Matthew 27:33-44 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:41

Likewise also the chief priests ,.... Who as they attended at his apprehension, and in their own council condemned him to death unanimously, and were very busy at his arraignment, examination, and trial before Pilate, and persuaded the people to be urgent for his crucifixion; they follow him to the cross to exult over him, and insult him, and to see that the execution was strictly performed: and forgetting their character, office, and education; and laying aside all humanity, decent, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:42

He saved others, himself he cannot save ,.... This was not so much a concession of theirs, that he had done many saving works, as healing the sick, cleansing lepers, causing the blind to see, and the lame to walk, and raising the dead; but rather a suggestion, that these were only pretensions and illusions; that either they were not really done, or done by the help of the devil; since now he himself was in the utmost extremity, he could not save himself: but of this they might have been... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:43

He trusted in God ,.... That is, he pretended to claim an interest in him, to be high in his favour and esteem, and to have great faith and confidence in him: let him deliver him now ; directly, from the cross, and the death of it: if he will have him ; or if he is well pleased with him as his own Son, or delights in him as such, and will show him any favour and good will; see Psalm 22:8 , where are these very words, and which are predicted should be said by these men to Christ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:44

The thieves also ,.... One or other of them, not both; an Hebrew way of speaking, as Drusius F2 Quaest. Heb. l. 1. qu. 5. observed: so it is said of Jonah, Jonah 1:5 , that he was "gone down into the sides of the ship"; not into both sides, but into one or other of them: so here the thieves, one or other of them, not naming which, railed at Jesus, for it was but one of them; see Luke 23:39 , unless it can be thought, as it is by some, that they both at first reviled him; but one... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:33

A place called Golgotha - From the Hebrew גלגתה or גלגלת , golgoleth , a skull, probably so called from the many skulls of these who had suffered crucifixion and other capital punishments scattered up and down in the place. It is the same as Calvary, Calvaria, i.e. calvi capitis area , the place of bare skulls. Some think the place was thus called, because it was in the form of a human skull. It is likely that it was the place of public execution, similar to the Gemoniae Scalae at... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:34

They gave him vinegar - mingled with gall - Perhaps χολη , commonly translated gall, signifies no more than bitters of any kind. It was a common custom to administer a stupefying potion compounded of sour wine, which is the same as vinegar, from the French vinaigre , frankincense, and myrrh, to condemned persons, to help to alleviate their sufferings, or so disturb their intellect that they might not be sensible of them. The rabbins say that they put a grain of frankincense into a cup of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:35

And they crucified him - Crucifixion properly means the act of nailing or tying to a cross. The cross was made of two beams, either crossing at the top at right angles, like a T, or in the middle of their length, like an X. There was, besides, a piece on the center of the transverse beam, to which the accusation or statement of the crime of the culprit was attached, and a piece of wood which projected from the middle, on which the person sat, as on a sort of saddle; and by which the whole... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:36

They watched him - To prevent his disciples or relatives from taking away the body or affording any relief to the sufferer. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:37

His accusation - It was a common custom to affix a label to the cross, giving a statement of the crime for which the person suffered. This is still the case in China, when a person is crucified. Sometimes a person was employed to carry this before the criminal, while going to the place of punishment. It is with much propriety that Matthew calls this αιτια , accusation; for it was false that ever Christ pretended to be King Of The Jews, in the sense the inscription held forth: he was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:38

Two thieves - ΛῃϚαι , robbers, or cutthroats: men who had committed robbery and murder; for it does not appear that persons were crucified for robbery only. Thus was our Lord numbered (his name enrolled, placed as it were in the death warrant) with transgressors, according to the prophetic declaration, Isaiah 53:12 ; and the Jews placed him between these two, perhaps to intimate that he was the worst felon of the three. read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:41

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:42

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:43

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:44

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:33

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:34

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:35

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:36

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:37

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:38

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