d:inlc ~vas not that which h~ had, refused at the beginning of his crudfixion-r1. drink given 1n mercy to stupefy the sufferer. Jesus would die in the perfect clearnes~ of hie faculties. 2, 'I'lie aot of tlie soldier, was one of compas,ion, not of mockery. III. THE SURRENDER 011' LIFE. "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar. he said, It is finished I and he bowed hie head, and gave up the ghost." 1. The cry, "It is finished I" proclaimed: (l) The consummation of his sufferings. (2) The final nccomplishment of his Father's will that he should give himself a sacrifice for sin. (3) The complete fulfilment of all the Messianic prophecies, as well as the types of the olri dispenBBtion, (4) 'l'he perfecting by one offering" them that are sanctified." 2. The death. (1) It was a free, spontaneous act. "No man taketh my life from me; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again" (eh. x. 18). (2) The apostles regarded it exactly in this light. "He ge.ve up himself" (Eph. v. 2, 25; Gal. ii. 20; 1 Pet. ii. 23). Though therefore his death was violent and cruel, lt was a. voluntary sacrifice. Vere. 31-37.-The breaking of the legs. It was usual for the Romane to leave the dead on the cross to the ravages of wild beasts. A providential event changed the usage in this case. L THE ANXIETY OF THE JEWS l!'0B THE REMOVAL OF THE BODIES. "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day (for that sabbath was an high day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away." 1. The Jews had accom- plisMd their purpose, and were now anxious to carry out the letter of the law. The bodies ought, in any case, to be removed before night·; but there was a special necessity on account of the dny of the Crucifixion preceding a great festival. 2. Mark their hypocrisy. They regarded themselves as strictly bound to observe the outward cere- mony, but they.had no scruple in crucifying the Son of God. The ceremonial part of religion was of greater moment to them than the moral. II. PILATE'B CONCESSION TO THEIR DEMANDS. "Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him." 1. Though a cruel act, it was designed to shorten the sufferings of the crucified. Gangrene was the imme- diate result. 'l'he breaking of the legs, together with crucifixion itself, was abolishecl by Constantine, the first Christian emperor. 2. The soldiers treated Jesus in an exce'[ltional manner. "But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not hie legs." (1) The quickness of Christ's death took Pilate by surprise. (2) Scrip- ture was fulfilled in the exemption of Christ from the crurifragium. " But these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A boue of him shall not be broken." (3) The act of the soldier, in piercing the side of Jesus, made bis death certain. " But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." (a) It could not•be said hereafter that he had merely swooned, and that his disciples had come in the night and taken him away. (b) The pierced side was the subject of prophecy. "They shall look on him whom they pierced." (c) The blood a.nd water had a. :figurative application. ''This is he who came not by water only, but by water and blood" (1 John v. 6). (a) The blood indicated life sacrificed. (fJ) Water was the symbol of the spiritual life. The death of Obrist secured at once the cleansin~ away of sin, and the quickening of dead souls by the Spirit. III. THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLE JoBN TO THESE FACTS. "And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true." 1. It was the testimony of an eye-witness. 2'. le was designed to support the faith of the world in the facts of our Lord's death. Vers. 38-42.-The burial of Jesus. It was an honourable interment. I. THE D:mVOTED IIIINJSTRY OF FRIENDS. "After ,this Joseph of Arimathrea, being a disciple of Jesus, but Eecretly for fear of the _Jews, be!ought Pilate that he migb~ take a.way the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave hrm leave. 1. The character and posi- tion of Joseph. (1) He was a member of the Sanhedrin; (2) a just ar..d honourable man (Mark xv. 43); (3) a disciple of Jesus, who•~ waite~ for the kingdom of ~od_, and ctld not consent to the counsel of the Sanhedrin agamst Jesus; (4) yet a t1m1d disciple, who feared to compromise himself with t~e Jews. 2._ His _application to Pi/ate. (1) His position as a member of the Sanhedrin would entitle b1m to the con- "° THE GOSPEL AOOORDING TO BT. JOHN. [oil. xtx. 1-42.
sideration of the go,ernor. (2) The croas biinge out curious contl'Bllta In the conduct nnd circumstances c,f thoee who are rele.too to Christ. (a) 'l'he disciples, who were openly identified with him in life foree.ke him in hia lut extremity, and have no she.re in the honours of his burial. (b) Two disciples, who had no open rele.tlons with him in life, step forwe.rd boldly at his dMth, and give him the lRst offices of the del\d, (3) ,Toseph obtnin8 possession of the body of Christ. "Ho came therefore, and took the oody c,f Jesus." He interred it in hiB own new sepnlchre. ll. THE ABSOCJU.TION OF NIOODEM:UB WITH JOSEPH IN THll: JION0UB DONE TO THB DEAD. "And there came also Nicodemus, which, at the first, ea.me to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pounds." 1. The cha- racur and position of Niroclemua. (1) He was a member of the Sanhedrin, who first appean in Scripture hi,tory as a eecret inquirer (eh. iii.). (2) He was, like Joseph, ofraid of the Jews. (3) He rne.nifested a growing faith when he pleaded for justice in the council, " Doth our Law judge any man before it hear him, and know whe.t he doeth ?" (4) The le.st stage in his experience is reached when he meets Joseph in presence of the dead body of his Redeemer. 2. The two friends wind the body of Jesus in linen with spices, and then :pla,r,e it in the sepulchre of Joseph. (1) It was done in haste, "bccaUBe of the Jews' preparation." (2) The holy women intended to com- plete their provisional embalming after the sabba.th da.y. 3. The two friends then dis- appear from hiswry. (1) They a.re never again mentioned in Scripture. (2) We envy them the sacred privilege they enjoyed. (3) Their conduct suggests the following lesaons. (a) It is better to be a timid disciple than none at all. (b) There are draw- backs to secret disciples' life. How much they lost by missing the opportunity of con- stant association with Christ in life I (c) Timidity does not save men from annoyance. J0110ph and Nicodenms would lose the confidence of those with whom they were still visibly identified, while they would be exposed to the first just reproach of Christ's open friends. (a) Let none of us tread the solitary way, hut rather openly confess the Lord.