A Paraphrase on the New Testament, John · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
THen Pilate therefore took Jeſus, and ſcourged him. 2. And the ſouldiers platted a crown of thorns; and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3. And ſaid, Hail king of the Jews: and they ſmote him with their hands.
1, 2. Note, When the unjuſt Ruler had once led the way by Scurging him, all the Rabble and Soldiers make great Sport in deriding and abuſing him; ſuch are the frolicks of wicked ignorance.
4. Pilate therefore went forth again, and ſaith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. 5. Then came Jeſus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate ſaith unto them, Behold the man.
4. In Scorn.
6. When the cheif prieſts therefore and officers ſaw him, they cried out, ſaying, Crucifie him, Crucifie him. Pilate ſaith unto them, Take ye him, and Crucifie him: for I find no fault in him.
6. Thus Chriſt is the Foot-ball of Cruelty and Heathen Scorn. Pilate ſaith, let it be your own dowing if you will needs have it done, for by our Law he deſerveth it not.
7. The Jews anſwered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, becauſe he made himſelf the Son of God. 8. When Pilate therefore heard that ſaying; he was the more afraid; 9. And wenr again into the judgment-hall, and ſaith unto Jeſus, Whence art thou? But Jeſus gave him no anſwer.
7, 8, 9. Note, The Name of the Son of God, was uſed by the Prieſts againſt Chriſt to accuſe and Murder him, and yet to a Heathen Judge cauſed fear and further enquiry: And to this day it is matter of Scorn to ſuch that the Faithful are called the Children of God.
10. Then ſaith Pilate unto him, Speakeſt thou not unto me? knoweſt thou not that I have power to Crucifie thee, and have power to releaſe thee? 11. Jeſus anſwered, Thou couldeſt have no power at all againſt me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater ſin.
10. Note, 1. Chriſt would not tell him whence he was by Words, that would not know it by his Works. 2. Pilate thought that the power of Life and Death, ſhould have forced Jeſus to anſwer him. And Chriſt ſaith [whatever Proud men may claim or pretend to, no man can have more Governing Right or Authority than God the abſolute Soveraign giveth him (who giveth none againſt himſelf) Therefore the Arch-Prieſts that deliver me to thee to be Crucified, are ſo much the greater Sinners that would turn Gods Ordinances of Magiſtracy againſt himſelf.
12. And from thenceforth Pilate ſought to releaſe him: but the Jews cried out, ſaying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Ceſars friend, whoſoever maketh himſelf a King, ſpeaketh againſt Ceſar.
12. Then the Prieſts uſed that Argument with Pilate which he had not ſtrength to overcome; as if they would queſtion his Life or Office, as a Traytor to Caeſar, if he would not Condemn Chriſt as ſuch. Though Chriſt had told him that he pretended not to a Kingdom of this World; yet for the Name of a King either Chriſt muſt die as an Enemy to Caeſar, or Pilate go for ſuch. Thus though all Royal Authority be of God, yet it is oft the ſtrength and moſt prevailing Argument, that Wicked men uſe againſt God and his Law and Servants.
13. When Pilate therefore heard that ſaying, he brought Jeſus forth, and ſat down in the judgment-ſeat, in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14. And it was the preparation of the paſſover, and about the ſixth hour: and he ſaith unto the Jews, Behold your King. 15. But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, Crucifie him. Pilate ſaith unto them, Shall I Crucifie your King? The Chief Prieſts anſwered, we have no King but Ceſar.
13. When Pilate ſaw that there was no reſiſting them without danger to himſelf, he ſate in Judgment on Chriſt in a place called in the Syriack Gabbatha.
Note, The Controverſie of the day, (whether it was that called by us Friday or Wedneſday or Thurſday) and that of the hour (whether it was the ſixth hour (as John ſaith it was about,) or the third hour (as Marke ſaith) and whether in John it ſhould he read the third (as Beza and ſome others think) are both too hard for Vulgar Readers, and therefore I leave them to Controverſal writers: Much is ſaid on both ſides.
Note, 2. Theſe Arch-Prieſts that at the heart were much againſt Caeſar, yet to murder Chriſt as a Rebel, pretend to be the greateſt Caeſarian Royaliſts.
16. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be Crucified. And they took Jeſus and led him away. 17. And he bearing his Croſs, went forth unto a place called the place of a ſcull, which is called in the Hebrew, Golgotha.
17. He bare his Croſs (till his ſtrength failed and then they made Simon of Cyrene to bear it) to a place called in Syriack Golgotha, or the place of a Skul.
18. Where they Crucified him, and two other with him, on either ſide one, and Jeſus in the midſt. 19. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the croſs. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
18, 19. Note, The Title ſignified his accuſation.
20. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jeſus was Crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latine.
20. Written in Syriack or Chaldee words with Hebrew Letters, and in Greek and Latine.
21. Then ſaid the chief prieſts of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he ſaid, I am King of the Jews. 22. Pilate anſwered, What I have written, I have written.
21, 22. The Title which Pilate made in Scorn, and God over ruled as real Truth, diſpleaſed the Arch-Prieſts: but Pilate would not alter it.
23. Then the Souldiers, when they had Crucified Jeſus, took his garments (and made four parts, to every ſouldier a part) and alſo his coat: now the coat was without ſeam, woven from the top throughout. 24. They ſaid therefore among themſelves, Let us not rent it, but caſt lots for it, whoſe it ſhall be: that the ſcripture might be fulfilled, which ſaith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my veſture they did caſt lots. Theſe things therefore the ſouldiers did.
23. Not that the Propheſie made them do it, but was fullfilled by their doing it.
25. Now there ſtood by the croſs of Jeſus, his mother, and his mothers ſiſter, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26. When Jeſus therefore ſaw his mother, and the diſciple ſtanding by, whom he loved, he ſaith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy ſon. 27. Then ſaith he to the diſciple, Behold thy Mother. And from that hour that diſciple took her unto his own home.
25, 26, 27. Note, Chriſt on the Croſs had a care of his Mothers future comfort in the World: which conſiſted in her Entertainment and Converſe with his beloved Diſciple.
28. After this, Jeſus knowing that all things were now accompliſhed, that the ſcripture might be fulfilled, ſaith I thirſt. 29. Now there was ſet a veſſel full of vinegar: and they filled a Spunge with Vinegar, and put it upon hyſſop, and put it to his mouth. 30. When Jeſus therefore had received the vinegar, he ſaid, It is finiſhed: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghoſt.
28. As other Scriptures of him were fulfilled, ſo he would have that Pſal. 69.22. And having drunk the Vinegar, he ſaid, my Sacrifice on the Croſs is performed, and the Prophecies of it fulfilled, and he bowed his Head and reſigned his Soul.
Many paſſages are omitted by John becauſe written by others.
31. The Jews therefore, becauſe it was the preparation, that the bodies ſhould not remain upon the croſs on the Sabbath-day (for that Sabbath-day was an high day) beſought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. 32. Then came the ſouldiers, and brake the legs of the firſt, and of the other which was Crucified with him.
31, 32. Note, What day it was, whether the Seventh day Sabbath, or another ſo called by the Jews Superſtition Expoſitors varying, I have before ſaid, I will not trouble the Vulgar Reader with the Controverſie.
33. But when they came to Jeſus, and ſaw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs. 34. But one of the ſouldiers with a ſpear pierced his ſide, and forthwith came there out bloud and water.
33, 34. They made ſure ſince that he was dead!
35. And he that ſaw it, bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he ſaith true, that ye might believe. 36. For theſe things were done, that the Scripture ſhould be fulfilled, A bone of him ſhall not be broken.
35, 36. John that ſaw it is a true Witneſs. And that Pſal. 34.20. which ſpeaketh Gods care of all his People, was ſpecially meant of Chriſt, whether David ſo underſtood it or not.
37. And again another Scripture ſaith, They ſhall look on him whom they pierced.
37. Thus alſo that of Zach. 12.10. was fulfilled.
38. And after this, Joſeph of Arimathea (being a diſciple of Jeſus, but ſecretely for fear of the Jews) beſought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jeſus: And Pilate gave him leave: He came therefore and took the body of Jeſus.
38. Joſeph that duiſt not own Chriſt openly alive, begs and obtaineth his body for burial.
39. And there came alſo Nicodemus (which at the firſt came to Jeſus by night) and brought a mixture of Myrrhe and Aloes; about an hundred pound weight. 40. Then took they the body of Jeſus, and wound it in linen cloths, with ſpices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
39. The Mirrh and Aloes were to keep the Body from Putrefaction: but it ſeems they did for haſt (being late) but rudely lay them to the body with the Cloaths, deferring the full Embalming till the firſt day of the week, when the Women came with Spices to have done it.
41. Now in the place were he was Crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new ſepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42. There laid they Jeſus therefore, becauſe of the Jews preparation-day, for the ſepulchre was nigh at hand.
41, 42. It was Joſephs Sepulchre which he had prepared for himſelf, cleanneſs and nearneſs made it convenient.