephen's, Lay not this ſin to their charge. But final unbelief and rejecting grace, is the unpardonable ſin, which retaineth all the reſt.
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,
35. O unthankful men▪ to turn ſo many Miracles of Love and Mercy into cruel inſulting ſcorn! Reader, behold in theſe Inſtances the Nature of faln Man, and be humbled, and fear thy ſelf.
36. And the ſouldiers alſo mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37. And ſaying, If thou be the king of the Jews, ſave thy ſelf.
36, 37. N. He came to ſave us, and not himſelf, till his Reſurrection: How glad would his Enemies ſhortly be to be ſaved by him? And how will their tune be changed!
38. And a ſuperſcription alſo was written over him, in letters of Greek, and Latine, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38. N. As the reaſon of his death, and ſcorn both of him, and all the Jewiſh Nation
39. And one of the malefactours, which were hanged, railed on him, ſaying, If thou be Chriſt, ſave thy ſelf and us.
39. N. The Croſs of Chriſt was the great ſcandal to all? They thought that he could not be the Chriſt, that did not ſave himſelf; becauſe they knew not the uſe of his Sacrifice for Man's Redemption. But it ſhews the power of ſin, when even a Malefactor crucified ſhall go out of the World in ſuch reproach.
40. But the other anſwering, rebuked him ſaying, Doeſt 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.
40, 41. Wilt thou die in ſin? Are not we juſtly ſuffering for it, when he unjuſtly ſuffereth, being innocent?
42. And he ſaid unto Jeſus, Lord, remember me when thou comeſt into thy kingdom.
42. Lord, I believe that thou art the true Meſſiah, and the promiſed King: Remember me a ſinner with pardoning mercy and acceptance, when thou reigneſt in thy glory.
43. And Jeſus ſaid unto him, Verily I ſay unto thee, To day ſhalt thou be with me in paradiſe.
43. Truſt my Promiſe: Thou ſhalt this very day be with me in a celeſtial Paradiſe of joy.
N. 1. This Example ſheweth us what Election freely doth in calling one, while another is paſt by.
2. Chriſt would give this preſent proof of the virtue of his Sacrifice to call and juſtifie ſinners.
3. True Converſion is never too late, to the obtaining of Mercy and Salvation.
4. True Faith and Repentance, how late ſoever, will have its fruits. This man was not ſaved without good works. 1. He confeſt his ſin, 2. He confeſt the juſtneſs of his puniſhment. 3. He confeſſed Chriſt's Kingdom. 4. He juſtified Chriſt's Innocency. 5. He reproved the Reviler, and taught him to repent. 6. He prayed even to a crucified dying Chriſt. 7. He prayed not for preſent deliverance, but for a place in Chriſt's Kingdom.
5. The departed Souls of the faithful go preſently to Paradiſe.
6. This Paradiſe is where Chriſt will be with us.
Some Hereticks, by groſs perverſion, joyn [This day,] with [I ſay] as if it had been only the day of Chriſt's ſpeaking this, and not of the man's being in Paradiſe: But it is by falſification, contrary to the pointing of all Greek Copies; and one Copy, ſaith Beza, hath [That this day.]
44. And it was about the ſixth hour, and there was a darkneſs over all the earth, until the ninth hour.
44. Over all the Land, from twelve a Clock till three, there was an unuſual degree of darkneſs, whether by an Ecclipſe, or extraordinary Clouds, is uncertain: But it was not ſuch darkneſs as is in the night.
45. And the ſun was darkned, and the veil of the temple was rent in the mids.
45. Some take the veil to be a hanging, but it's liker it wa… a wall: For the Temple was divided into three parts; 1. The outer Court, where the Gentiles might come. 2 The Sanctuary, where the Jews came. 3. The inner Sanctuary, or Holieſt, where only the High Prieſt came once a year. If it was the wall that encloſed the Holieſt, then the rending ſignified the acceſs we have now to God by Chriſt: If it was the ſecond wall, it ſignified the removal of the Moſaical Separation of Jews and Gentiles.
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.
46. N. The certain Glory that Chriſt expected, was by the way of Truſting his Soul into his Fathers hands: And what otherwaies have we to die in hope and peace, but to commit our Souls with Truſt to our Father and our Redeemer, and conjoyn the dying words of Chriſt & Stephen?
47. Now when the centurion ſaw what was done, he glorified God, ſaying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
47. See Matth. 27.54. Though Matthew recite his words thus, [Verily this was the Son of God,] Luke's words are not contrary, but we may conclude that the Centurion ſpake both.
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.
48, 49. N. Souldiers and common people were not ſo hardened as the Prieſts and Rulers.
50. And behold, there was a man named Joſeph, a counſellour, and he was a good man and a juſt:
50. O…e of the Council that governed.
51. (The ſame had not conſented to the counſel and deed of them) he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews (who alſo himſelf waited for the kingdom of God.)
51. Who having lookt for the coming of the Meſſiah, believed that Chriſt was he.
52. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jeſus.
52. N. 1. He that concealed his Faith before, ſhewed his Love to Chriſt when he was dead. 2. The Body of the Son of God was at the diſpoſal and power of a Heathen, even his who was Lord of all the World.
53. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a ſepulcher that was hewen in ſtone, wherein never man before was laid.
53. Prepared for himſelf.
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 ſepulcher, and how his body was laid. 56. And they returned, and prepared ſpices and ointments, and reſted the ſabbath day, according to the commandment.
54, 55, 56. According to Moſes's Law, which required Ceremonial Reſt, it being not then abrogated.