Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-10-21
JESUS CRUCIFIED.
DR.. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.


is Finished" John xix, SO-Lesson
Text, John xix, 1870.
A comparison of our lesson with the cor
responding passages in the other evangelists
will show that no one copies from the others.
Each gives his own account of the events,
and it is to be remembered always that
omission or addition is not contradiction. We
could not have a more solemn lesson than this,
and we may well study it reverently and look
ing to the Spirit to show US "the things of
Christ"
V. II The cross was laid on Jesus, as we
see in the other gospels, but He seems likely
to faint under it, and they laid it on Simon
of Cyrene, who was coming into the city.
The place, as V. 20 shows, was Hnigh to the
city," Golgotha is rendered Calvary" in
Luke who wrote for Gentiles luke xiii,
IS. Yet it was outside the walls; hence
Heb. xiii, II, Is, which see) Everything
contemplated in the law and the prophets is
fulfilled
V. IS Seeing the crucifxion John was no
doubt affected by the companions executed
with the Saviour, and probably understood
their putting Him "in the midst" to be their
way of marking their detestation- "In the
midst"-what position for Himl (See Rev
5, viz He refused, as we learn from Matt
q, xxxiv, to be stupefed with vinegar or
sour wine (see Mark Is, xiii mingled with
"gall" or myrrh. He would keep His mind
clear for veal or for woe. We know Him as
the man of sorrows, and can be sure of His
sympathy when we suffer.
V. 49, PLATE is seen, in his spite and irrita-
ton, avenging himself on the Jews for put
L. IL =. l. l. 4
inscribes on the cross the mocking word of
" 49, He puts it in three languages, a little
variation doubtless in some from the rest
Greek was the spoken, Latin the Roman and
the official, Hebrew or Syro-Chaldaic the old
language of the country. The object doubt
less was to make it readable to all, for the
Jews scattered over the world spoke many
tongues; and it was secured. See
" 20. 1t was read by many of the Jews
They saw the point. They wish the writing
to be changed so as to show that it was only
claim, and a false one, they recognized But
in reply to their petition in V. q he is relent-
less, as we see in
V. %. Plate was here master of the situa-
tion. He is not even civil to them In the
spirit of a ruler who despises them he says,
"Your meddling is useless; What have writ
ten l have written" They had shut him up
to a course against his own sense of justice.
He took his revenge.
V. g. We now come to another detail,
mentioned by John because it fulfilled proph-
ecy. 1t illustrates one of the usages common
at the time, and shows how true to the truth
of things is the inspired record. Four soldiers
were employed in the crucifxion. The gar
ments of a criminal were their perquisite.
They divided up the articles of his raiment
among chem. One piece, a coat or tunic,
possibly of superior quality, the gift perhaps
of women who ministered unto him luke viii,
3, they did not like to rend or tear up to
divide it. Hence the plan of casting lots, a
fulfIlment of prophecy by those who never
read it and could not read it Cps. xxi, 1S)
Both steps in the process are indicated-the
parting of the garments and the casting lots
on the wrought" vesture. We have no evil
dence that any usage of the kind existed when
the psalm was written. The heather soldiers,
without hints from any one, carried out a
prediction whose existence before Hebrews
had heard of Romans can only be explained
by inspiration.
Here it is that the insults to Christ came in
from the passers by, from the chief priests,
from the soldiers, whO-while the chief priests
revile him for calling himself the son of God
IL
own ground naturally and mock the claim of
king. So, too, one of his companions reviled
him. c'The thieves" does not necessarily
mean that both reviled- The classes whence
the mockery came are named, including this
cIass-his fellow sufferers. See Matt. ii, 20
for the like use of the plural where only one
is named. We now come to another touch
ing fact in the last scenes. By the cross
(V. 25.) stood, among other women, the
mother of Jesus. "The three Marys" is
frequent phrase. They were near while he
was still able to speak. They would move
farther off when he was dead and the soldiers
were doing their work. "Sister" is some
times used in general sense Clopas, as it
really is, is thought to be the father of James
the less. When Jesus saw his mother so
standing, all the human tenderness of son
found expression. She was probably younger
than Joseph, a widow now, and from her re-
lation to Jesus would lose friends among the
Jews (his "brethren" did not recognize his
real character), and so need care. He directed
her to John (see John xiii, 23) as her son-to
be as a son to her from that time on, and
John, as we learn from v 81, accepted the
trust made by his Masters words, "Behold
thy mother!" The woman" is a word with
no harshness in it, but probably here and at
the marriage in Cana he meant to show that
the mere earthly relations was not the lain
thing to be thought of, but rather his great
redeeming work. Yet he does not forget
this relationship. Christianity binds kindred
together. John had home in Jerusalem.
He took Mary to his home. She was with
the company at prayer, as we see in Acts
LA
The plea is sometimes set up that our Lord
here pointed out Mary as mother to all the
disciples, that all might revere her. No
wonder that the church of Rome does not
favor general bible reading, for one has only
to see the context to be satisfied that only
John was there, that he Christ was think
ing of Mary's welfare, not theirs, and with
good reason, for now was being fulfilled the
word of Luke ii, 35. That Mary has been
given the place once occSpied by Grecian
and Roman goddesses is one of the worst
features in Rome "From that hour
possibly taking her away then, 50 as to
escape the heartrending scenes, and then
coming back himself ". 35)-John acted to
her as son. Salome, his mother, was pres
ent and heard the charge. We now come to
the end-the actual death of our Saviour.
V. %. Jesus knew that all was accom-
pliShed-the same word as finished" in V. so
that his work was done, that prophecy was
all but completely fulfilled as far as this
event was concerned He said, Il thirst, 4" not
in the hope that his heartless enemies would
soothe his misery, but that the Scriptures
might be fulfilled (See PS Xix, 2l, and
compare Ps xxi, 15.) Vinegar or sour wine
was the soldiers drink, and a vessel of it was
there. The three hours darkness had passed.
His deepest misery had been endured The
cry had doubtless been uttered (as recorded in
other evangelists), my Godl my God!" etc.
"They" that is, as in Matt xvii, IS, one of
them filed sponge with vinegar, put it on
a stalk of hyssop, which being about eighteen
inches long would reach his lips, and gave it
to him Others, as we see from Matthew, op-
posed this humane act
V. 80. The cloud voice" of our Lord at the
close of his sufferings has been taken by some
as evidence that not bodily but mental strain
brought on the end. Possibly the clear view
of the end realized the work now being COM
pleted, and the results to be secured brought
a momentary strength. The sentence is brief.
1t is expressive None can tell all it means.
He has drained the cup his father gave him
to drink. Revelation of God has been made
Holiness has been exemplified The law of
God has been honored Its penalty has been