Matthew 27:37 Ulasan

When the morning was come,.... Or, as soon as it was day, as Luke says, Luk 22:66. The sanhedrim had been up all night, which, after eating the passover, they had spent in apprehending, trying, and examining Jesus, and the witnesses against him; and had come to an unanimous vote, that he was guilty of death; upon which they either put Jesus out of the room for a while, or went into another themselves, to consult what further steps should be taken: or if they went home to their own houses, they very quickly got together again, and met in the temple, where they seem to be, Mat 27:5, unless the story of Judas is, by anticipation, inserted here; and in their council chamber, where they led Jesus, and examined him again concerning his being the Son of God; see Luk 22:66, all which shows how intent they were upon this business, and with what eagerness and diligence they pursued it; their feet ran to evil, and they made haste to shed blood. This was the time of their morning prayers, of their saying their phylacteries, and reciting the "shema", "hear, O Israel! the Lord our God is one Lord", according to their canon, which is this (e): "from what time do they read the "shema" in the morning? from such time that a man can distinguish between blue and white: says R. Eliezer, between blue and green; and he finishes it before the sun shines out. R. Joshua says, before three hours had elapsed:'' but religion, rites, ceremonies, and canons, must all give way to the accomplishment of what their hearts were so much set upon: all the chief priests and elders of the people. The Syriac and Persic versions leave out the word "all", but it is retained in the Vulgate Latin, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, and in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, and that very rightly. The Scribes and elders met at Caiaphas's house before, Mat 26:57, but it being in the night, they might not be all together; Annas particularly seems to have been absent, Joh 18:24, but now they all assemble together, as in a case of necessity they were obliged to do: their rule was this (f); "the sanhedrim, consisting of seventy and one (as this was), are obliged to sit all of them as one, (or all, and everyone of them,) in their place in the temple; but at what time there is a necessity of their being gathered together, , "they are all of them assembled"; but, at other times, he who has any business may go, and do his pleasure, and return: yet so it is, that there may not be less than twenty three sitting continually all the time of their sitting; (their usual time of sitting was from the morning daily sacrifice, to the evening daily sacrifice (g);) one that is under a necessity of going out; this looks upon his companions that remain, and if twenty three remain, he may go out; but if not, he may not, until the other returns.'' This being now a case of necessity, and great importance, they are all summoned and gathered together, unless we except Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus; who yet might be there, though they did not consent to their counsel and deed, as is certain of the former, Luk 23:51, these took counsel against Jesus; God's holy child Jesus, his anointed, the Messiah; and which was taking counsel against the Lord himself; and so the prophecy in Psa 2:2, had its accomplishment: what they consulted about was to put him to death; it was not what punishment to inflict upon him, whether scourging or death; that was before determined; they had already condemned him to death: but now they enter into close consultation what death to put him to, and in what manner; whether privately, he being now in their hands; or whether by the means of zealots, or by the Roman magistrate; or whether it should be by stoning, which must have been the case, if they put him to death according to their law; and by their authority; or whether by crucifixion, which they chose as the most ignominious and painful; and therefore determined to deliver him up to the Roman governor, and use their interest with him to put him to death, according to the Roman law. (e) Misn. Beracot, c. 1. sect. 2. (f) Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 3. sect. 2. (g) lb. c. 3. sect. 1. Bernidbar Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 177. 3.

Then were there two thieves crucified with him,.... Which seems contrary to one of their canons, which runs thus; . , "they do not judge two in one day" (y), unless they were both in the same crime, and died the same death: but here were three persons, Jesus, and these two malefactors, condemned and executed in one, and the same day: these two thieves were led out with Jesus, to be put to death with him, according to Luk 23:32, and were crucified with him upon the same spot of ground; their death was the same, but not their crime: one the right hand, and another on the left; and Jesus in the midst, as John relates, Joh 19:18, and hereby was fulfilled, as Mark observes, Mar 15:28, a prophecy in Isa 53:12. If this was so ordered by Pilate, it might be done in order to cover the sin, and take off the reproach of putting an innocent person to death, suggesting hereby he was one of them; though this seems rather to be done by the Jews, the soldiers agreeing to it, for the greater reproach of Jesus; intimating, that he was the worst of these malefactors, and a ringleader of such sort of persons: and whereas they had observed, he took it ill at their hands that they should come to apprehend him with swords and staves, as if he was a thief and a robber; to vex and distress him the more, they crucify him between two such persons: but the grand reason why it was so ordered, was, that though Christ was no transgressor, he was accounted one, and stood in the room and stead of sinners, and was numbered with them, and as such was treated by divine justice, and accordingly died for them, (y) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 35. 1. & 46. 1. Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 8. fol. 190. 1.

The High Priest also in obedience to the letter of the Law wore on his head the writing, 'Holiness to the Lord,' but the true High Priest and King, Jesus, bears on His cross the title, This is the King of the Jews; when ascending to His Father, instead of His own name with its proper letters, He has the Father Himself.

"Whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed," and all literature—whether Greek, Roman or Hebrew—gives evidence of his kingdom. And in place of a crown, "over his head" is written "This is Jesus king of the Jews." There is no other reason for his death (nor was there) than that he was the "king of the Jews." He spoke about this when he said, "I have been made king by him on Zion, his holy mountain." And while the chief priest, in keeping with the letter of the law, wore on his head a type of sign with a petal bearing the inscription "the holiness of the Lord," the true chief priest and king—Jesus on the cross—has a sign that reads "This is the king of the Jews." Rising up to the Father and receiving him in himself, he has for his inscription and title the Father of renown and has the Father as his crown. He has been made worthy of him as a house worthy of God the Father, and he alone can fully possess the Father.

The life and salvation of all things was hung from the tree of life with a thief on his left and a thief on his right. This demonstrates that the entire human race is called to the mystery of the Lord's suffering.

They parted the garments, by which such great miracles were done. But they wrought none now, Christ restraining His unspeakable power. And this was no small addition of insult. For as to one base and abject, as I said, and the vilest of all men; so do they dare to do all things. To the thieves at any rate they did nothing of the kind, but to Christ they dare it all. And they crucified Him in the midst of them, that He might share in their reputation.

(Verse 37.) And they placed over his head the charge against him, written, 'This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.' I cannot sufficiently admire the magnitude of the matter, that, for the sake of the redeemed, with a false accusation and having incited the unfortunate people to sedition and outcry, they found no other cause for his execution except that he was the King of the Jews. And perhaps they did this in mockery and ridicule. However, Pilate also responded unwillingly, 'What I have written, I have written.' Whether you want it or not, Jews, a crowd of all nations responds to you: Jesus is the king of the Jews, that is, the emperor of believers and confessors.

And they set up over his head his accusation written, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. I cannot sufficiently wonder at the enormity of the thing, that having purchased false witnesses, and having stirred up the unhappy people to riot and uproar, they found no other plea for putting Him to death, than that He was King of the Jews; and this perhaps they set up in mockery.

It was divinely provided that this title should be set up over His head, that the Jews might learn that not even by putting Him to death could they avoid having Him for their King; for in the very instrument of His death He not only did not lose, but rather confirmed His sovereignty.

For because He is at once King and Priest, when He would offer the sacrifice of His flesh on the altar of the cross, His title set forth His regal dignity. And it is set over and not beneath the cross, because though He suffered for us on the cross with the weakness of man, the majesty of the King was conspicuous above the cross; and this He did not lose, but rather confirmed, by the cross.

And set up over His head His accusation written, THIS IS JESUS KING OF THE JEWS. That which the evangelist John calls His "title" (Jn. 19.19), Matthew calls His "accusation." For they wrote down an indictment giving the reason for His crucifixion, namely, that He was accused of claiming to be "King of the Jews" and of leading an insurrection. They indicted Him as "King" meaning to slander Him, but in truth their indictment was unimpeachable evidence admitted by his adversaries. For indeed the Lord is King, and came for this very reason, to save the Jews. But since those who were Jews in the flesh did not want Him to reign over them, He became King of the spiritual Jews, that is, of those who confess Him. For "Jew" means "he who confesses."

Then the title follows: "and they put over his head his cause written etc." And it should be noted that what they did for his disgrace, by God's ordinance, turned to his honor. Hence they put his cause, i.e., the cause for which he suffered; Apocalypse 19:16 has written: "King of kings, and Lord of lords." Therefore, that it says "King of the Jews" pertains to his honor, because he was to be king over all nations; Psalm 2:6: "but I am appointed king by him over Sion, his holy mountain."