John:-makes Pilate condemn Christ in consequence of a hint that he will be reported to Cæsar if he lets Christ go. Matthew and Mark relate two efforts on Pilate's part to release Jesus; Luke and John relate three. There were seven in all. He must release one unto them. This custom, doubtless, arose at the request of the Jews, who asked it in commemoration of their release from Egypt. The Crucifixion. "And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit; and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.” NOTES. All the Evangelists narrate the Crucifixion. The minor differences will be noted presently. The following are the incidents peculiar to each :— Matthew:-the resurrection of many saints. Mark:-none. Luke: Christ comforts the women following Him;— the Penitent Thief. John:-Christ's seamless tunic;-Christ commits His mother to John's care;—The thieves' legs are broken, and Christ's side pierced. Simon:-a Jew, who had come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover. A Cyrenian. Cyrene was a city of Libya, in Africa; many Jews were settled there. If they do, &c.="If the righteous suffer thus, what will be the punishment of the wicked!" Malefactors. Matthew and Mark call them “thieves,”John, merely "two other." Calvary. Matthew and Mark have "Golgotha," the latter being Greek, the former Latin, and both meaning a skull." Christ was, probably, crucified on a hill in the shape of a skull, just outside the second wall on the N.W. of the city. Father, forgive them, &c. The following are the Seven Sayings from the Cross, as narrated by the Four: : Matthew:-Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani, the same. Luke:-Father! forgive them, for they know not what they do. To-day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. Father! into thy hands I commend my spirit. John:-Woman! behold thy son! behold thy mother! I thirst. It is finished! Cast lots. John says it was only for Christ's seamless tunic that they cast lots. Vinegar:-posca, or sour wine,-the common drink of the Roman soldiers. A superscription. It is thus given by the Four :- Luke: This is the King of the Jews. John:-Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. John also says it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and that the Jews wanted Pilate to alter it. The words "The King of the Jews" are common to the four forms, as describing the offence for which Christ was condemned by Pilate. One of the malefactors railed. Matthew and Mark say both the thieves reviled Him; this must have been before the one repented. The ninth hour:-three P.M., just as the Paschal lamb was about to be slain. The veil of the temple:-which divided the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. This rending was a token that the Shechinah had quitted the Temple, and that the Old Dispensation was ended. A righteous man. Matthew and Mark have, "The Son of God." Christ's body is taken down from the Cross, and placed in the Tomb. "And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counseller: and he was a good man, and a just: (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them); he was of Arimathaa, a city of the Jews; who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment." NOTES. Joseph of Arimathaa. John adds that he was a disciple of Christ, "but secretly for fear of the Jews," and that Nicodemus aided him in this labour of love. Arimathaa: Ramathaim, or Ramah, the city of Samuel's parents,-in Benjamin. Counseller = = one of the Sanhedrim. (We learn from Matthew that, at the request of the Jews, Pilate sealed the sepulchre, and set a guard of Roman soldiers before it. This was on the Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath). ORDER OF EVENTS FROM THURSDAY EVENING TO Thursday.-Evening-Christ eats Passover. Friday.-One A. M.-Betrayed. Two A. M.-Before Caiaphas. At dawn-Before the Sanhedrim. Nine A. M.-Three P. M.-Crucified. Before sunset-Taken down, and buried. PERIOD V.-FROM CHRIST'S RESURRECTION TO HIS A.D. 30,-(40 Days). SUNDAY, (Easter Day). The Resurrection. "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, woudering in himself at that which was come to pass. And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not, |