Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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John
Book: John
Chapter: 19
Overview:
Christ condemned and crucified.
(1-18) Christ On the
Cross.
(19-30) His side pierced.
(31-37) The
Burial of
Jesus.
(38-42)
1-18 Little did
Pilate think with what holy regard these
sufferings of
Christ would, in after-ages, be thought upon and
spoken of
By the best and greatest of men. Our
Lord Jesus came
forth, willing to be exposed to their scorn. It is good for
every one with
Faith, to behold
Christ Jesus in his sufferings.
Behold him, and
Love him; be still looking unto
Jesus. Did their
Hatred sharpen their endeavours against him? and shall not our
Love for him quicken our endeavours for him and his kingdom?
Pilate seems to have thought that
Jesus might be some person
above the common order. Even natural
Conscience makes men afraid
of being found fighting against
God. As our
Lord suffered for
the sins both of Jews and
Gentiles, it was a special part of the
counsel of Divine
Wisdom, that the Jews should first purpose his
Death, and the
Gentiles carry that purpose into effect. Had not
Christ been thus rejected of men, we had been for ever rejected
of
God. Now was the
Son of Man delivered into the hands of
wicked and unreasonable men. He was led forth for us, that we
might escape. He was nailed to the
Cross, as a
Sacrifice bound
to the
Altar. The
Scripture was fulfilled; he did not die at the
Altar among the sacrifices, but among criminals sacrificed to
public
Justice. And now let us pause, and with
Faith look upon
Jesus. Was ever sorrow like unto his sorrow? See him bleeding,
see him dying, see him and
Love him!
Love him, and live to him!
19-30 Here are some remarkable circumstances of
Jesus'
Death,
more fully related than before.
Pilate would not gratify the
chief priests
By allowing the
Writing to be altered; which was
doubtless owing to a secret power of
God upon his
Heart, that
this statement of our
Lord's character and authority might
continue. Many things done
By the Roman soldiers were
fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old
Testament. All things
therein written shall be fulfilled.
Christ tenderly provided for
his mother at his
Death. Sometimes, when
God removes one comfort
from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for
it.
Christ's
Example teaches all men to honour their parents in
Life and
Death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their
comfort
By every means in their power. Especially observe the
dying
Word wherewith
Jesus breathed out his soul. It is
finished; that is, the counsels of the
Father concerning his
sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and
prophecies of the Old
Testament, which pointed at the sufferings
of the
Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the
ceremonial
Law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all
the shadows are done away. It is finished; an
End is made of
transgression
By bringing in an
Everlasting Righteousness. His
sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those
of his body. It is finished; the work of
Man's
Redemption and
Salvation is now completed. His
Life was not taken from him
By
force, but freely given up.
31-37 A trial was made whether
Jesus was dead. He died in less
time than persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had
laid down his
Life of himself. The spear broke up the very
fountains of
Life;
No human body could survive such a wound. But
its being
So solemnly attested, shows there was something
Peculiar in it. The
Blood and water that flowed out, signified
those two great benefits which all believers partake of through
Christ,
Justification and
Sanctification;
Blood for
Atonement,
water for
Purification. They both flow from the pierced side of
our
Redeemer. To
Christ crucified we owe merit for our
Justification, and
Spirit and
Grace for our
Sanctification. Let
this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their
hopes; there came both water and
Blood out of
Jesus' pierced
side, both to justify and sanctify them. The
Scripture was
fulfilled, in
Pilate's not allowing his legs to be broken, Ps
34:20. There was a
Type of this in the paschal
Lamb, Ex
12:46. May we ever look to Him, whom,
By our sins, we have
ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes against
convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both
water and
Blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in
his name.
38-42 Joseph of
Arimathea was a
Disciple of
Christ in secret.
Disciples should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser
trials have been fearful, in greater have been courageous. When
God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to do it.
The
Embalming was done
By Nicodemus, a secret friend to
Christ,
though not his constant follower. That
Grace which at first is
like a bruised
Reed, may afterward resemble a strong
Cedar.
Hereby these two rich men showed the value they had for
Christ's
person and doctrine, and that it was not lessened
By the
reproach of the
Cross. We must do our duty as the present
Day
and opportunity are, and leave it to
God to fulfil his promises
in his own way and his own time. The
Grave of
Jesus was
appointed with the wicked, as was the case of those who suffered
as criminals; but he was with the rich in his
Death, as
prophesied, Isa 53:9; these two circumstances it was very
unlikely should ever be united in the same person. He was buried
in a new
Sepulchre; therefore it could not be said that it was
not he, but some other that
Rose. We also are here taught not to
be particular as to the place of our
Burial. He was buried in
the
Sepulchre next at
Hand. Here is the
Sun of
Righteousness set
for a while, to rise again in greater
Glory, and then to set
No
more.