James the Less and Joses), "and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son.' Then saith He to the disciple, 'Behold thy mother.'" Even in the midst of His own sufferings, and with the weight of the world's redemption pressing on Him, Jesus could not be indifferent to the anguish and desolation of his poor mother, He commends her to the especial care of the man, whom as a man He best loved; He bids her look upon him as a son, He bids him take charge of her as of his own mother. "And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." This beautiful incident shows, that though in the interest of His Divine mission, the Lord had twice been compelled to check the presuming on human relationship, He was yet truly alive to the sacredness of human ties. It would be a precious recollection to His mother ever after, that the Son who was exalted far above all "principality, and power, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to "* had yet on the cross been solicitous to ensure the comfort of her remaining earthly days. Who is there after this, that can think himself at liberty to neglect a parent? come, "Now from the sixth hour," says St, Mat noon. * Ephes. i. 21. The sixth hour, according to Jewish computation, would be St. John, as we have seen, says of the time when Pilate gave sentence against Jesus, that it was about the sixth hour. It has been supposed that he reckoned time according to the Asiatic mode, which coincides with ours, and that his sixth hour was six o'clock thew,*"there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." This solemn portent was a fit emblem and expression of the mental gloom and darkness which seems at the same time to have overspread the soul of the Divine Sufferer, and which "about the ninth hour," wrung from Him the bitter cry, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Some of the bystanders imperfectly hearing what He said, exclaimed, "Behold, He calleth for Elias," thinking or pretending to think that He had implored the aid of the ancient prophet Elijah to rescue Him. They scornfully added, unmoved by anything that had occurred, "Let us see whether Elias will come to save Him." Whatever were the feelings of our Blessed Lord at the time He uttered those mysterious words, we may be quite sure that then as ever was that true which He declared, "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” in the morning. But this seems too early to allow time for the previous events. The subject is involved in difficulty, but the usual supposition is that the Lord was crucified about nine o'clock, that the darkness occurred about noon, and that He died about three in the afternoon. * Ver. 45. SECTION LXXXII. CHRIST'S DEATH AND BURIAL, JOHN xix. 28-42; LUKE xxiii. 44-56; MARK XV. 37-47; “A FTER this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, saith, 'I thirst.'" The darkness had by this time ceased, a sign doubtless that the darkness was also removed from the Saviour's soul. The complaint of thirst was no doubt the natural expression of an intense physical want. It was one also which had been present in prophetic vision concerning Messiah. "Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar "—the acid wine commonly drunk by the Roman soldiers-" and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop"-some long stalked plant "and put it to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, 'It is finished' and He gave up the ghost."* St. Luke gives the words in which the Lord gave up His life.. "And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice" (this cry was probably the triumphant one-"It is finished!'") He said, 'Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit:' and having said this, He gave up the ghost." The strife was over-the victory won-He had * John, ver. 28-30, overcome the world-He had "obtained eternal redemption for us."* "Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it."+ "And, behold, the veil of the temple"-the curtain which fenced in the Sanctuary-" was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and appeared unto many." The supernatural convulsion which flung open the doors of the tomb, was a fit accompaniment of that great event which had abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light. "And when the centurion, which stood over against Him, saw that He so cried out, and gave up the ghost"-heard too, it is likely, His dying words full of triumph and holy trust-" he said, Truly, this man was the Son of God."§ "And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smotę their breasts"-in fearful foreboding of the consequences of the deed-" and returned. And all His acquaintance, and the women that followed Him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things."|| It is generally supposed that the Lord's death took place shortly after three o'clock in the afternoon, the ninth hour of Jewish time. No notice seems to have been taken of the event, except by *Heb. ix. 12. Matth. ver. 51-53. "The Jews those immediately about the Cross. therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath-day (for that day was a high day)"-being the Passover festival, the first day of unleavened bread, and also the weekly Sabbath*" besought Pilate that their legs might be broken"-to preclude any chance of recovery or rescue when taken down from the cross-" and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with Him" -fulfilling thus the Lord's promise to the penitent thief, that he should be with Him in Paradise that very day. "But when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not his legs; but"-to ensure death, in case of any mistake-" one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water.t And he that saw it"-St. John himself—" bare record, and his record is true; and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him"the typical Passover lamb-" shall not be broken. And again another Scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced." *See, however, for some remarks on the week-day of the crucifixion, Westcott's Introduction, p. 320. That there was something symbolical in this fact is implied by the allusion to it in 1 John v. 6, "This is He that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood"-the emblems, one of the purification from sin, the other of its remission. |