Chapter 15:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Matthew Luke
Mark 15
Concise Complete
Christ before Pilate. (1-14) Christ led
to be crucified. (15-21) The crucifixion. (22-32) The death of
Christ. (33-41) His body buried. (42-47)
Verses 1-14
They bound Christ. It is good for us often to remember the bonds
of the Lord Jesus, as bound with him who was bound for us. By
delivering up the King, they, in effect, delivered up the kingdom
of God, which was, therefore, as by their own consent, taken from
them, and given to another nation. Christ gave Pilate a direct
answer, but would not answer the witnesses, because the things
they alleged were known to be false, even Pilate himself was
convinced they were so. Pilate thought that he might appeal from
the priests to the people, and that they would deliver Jesus out
of the priests' hands. But they were more and more urged by the
priests, and cried, Crucify him! Crucify him! Let us judge of
persons and things by their merits, and the standard of God's
word, and not by common report. The thought that no one ever was
so shamefully treated, as the only perfectly wise, holy, and
excellent Person that ever appeared on earth, leads the serious
mind to strong views of man's wickedness and enmity to God. Let
us more and more abhor the evil dispositions which marked the
conduct of these persecutors.
Verses
15-21 Christ met death in its greatest terror. It was the
death of the vilest malefactors. Thus the cross and the shame are
put together. God having been dishonoured by the sin of man,
Christ made satisfaction by submitting to the greatest disgrace
human nature could be loaded with. It was a cursed death; thus it
was branded by the Jewish law,
deuteronomy
21:23 . The Roman soldiers mocked our Lord Jesus as a King;
thus in the high priest's hall the servants had mocked him as a
Prophet and Saviour. Shall a purple or scarlet robe be matter of
pride to a Christian, which was matter of reproach and shame to
Christ? He wore the crown of thorns which we deserved, that we
might wear the crown of glory which he merited. We were by sin
liable to everlasting shame and contempt; to deliver us, our Lord
Jesus submitted to shame and contempt. He was led forth with the
workers of iniquity, though he did no sin. The sufferings of the
meek and holy Redeemer, are ever a source of instruction to the
believer, of which, in his best hours, he cannot be weary. Did
Jesus thus suffer, and shall I, a vile sinner, fret or repine?
Shall I indulge anger, or utter reproaches and threats because of
troubles and injuries?
Verses
22-32 The place where our Lord Jesus was crucified, was
called the place of a scull; it was the common place of execution;
for he was in all respects numbered with the transgressors.
Whenever we look unto Christ crucified, we must remember what was
written over his head; he is a King, and we must give up
ourselves to be his subjects, as Israelites indeed. They
crucified two thieves with him, and him in the midst; they
thereby intended him great dishonour. But it was foretold that he
should be numbered with the transgressors, because he was made
sin for us. Even those who passed by railed at him. They told him
to come down from the cross, and they would believe; but they did
not believe, though he gave them a more convincing sign when he
came up from the grave. With what earnestness will the man who
firmly believes the truth, as made known by the sufferings of
Christ, seek for salvation! With what gratitude will he receive
the dawning hope of forgiveness and eternal life, as purchased
for him by the sufferings and death of the Son of God! and with
what godly sorrow will he mourn over the sins which crucified the
Lord of glory!
Verses
33-41 There was a thick darkness over the land, from noon
until three in the afternoon. The Jews were doing their utmost to
extinguish the Sun of Righteousness. The darkness signified the
cloud which the human soul of Christ was under, when he was
making it an offering for sin. He did not complain that his
disciples forsook him, but that his Father forsook him. In this
especially he was made sin for us. When Paul was to be offered as
a sacrifice for the service saints, he could joy and rejoice,
philippians
2:17 ; but it is another thing to be offered as a sacrifice
for the sin of sinners. At the same instant that Jesus died, the
veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom. This
spake terror to the unbelieving Jews, and was a sign of the
destruction of their church and nation. It speaks comfort to all
believing Christians, for it signified the laying open a new and
living way into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. The confidence
with which Christ had openly addressed God as his Father, and
committed his soul into his hands, seems greatly to have affected
the centurion. Right views of Christ crucified will reconcile the
believer to the thought of death; he longs to behold, love, and
praise, as he ought, that Saviour who was wounded and pierced to
save him from the wrath to come.
Verses
42-47 We are here attending the burial of our Lord Jesus. Oh
that we may by grace be planted in the likeness of it! Joseph of
Arimathea was one who waited for the kingdom of God. Those who
hope for a share in its privileges, must own Christ's cause, when
it seems to be crushed. This man God raised up for his service.
There was a special providence, that Pilate should be so strict
in his inquiry, that there might be no pretence to say Jesus was
alive. Pilate gave Joseph leave to take down the body, and do
what he pleased with it. Some of the women beheld where Jesus was
laid, that they might come after the sabbath to anoint the dead
body, because they had not time to do it before. Special notice
was taken of Christ's sepulchre, because he was to rise again.
And he will not forsake those who trust in him, and call upon him.
Death, deprived of its sting, will soon end the believer's
sorrows, as it ended those of the Saviour.
Chapter 15:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| McGee
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Matthew Luke
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
