Commentary on the Gospels and Acts, Commentary 3 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
Verse 2. Perverting the people]
GRaece, Turning them up-side down, wreathing them fromforeign their right minds. So Verse 5. He Stirreth up the … foreign.Gr. He maketh an earthquake in them; rectam toll it de cardine …, he throws them off the hinges.
Verse 8. He was exceeding glad]
As if he had got some … or inchanter, that would shew him some pleasant sight.
Verse 9. But he answered him nothing]
Princes use to … the undecencies of Embassadours by denying them audience: as if … were the way royall to revenge a wrong. Christ … not a word to … (saith one) because Herod had taken away his voice, by beheading the Baptist, who was vox clamantis.
Verse 10. Vehemently accused him]
Gr. With great intention foreignof spirit, and contention of speech. Clamant, ut Stent or a vincant.
Verse 11. Set him at nought]
Gr. Made no body of him.foreign
Arrayed him in a gorgeous robe]
Or a whit robe, as the old Interpreter hath it. Pilates souldiers clad our Saviour in purple,foreign (a colour more affected by the Romans) Herod in white, as more affected by the Jewish Nobility.
Verse 12. Pilate and Herod were made friends]
Two dogs that are fighting, can easily agree to pursue the Hare that passeth by them. Martiall brings in the Hare thus complaining;
In me omnis terraeque aviumque, marisque rapina est:
Forsitan & coeli, si canis astra tenet.
In littore Siculo cum lepus canum … vim …, … Bodin. …. Nat. 359.… marimo captus dicitur: Est enim voracissima …, saith Bodin. The wicked can easily unite against the Saints.
Verse 20. Pilate therefore willing, &c.]
I read of one that did verily think that Pilate was an honest man, because he was so unwilling to crucifie Christ. But this arose only from the restraint of naturall conscience against so foul a fact.
Verse 25. Him that for sedition]
The Jewes before they were banished out of this Kingdome, threw bags of poyson into the Wells and Fountains that the people were to drink of; and so indeavovred to poyson them all: so deale those that sowe sedition, these are the Pests, the botches of humane society.
Verse 28. Weep not for me]
We are not so much to lament dolorous sufferings (as Papists use to do in their histrionicall descriptions of his passion) as to lay to heart and lament our sinnes the cause of … When a Papist came to Master Hooper at the stakeAct. & Mon. sol. 1373. and said, Sir, I am sorry to see you thus. Be sorry for thy self man, (said hearty Hooper) and lament thine own wickednesse: for I … well, I thank God, and death to me for Christs sake is welcome.
Verse 29. Blessed are the barren]
Better be so, then bring forth children to the murtherer. Hence Hoseas prayes for barrennesse as a blessing on his people, Hos. 9. 14.
Verse 31. What shall be done in the dry?]
Lo little sucklings also are here called dry trees, …-wood, such as Gods wrath will soon kindle upon.
Verse 33. Which is called Calvary]
As sad a sight to our Saviour, as the bodies of his slain wife and children were to Mauricius the Emperour, who was soon after to be slain also by the command of the traytour Phocas. Let us learn to consider the tyranny and deformity of sin as oft as we passe thorough Church-yards, and Charnell-houses.
Verse 34. Father, forgive them]
See the sweet mercy of Christ mindfull and carefull of his enemies, when the paines of hell had taken hold of him, and they, like so many breathing devils, were tormenting him. Pendebat & tamen petebat, saith Augustine. He was slain by them, and yet he begged for them.
Verse 35. Derided him]
…. Blew their noses at him.foreign
Verse 36. Offered him vineger]
In stead of wine, which Kings drink much off.
Verse 38. Greek, Latine, and Hebrew]
This venerable Elogy and Epitaph, set upon our Saviours Crosse, proclaimed him King of all religion, having reference to the Hebrews, of all wisdom, to the Greeks, of all power to the Latines.
Verse 39. Which were hanged, railed, &c.]
Sic plectimur a Deo, nec flectimur tamen, (saith Salvian) corripimur, sed non corrigimur. There are many, quos multò facilius fregeris, quàm flexeris, saith…. Buchanan. Monoceros interimi potest, capi non potest. The wicked are the worse for that they suffer, and will sooner break then bend.
Verse 40. But the other answering]
Silent he was for a while, and therefore seemed to consent; till, hearing Christs prayers and the enemies outrages, he brake out into this brave confession, worthy to be written in letters of gold.
Verse 42. Lord, remember me]
By this penitent prayer he made his crosse a Jacobs ladder, whereby the Angels descended to fetch up his soul. So did Leonard Caesar burnt at Rappa in Bavaria, whose last words were these, Lord Jesu suffer with me, support…. …. me, give me strength: I am thine, save me, &c. See the Note on Matt. 27. 38.
Verse 43. Verely I say unto thee]
See the infinite love of Christ to penitent sinners, in that when he hung upon the tree, and was paying dear … mans sin, he rejected not this malefactors petition. Shall he not hear us now that all is paid and finished?
To day shalt thou be with me]
This is not every mans happinesse. A pardon is sometimes given to one upon the gallows: but who so … to that, the rope may be his hire. It is not good to put it upon the Psalm of Miserere, and the neck-verse (saith one:) for sometimes he proves no clark.
Verse 47. Certainly this was a righteous man]
Bennet the … in King Henry the Eighths daies, being brought to execution, the most part of the people (he exhorted them with suchActs & Mon. fol 949. gravity and sobriety) as also the Scribe who wrote the sentence ofIbid. 1156. & 1423. condemnation against him, did pronounce and confesse that he was Gods servant, and a good man. So when Wiseheart and March, the Martyrs, went toward the stake, they were justified by the beholders, as innocent and godly persons.
Verse 51. The same had not consented]
This proved him to be a good man and a just, as Psal. 1. 1. Sir John Cheek was drawn in for fear of death to be present at the condemnation of some of theActs & Mon. 1774. Martyrs. The remorse whereof so mightily wrought upon his heart, that not long after he left this mortall life: whose fall, though it was full of infirmity, yet his rising again by repentance was great, and his end comfortable, saith Master Fox.
Waited for the kingdom of God]
Gr. Entertained and embraced foreignit.