hausted to death by faintness, but most voluntarily laid down His life.— V. g.]
41. TaXiXaicf,, Galilee) Here it was that He had sojourned for a great part of His time : He had come to Jerusalem, especially at the times of the festivals.
42. npoadplSaTov, the day before the Sabbath) When there was the beginning made of resting.
43. 'O avb ' Api/uaQaias, who was from Arimathea) The article shows, that this had become a surname of Joseph. Matthew does not employ the article, because he wrote before Mark. —
honourable) Distinguished by both honour and dignity. senator) of the Jerusalem Sanhedrim. — roX/ijj<rac, having boldly ventured) A praiseworthy boldness. [Not un attended with personal risk. — V. g.] John xix. 38. An elegant and effective Asyndeton.1 [It very frequently happens in the case of those making such bold ventures, that their efforts succeed better than you would have supposed. — V. g.]
44. ' Edaupacfv, marvelled) In fact, it was not the mere cross that deprived Jesus of life. \_T1iose crucified sometimes used to protract life for a considerably longer time. Pilate had permitted the breaking of the legs ; but the fact, that Jesus had died before the breaking of the legs (of the other two), came to Pilate's know ledge through Joseph, and not until then. — V. g.] — oraXa/) Eustathius has showed that this word is used of even a rather short interval of time.
45. rvot)c, having ascertained the fact) that Jesus was really dead. — sdupfioaro, he gave it) The body of Him who was cruci fied had been at the disposal of the judge. [Therefore the body, ichich was ordained to be kept free from corruption, was subject to the disposal of a man who was a heathen. Marvellous! Joseph, it is to be supposed, would have paid for it no small sum of money. — V. g.]
1 Omission of the copula between frOu* and To^pwaf. — ED. and TRANSL.