John xix. 19 — 22. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. This title then read many of the Jews : for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city : and it tvas written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. 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. Pilate answered, What I have ivritten I have written.
NOTHING was left undone which could add to the sufferings of our blessed Lord. From the tribu- nal at which he was condemned, he was hurried away to execution, and crucified between two most noto- rious malefactors, as being himself the vilest of the human race. This however served only to fulfil the Scripture, which had said, " He was numbered with the transgressors." On such occasions it was com- mon to place above the head of the criminal an inscrip- tion, by which all the spectators might know both his name and the crime for which he suffered. This was observed at the crucifixion of our Lord : and (as no circumstance respecting him is uninteresting) we shall call your attention to, I. The superscription put over him —
This, however intended at first, must certainly be considered by us in a two-fold view ;
1. As an accusation against him —
[The principal charge which had been exhibited against him before Pilate, was, that he had professed himself to be " Christ, a Kinga." On this point he had been interrogated by Pilate; and had "witnessed a good confession," acknow- ledging plainly, that he was a King, though his kingdom was not of this world b. Pilate, seeing that this claim did not at all interfere with the temporal government of Caesar, con- sidered it as unworthy his attention ; and therefore sought by all possible means to release him. But the chief priests, being determined to prevail, represented this claim of his as an avowed hostility to Caesar; and declared that the protecting of Jesus was nothing less than treason0. This terrified Pilate into a compliance with their wishes. He instantly consented to his death; and, according to custom, ordered the crime of which Jesus was accused to be affixed to his cross, in these memorable words, " Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews."]
2. As a testimony in his favour —
[As Caiaphas, when designing only to destroy Jesus, un- consciously declared the extensive benefits which would flow from his death, so Pilate, meaning only to inform the people for what reason Jesus was put to death, unintentionally attested his innocence. Had Jesus falsely pretended to be the King of
a Luke xxiii. 2. b John xviii. 36, 37. and 1 Tim. i. 16.
c ver. 12.