23:1 And 1 the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto
Pilate.
(1) Christ, who is now ready to suffer for the rebellion which
we raised in this world, is first of all pronounced
guiltless, so that it might appear that he suffered not for
his own sins (which were none) but for ours.
23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this
[fellow] a perverting the nation, and forbidding to give
tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.
(a) Corrupting the people, and leading them into errors.
23:62 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man
were a Galilaean.
(2) Christ is a laughing stock to princes, but to their great
pain.
23:7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto b Herod's
jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at
Jerusalem at that time.
(b) This was Herod Antipas the Tetrarch, in the time of
whose period of rule (which was almost twenty-two years
long) John the Baptist preached and was put to death,
and Jesus Christ also died and rose again, and the
apostles began to preach, and various things were done
at Jerusalem almost seven years after Christ's death.
This Herod was sent into banishment to Lyons, about the
second year of Gaius Caesar.
23:11 And Herod with his c men of war set him at nought, and
mocked [him], and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent
him again to Pilate.
(c) Accompanied with his nobles and soldiers who followed
him from Galilee.
23:123 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends
together: for before they were at enmity between
themselves.
(3) The hatred of godliness binds the wicked together.
23:134 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief
priests and the d rulers and the people,
(4) Christ is acquitted the second time, even by him of whom he
is condemned, so that it might appear in what way he who is
just, redeemed us who were unjust.
(d) Those whom the Jews called the sanhedrin.
23:165 I will therefore chastise him, and release [him].
(5) The wisdom of the flesh is to choose the lesser of two
evils, but God curses such plans.
23:226 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil
hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I
will therefore chastise him, and let [him] go.
(6) Christ is acquitted the third time before he is condemned,
so that it might appear that it was for our sins that were
condemned in him.
23:267 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.
(7) An example of the outrageousness and disorder of the
soldiers.
23:278 And there followed him a great company of people, and
of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
(8) The triumph of the wicked has a most horrible end.
23:31 For if they do these things in a e green tree, what
shall be done in the dry?
(e) As if he said, "If they do this to me who is always
fruitful and flourishing, and who lives forever by
reason of my Godhead, what will they do to you who are
unfruitful and void of all active righteousness?"
23:339 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.
(9) Christ became accursed for us upon the cross, suffering the
punishment which the ones who would belong to God deserved.
23:3410 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know
not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast
lots.
(10) Christ, in praying for his enemies, shows that he is both
the Sacrifice and the Priest.
23:35 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 f chosen of God.
(f) Whom God loves more than all others.
23:3811 And a superscription also was written over him in
letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING
OF THE JEWS.
(11) Pilate is unknowingly made a preacher of the kingdom of
Christ.
23:39g And 12 one of the malefactors which were hanged
railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and
us.
(g) Therefore we must either take Matthew's account to be
using the figure of speech synecdoche, or that both of
them mocked Christ. But one of them who was
eventually overcome with the great patience of God
breaks forth in that confession worthy all memory.
(12) Christ, in the midst of the humbling of himself upon the
cross, indeed shows that he has both the power of life to
save the believers and the power of death to avenge the
rebellious.
23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our
deeds: but this man hath done nothing h amiss.
(h) More than he ought.
23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day
shalt thou be with me in i paradise.
(i) God made the visible paradise in the eastern part of
the world: but that which we behold with the eyes of
our mind is the place of everlasting joy and
salvation, through the goodness and mercy of God, a
most pleasant rest for the souls of the godly, and a
most quiet and joyful dwelling.
23:4413 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a
darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
(13) Christ, even being at the point of death, shows himself to
be God almighty even to the blind.
23:4514 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple
was rent in the midst.
(14) Christ enters bravely and resolutely into the very
darkness of death, and he does this so that he might
overcome death even within its most secret places.
23:4715 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he
glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
(15) Christ, as often as it pleases him, causes his very
enemies to give honourable witness that he is right.
23:4916 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed
him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
(16) Christ gathers together and defends his little flock in
the midst of the tormentors.
23:5017 And, behold, [there was] a man named Joseph, a
counsellor; [and he was] a good man, and a just:
(17) Christ, through his well known burial, confirms both the
truth of his death as well as his resurrection, by the
plain and evident witness of Pilate.
23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath k drew
on.
(k) Literally, "dawning", and now beginning, for the light
of the former day drew toward the going down of the
sun, and that was the day of preparation for the
feast, that is, the feast which was to be kept the
following day.
23:5518 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee,
followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body
was laid.
(18) Christ, being set upon by the devil and all his
instruments, and being even in death's mouth, places weak
women in his service, bearing in mind to immediately
triumph over these terrible enemies, and that without any
great endeavour.
