[6009] Acts. i. 18.
[6010] St. Matt. xxvii, 7.
[6011] Jer. xix.
[6012] The alterations in the words quoted are, as previously explained, a targuming' of them.
[6013] Most Commentators, however, regard the word Jeremy' as a lapse of memory, or an oversight by the Evangelist, or else as a very early error of transcription. Other explanations (more or less unsatisfactory) may be seen in the commentaries. Böhl (Alttest. Cit. p. 78), following Valckenar, thinks the mistake arose from confounding Zriou (written abbreviated) with Iriou. But the whole question is of no real importance.
[6014] According to the better reading of St. Mark xv. 8 the multitude was going up.'
[6015] How can they who regard the Johannine account as implying that Christ was crucified on the morning before the Passover, explain the words of St. John, Ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover?'
[6016] The ancient reading Jesus Bar-Abbas' is not sufficiently attested to be adopted.
[6017] St. Mark xi. 11.
[6018] St. Matt. xxvii. 24, 25.
[6019] See the quotations in Wetstein, ad loc., and Nebe, u. s. p. 104.
[6020] thos p to amatos is a Hebraism = {hebrew}.
[6021] In the LXX. version.
[6022] Sot. ix. 6.
[6023] The Evangelist put what he said into the well-remembered Old Testament words.
[6024] Jos. War 14. 8. 9.
[6025] St. John xix. 1, following.
[6026] St. John xix.4, following.
[6027] The Sagum, or short woollen military cloak, scarlet or purple (the two colours are often confounded, comp. Wetstein ad loc.), fastened by a clasp on the right shoulder. It was also worn by Roman generals, and sometimes (in more costly form and material) presented to foreign kings.
[6028] Origen already marks in this a notable breach of military discipline. Keim (Jesu von Naz. iii. 2, pp. 393, &c.) gives a terribly graphic and realistic account of the whole scene. The soldiers were, as mostly in the provinces, chiefly provincials - in this case, probably Syrians. They were all the more bitterly hostile to the Jews (Jos. Ant. xix. 9. 1; War ii. 12, 1. 2; v. 11, 1 - there also derision at execution). A strange illustration of the scene is afforded by what happened only a few years afterwards at Alexandria, when the people in derision of King Agrippa I., arrayed a well-known maniac (Karabas) in a common door-mat, put a papyrus crown on his head, and a reed in his hand, and saluted him Maris,' lord (Philo, In Flacc. ed. Mang. ii. 522; Wetstein, N.T, i. p. 535). On all the classical illustrations and corroborations of the whole proceedings in every detail, the reader should consult Wetstein, ad loc.
[6029] This is the proper order of the words. To release' is put first to induce Christ to speak.
[6030] The derivation of Wünsche ({hebrew}) back of the Temple,' is on every ground to be rejected. Gabbath ({hebrew}) or Gabbetha means a rounded height.' It occurs also as the name of a town (Jer. Taan. 69 b).
[6031] I have simply rendered the paraskeu to pscha by Friday in Passover-week. The evidence for regarding paraskeu, in the Gospels, as the terminus technicus for Friday, has been often set forth. See Kirchner, D. jud. Passahf. pp. 47, &c.
[6032] The hour (about the sixth') could only refer to when the process was taken in hand.
[6033] I ought to mention that the verb kthisen in St. John xix. 13, has been taken by some critics in the transitive sense: Pilate . . . brought Jesus forth and seated Him in the judgment-seat,' implying an act of mock-homage on the part of Pilate when, in presenting to the Jews their King, he placed Him on the judgment-seat. Ingenious as the suggestion is, and in some measure supported, it does not accord with the whole tenour of the narrative. __________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER XV. CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED.'
(St. Matt. xxvii. 31-43: St. Mark xv. 20-32(a); St. Luke xxiii. 26-38; St. John xix. 16-24; St. Matt. xxviii. 44; St. Mark xv. 32(b); St. Luke xxiii. 39-43; St. John xix. 25-27; St. Matt. xxvii. 45-56; St. Mark xv. 33-41; St. Luke xxiii. 44-49; St. John xix. 28-30; St. John xix. 31-37; St. Matt. xxvii. 57-61; St. Mark xv. 42-47; St. Luke xxiii. 50-56; St. John xix. 38-42; St. Matt. xxvii. 62-66.)