Chapter XXVI: Part 26

(2.) Our Saviour detests the temptation with the greatest abhorrence, can no longer bear to converse with the blasphemer, and therefore says, _Get thee hence, Satan_. He commands him to be gone, and Satan immediately leaves him, being, as it were, driven away by his almighty power. This is more than we can do; nevertheless, in the like case, we ought, as the apostle did, to _beseech the Lord that he might depart from us_, 2 Cor. xii. 8. or, to use our Saviour’s words on another occasion, _The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan_. Thus Christ’s temptations, though very grievous and afflictive, were not only surmounted, but the adversary, that assaulted him, was overcome by him, in his own Person,[214]

From what hath been said, concerning Christ’s temptations, we infer,

_1st_, The desperate and unparalleled boldness of Satan, in that though he knew well enough that Christ was the Son of God, and therefore able not only to resist, but to destroy him; yet he should venture thus to assault him: whereas, at other times, he seems to be afraid of him, which occasioned him to say, _Art thou come to destroy us before the time?_ Mark i. 24. and elsewhere, _Art thou come to torment us before the time?_ Matt. viii. 29. Besides, he knew, that by this action, his own guilt and misery would be increased; but what will not malice, and a deep-rooted hatred of God and godliness, prompt persons to! The attempt was certainly most unfeasable, as well as prejudicial to himself. Did Satan suppose that he should gain a victory over him? Could he think, that he, who was God, as well as man, was not more than a match for him? It may be, he might hope, that though the human nature of Christ were united to the divine, yet it might be left to itself; and then he thought it more possible to gain some advantages against it, which was a groundless supposition, and altogether unbecoming the relation that there is between these two natures: and it was also impossible that he should be overcome, inasmuch as he was filled with the Holy Ghost from his first conception, and the unction which he had received from the Holy Ghost, would have effectually secured him from falling. Whether the devil knew this, or no, he did not consider it; and therefore this attempt against our Saviour, was an instance of the most stupendous folly in him, who is described as the old serpent for his great subtilty.

_2dly_, From Christ’s temptation, we may infer the greatness of his sufferings. It could not but be grievous to him to be insulted, attacked, and the utmost endeavours used to turn him aside from his allegiance to God, by the worst of his enemies. And, as Satan’s temptations are not the smallest part of the affliction of his people, they cannot be reckoned the smallest part of his own; nevertheless, the issue thereof was glorious to himself, and shameful to the enemy that attacked him.

_3dly_, This affords encouragement to believers, under the various temptations they are exposed to. They are not, indeed, to think it strange that they are tempted, inasmuch as they are herein conformed to Jesus Christ, the Captain of their salvation; but they may, from Christ’s temptation, be instructed that it is not a sin to be tempted, though it be a sin to comply with Satan’s temptations; and therefore that they have no ground to conclude, as many do, that they are not God’s children, because they are tempted. Moreover, they may not only hope to be made partakers of Christ’s victory, as the fruits and effects thereof redound to the salvation of his people; but to receive help and succour from him when they are tempted, as he, who _suffered, being tempted, is able to succour them that are tempted_, Heb. ii. 18. Thus concerning Christ’s humiliation, as tempted.

4. Christ humbled himself, in being subject to those sinless infirmities, which were either common to the human nature, or particularly accompanying that low condition in which he was. Some of those afflictions, which he endured, took their rise from the sin or misery of others: thus he is said to have been _afflicted in all the afflictions of his people_, Isa. lxiii. 9. which is an instance of that great sympathy and compassion which he bare towards them. Sometimes he was grieved for the degeneracy and apostacy of the Jewish nation, the contempt they cast on the gospel, whereby his ministry, though discharged with the greatest faithfulness, was, through the unbelief of those among whom he exercised it, without its desired success: thus he is represented by the prophet, as complaining, _I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength for nought and in vain_, chap. xlix. 4. and, when he had almost finished his ministry among them, and looked upon Jerusalem as a self-ruined people, _He beheld the city and wept over it_, Luke xix. 41. And, besides this, he was sometimes grieved for the remainders of corruption, and the breakings forth thereof in those whom he loved, in a distinguishing manner; thus he was sometimes afflicted in his own spirit, by reason of the hardness of the heart of his disciples, and the various instances of their unbelief.

These afflictions, more especially, might be called relative, as the occasion thereof was seated in others: but there were many afflictions which he endured that were more especially personal; such as hunger, thirst, fatigue, weariness in travelling to and fro in the discharge of his public ministry; and that poverty and want of the common necessaries of life, which he submitted to, whose divine bounty supplies the wants of all creatures. These, and many other sufferings, he endured in life, which were agreeable to that state of humiliation, in which he was, during the whole course thereof. And this leads us,

_Secondly_, To consider his humiliation immediately before, as well as in and after his death.

Footnote 208:

Εαυτον εκενωσε.

Footnote 209:

_When we consider Christ as Mediator, from all eternity, we include,
in this idea, his human nature, as what was to be assumed in time.
There is a prolepsis in such a mode of speaking; as, when he is said
to be_ the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; _in the same
sense he might be said to be man from the foundation of the world; and
so we understand it, when we speak of him as God-man Mediator, from
all eternity._

Footnote 210:

_By Christ’s mediatorial acts, we mean every thing that he did and
suffered, in the whole course of his obedience, unto death. This is
not to be considered in a proleptic sense, as what he did as Mediator,
before his incarnation, may be said to be, as he might then, in some
respects, be said to execute his prophetical or kingly offices, as
Mediator, or as one who designed in the fulness of time, to take our
nature into union with his divine Person._

Footnote 211:

_See Bellarm. Tom. I. Lib. IV. cap. 1. who pretends that it is
universally held by them, when he says_, Catholicorum, communis
sententia fuit, Christi animam ab ipsa sua creatione repletam scientia
& gratia; ita ut nihil postea didicerit quod antea nesciret, nec ullam
actionem fecerit aut facere potuerit quæ emendatione eguerit. Ita
docent cum magistro omnes Theologi & etiam omnes Patres. _This he
endeavours to maintain by arguments, which I shall not enter into the
particular account of._

Footnote 212:

_This seems to be a better sense of the text, than what is given by
some, who suppose, that is was an accomplishment of what is foretold,
by the prophets, concerning his being_ נצר _Netzar, the Branch, in
Isa. xi. 1. Jer. xiii. 5. Zech. vi. 12. for that refers to his being
of the seed of David, and not to the place of his abode, so that he
could not be called the Branch because he dwelt in Nazareth. Others
suppose, he is so called from_ נזיר _Nazir, which signifies, in its
application, one that dwelt in Nazareth, and, in its derivation, one
that is separated, and that either to God, as the Nazarites were of
old, or from men, by some peculiar marks of infamy, or reproach, cast
upon him, as Joseph is said to have been, in Gen. xlix. 26._ separate
from his brethren. _These do, in effect assert the same thing that we
have observed, viz. that it is the concurrent sense of all the
prophets, that he should be in a low and humble state, of which his
residing in Nazareth was a particular instance._

Footnote 213:

_Some ancient and modern writers have supposed, that our Saviour
provided for the necessities of his parents in a miraculous way; but
the argument, which they bring to prove this, is not sufficiently
conclusive, namely, that when he wrought his first public miracle_, in
Cana of Galilee, _mentioned in John_ ii. _his mother desired him to
work a miracle to supply them at the marriage-feast with wine, ver. 3.
which, they suppose, she would never have thought of, had he not, some
time before this, wrought miracles in private to supply her
necessities, or provide food for her family: but this does not follow,
from her desiring him to do it now, since she might know, that, when
he was entered on his public ministry, he was to work miracles: and
therefore desired him, on this occasion, to put forth the first
instance of his divine power therein. Again, this is said to be the_
beginning of miracles which he did in Cana of Galilee, _ver. 11. and,
probably, the first miracle that he wrought in any place; and, indeed,
his reply to her, when she desired that he would work this miracle,
seems to imply, that he had never wrought miracles to provide for her
family, when he says_, Woman, what have I to do with thee? _q. d._ _my
working miracles is no part of that obedience Which I owe to thee, nor
art thou to expect any private advantage thereby, for these are to be
wrought with another view._

Footnote 214:

This portion of scripture has been subjected to much examination,
which has resulted in a variety of opinions with respect to the things
contained in it. We suppose the major part of Christians take the
whole as a literal representation of the facts; such seem to choose
the safest side. There is another opinion, which is entertained by
many; that the whole was a vision; the Saviour’s being in the
wilderness; his fasting for forty days; the several temptations; and
the relief afforded by the angels.

This latter interpretation is an assumption of unwarrantable latitude
in the interpretation of the word of God. All are realities, even the
presence and temptations of Satan, and the resistance given him; but
the temptations may have been proposed to the Saviour, when exhausted
with hunger, and when sunk into some species of waking vision, little
distinguishable from a dream.

Satan has not the power of forcing men into sin; his temptations are
always disguised; for the knowledge that they are such, is the
strongest motive for resisting them; if therefore Satan had discovered
himself to Jesus in a visible form, it would not only have been
contrary to his usual course, but must have ensured him a defeat.

The replies of Christ were in every instance by scriptures
recollected, which leads us to think that it was all before the eye of
his mind only; also one of Satan’s temptations was from scripture;
these things well accord with its having been in vision.

The changes of place seem to have been too sudden, and also
impracticable. He was in the wilderness when the temptations began,
and when they ended; which agrees with the supposition that his rapid
transition to a pinnacle of the temple, and from thence to a very high
mountain, were only in idea.

It is very unaccountable that he should have been transported to the
battlements of the temple for a dangerous place, when the country
afforded precipices enough, and still more so, that this could have
taken place without publick observation; but such flights of the
imagination, when the body is fainting with hunger, would not be
extraordinary; nor would it excite any wonder, if the person in such
exigency should find Satan occupied in giving a turn to his ideas.
There is not a mountain on earth from whence all the kingdoms are
visible; here therefore we are obliged to give up the literal sense,
and may discover an index to the interpretation of the other
temptations.

It is not called a vision; in like manner neither did Micaiah nor
Jacob denominate their visions. They represented what appeared to
them; and so we presume Jesus related these things to his disciples
just as they appeared to his mind.

Satan, though he can and does in various ways, by external and
internal means, through the medium of our bodies, suggest thoughts,
and thus take possession of our hearts in a certain sense; yet he
knows not our thoughts; it is the attribute of God only to search the
heart. Every thing acted by Satan in this instance could have taken
place without his knowing the mind of Christ.[215] If it had not been
in vision, then Jesus must have spoken audibly his respective answers;
Satan would have known them, and, we presume, in some instance
replied; but there is not one reply of Satan, which is an additional
proof that he suggested the temptations, and the Saviour resisted them
by mental answers, with which the enemy was unacquainted. Adopting
this general view, the particular parts will be easily understood.

Footnote 215:

It is highly probable that Satan did not know that this was the
Christ; he speaks doubtfully of his being the “Son of God;” this he
had heard, we suppose, at his baptism, a short time before. Satan is
not omnipresent, nor omniscient, and probably knew less than the
angels of these things which they desired to pry into. Christ’s
divinity was chiefly concealed thirty years, not always shown in his
life, nor at his death. It was the man only that could be thus humbled
and tempted; God neither tempts nor can be tempted by any.

Quest. XLIX., L.

QUEST. XLIX. _How did Christ humble himself in his death?_

ANSW. Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been
betrayed by Judas, forsaken by his disciples, scorned and rejected
by the world, condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors,
having also conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of
darkness, felt and borne the weight of God’s wrath, he laid down his
life an offering for sin, enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed
death of the cross.

QUEST. L. _Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death?_

ANSW. Christ’s humiliation after his death, consisted in his being
buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power
of death, till the third day, which hath been otherwise expressed in
these words, _He descended into hell_.

In considering the subject matter of these answers, we are led to take a view of our Saviour, in the last stage of life, exposed to those sufferings which went more immediately before, or attended his death. And,

I. Let us consider him in his sufferings in the garden, when his soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; and he desired his disciples, not only as an instance of their sympathy with, and regard to him in his agony, that they would tarry at a small distance from him, while he went a little farther, and prayed, as one that tasted more of the bitterness of that cup, which he was to drink, than he had done before; but pressed this upon them, as what was necessary to their own advantage, when he says, _Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation_, Matt, xxvii. 38, 39. 41. But they seemed very little concerned, either for his distress, or their own impending danger; for, when he returned, he found them asleep, and upbraids them for it, _What, could ye not watch with me one hour?_ ver. 40. and afterwards, though he had given them this first kind and gentle reproof, for their unaccountable stupidity, and repeated his charge, that they should watch and pray; yet, when he came a second time, he found them asleep again, ver. 43. This was, doubtless, an addition to his afflictions, that they, who were under the highest obligation to him, should be so little concerned for him.

II. After this he was betrayed by Judas, a pretended friend, which added to the affliction. This does not argue any unwillingness in him to suffer, as is evident from his own words, some time before, viz. _I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished?_ Luke xii. 50. As also from his going up to Jerusalem with that design, as knowing that his hour was at hand. How easily might he have declined this journey, had he been unwilling to suffer? And, if he thought it his duty to be at Jerusalem, at the feast of the passover, which was not absolutely necessary, (for all were not obliged to come there at the feast) he might, notwithstanding, had he been unwilling to suffer, have went there privately: but, instead of that, he made a more public entrance into it than was usual, riding in triumph, and accepting of the loud acclamations and hosannas of the multitude, which, any one might suppose, would draw forth the envy of his inveterate enemies, and sharpen their malice against him, and thereby hasten the execution of their bloody design.

Again, that he did not suffer unwillingly, appears, in that, when the band of officers, being led by Judas, was sent to apprehend him, _He asks them, whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth_; Jesus saith unto them, _I am he_; upon which we read, that _they went backward, and fell to the ground_, John xviii. 4-6. and gave him an opportunity to make his escape, had he intended to decline these last sufferings: but he not only delivered himself into their hands, but prohibited the overture of a rescue, which Peter attempted in his favour, ver. 10, 11. As to what concerns his being betrayed into the hands of his enemies, by one of his disciples, this is often mentioned, as a very considerable part of his sufferings: the price which the traitor demanded, or which was the most they would give for this barbarous and inhuman action, was thirty pieces of silver.[216] This being foretold by the prophet, is represented as an instance of the highest contempt that could be cast upon him: he calls it _a goodly price that I was prized at of them_, Zech. xi. 13. it was the price of a _servant_, or slave, when _pushed by the ox, so that he died_, Exod. xxi. 32. This shews how little he was valued, by those who were under the highest obligations to him. And providence permitted it to be a part of his sufferings, that we may learn from hence, that hypocrites sometimes mix themselves with his faithful servants, who, notwithstanding the mask, or disguise of religion, which they affect, their hypocrisy will, one time or other, be made manifest. This was not a wound given by an open enemy, but a pretended friend, and therefore more grievous; and this might also give occasion to some to cast a reproach on his followers (for what will not malice sometimes suggest) as though they were all like him; and their pretence to religion were no more than hypocrisy.

III. Another instance of Christ’s humiliation was, in that he was forsaken by his disciples: thus we read, that when he was apprehended, _all the disciples forsook him and fled_, Matt. xxvi. 56. from whence we may learn,

1. How unable the best of God’s people are to exercise that holy courage and fortitude that is necessary in trying dispensations of providence, especially when destitute of extraordinary assistance from the Spirit of God.

2. This was ordered by providence, to add weight to Christ’s sufferings, in which none stood with him to comfort or strengthen him; as the apostle Paul says, _At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me_, 2 Tim. iv. 16. which could not be otherwise than a very afflictive circumstance; nevertheless,

3. There was a farther design of providence in permitting this cowardise, namely, that they might not suffer with him; and therefore it is observed, by one of the evangelists, that when our Saviour was apprehended by the officers, he desired leave of them, that his disciples might _go their way_, John xviii. 8. If they had been apprehended, it may be, they might have been accused, condemned, and crucified with him; which might give occasion to some to suppose, that they bore a part in the purchase of our redemption; which belonged to him alone; and therefore it is said, concerning him, _I have trodden the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with me_, Isa. lxiii. 3. To this we may add,

IV. That it was another part of Christ’s sufferings, that he was disowned and denied by Peter; since this would give occasion to some to think that he was not worthy to be acknowledged by his friends, while he was insulted and persecuted by his enemies. In the account the evangelist gives of this matter, Matt. xxvi. 69-72. we may observe,

1. That Peter was not, at this time, in the way of his duty, though, probably, it was love to our Saviour, and a desire to see the issue of his trial, that might occasion his going into the High Priest’s Palace; yet this he had no call to do at present, it was a running into the midst of danger, especially considering our Saviour, as in the scripture but now referred to, had got leave for his disciples to withdraw. This, Peter ought to have done: for, as we are not to decline sufferings when called to bear them, so we are not, without a sufficient warrant, to rush into them, to go, as he did, in the way of temptation.

2. It was not only shame that induced him to deny our Saviour, but fear; for, it is probable, he might be informed that the High Priest asked him concerning his disciples, as well as his doctrine, therefore he might think, that by owning him and his doctrine, he might be exposed to suffer with him; which, notwithstanding his self-confident resolution a little before, when he said, _Though I should die with thee, yet I will not deny thee_, ver. 35. he was now afraid to do.

3. He was not only accosted by the damsel, who told him, that he was with Jesus of Galilee; but he was attacked by _one of the servants of the High Priest, being his kinsman, whose ear Peter cut off_, who said, _Did I not see thee in the garden with him?_ John xviii. 26. This still increased his fear; for he not only appeared as a witness against him, and charged him with having been with him in the garden, but also intimates, that he attempted to rescue him, and that by force of arms, which, as he apprehended might render him obnoxious to the lash of the law as endeavouring to make a riot, for which he concluded that he was liable to suffer punishment; and the person, whose ear he cut off, being the High Priest’s kinsman, this would lay him still more open to his resentment. Thus Peter, through the weakness of his faith, and the prevalency of his fear, denied our Saviour; and this was thrice repeated with curses and execrations annexed to it, which still increased his guilt, tended to expose religion, as well as cast a reproach on our Saviour, who was then bearing his testimony to the truth.

V. Another instance of Christ’s humiliation was, that he was scorned and rejected by the world; scorned, as though he had been inferior to them. Thus he is represented by the Psalmist, as saying, _I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me, laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head_, Psal. xxii. 6, 7. This was, doubtless, a malicious design, to fill the minds of men with prejudice against it, and make them ashamed to own it. Our Saviour puts these both together, when he speaks of persons being _ashamed of him, and of his words_, Mark viii. 38. They had often rejected him, by their unbelief; and this crime was the greater, because they were under the greatest obligations to the contrary. How often did he invite them, in the most affectionate manner, to come to him, and annex hereunto a promise of eternal life? We find, notwithstanding, that he had reason to complain, as he does, _Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life_, John v. 40.

Here we might observe the temper of the Jews, before he appeared publickly among them, to have been different from what it was afterwards. When John the Baptist, his fore-runner told them, that he would shortly be made manifest to Israel, multitudes flocked to his ministry, counted him as a great prophet, and rejoiced in his light for a season, and, at the same time, were baptized, and professed their willingness to yield obedience to Christ. But all this was upon a groundless supposition, that he would appear as an earthly monarch, erect a temporal kingdom, bring all other powers into subjection to it, and so deliver them from the Roman yoke, and advance them to great honours in the world: but, when they saw it otherwise, and that he appeared in a low humbled state, and professed, that his kingdom was not of this world, and therefore his subjects must seek for a glory that lies beyond it, which cannot be beheld, but by faith, and, in the expectation hereof, take up their cross, and follow him, immediately they were offended in him: thus the prophet foretels, that he should be for a _stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel_, Isa. viii. 14. and the Psalmist styles him, _The stone which the builders refused_, Psal. cxviii. 22. both which predictions are applied to Christ by the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 7, 8. This was also foretold by Simeon, concerning our Saviour, when he was in his infancy, _Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign, which shall be spoken against_, Luke ii. 43. And this offence taken at him, is intimated to have been almost universal, as appeared from the small number that adhered to him, when he was here on earth, which gave him occasion to say, _Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me_, Matt. xi. 6.

This treatment he met with throughout the whole course of his ministry, when they loaded him with the most injurious reproaches: but, immediately before his death, they filled up the measure of their iniquity, by reproaching him to the utmost; then it is observed that they blasphemed, and cast contempt upon him, with respect to all those offices which he executes as Mediator. As to his prophetical office, with what abominable profaneness do they speak of the sacred gift of prophecy, which their fathers always counted a peculiar glory, which was conferred upon some of them, whereby they were honoured above all other nations in the world! And what contempt do they cast on him, who had sufficiently proved himself to be greater than all other prophets; when as it is said, _They smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee?_ chap. xxvi. 67, 68. They also expressed their blasphemy in contemning his priestly office, when they say, _He saved others, himself he cannot save_, chap. xxvii. 42. and also his kingly, when, in derision, they put on him _a scarlet robe, platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand, and bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail king of the Jews_, ver. 28, 29.

They also expressed the greatest contempt of him, by preferring a vile and notorious criminal, who was a robber, and a murderer, before him; and accordingly, as the prophet says, _He was numbered with the transgressors_, as though he had been the greatest of them, whereas he had _done no violence; neither was any deceit in his mouth_, Isa. liii. 9, 12. Thus the apostle tells them, _Ye denied the Holy One, and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you_, Acts iii. 14. when Pilate made an overture to release him, they cried, _with one consent, Not this man, but Barabbas_, John xviii. 39, 40.

From hence we may learn,

1. That the best of men are not to expect to pass through the world without reproach, or contempt, how exact, innocent or blameless, soever their conversation be.

2. We are not to judge of persons, or things, especially in matters of religion, merely by the opinion of the world concerning them; since it is no uncommon thing for religion itself to be had in contempt, as well as those who adhere to it.

3. We ought not to have respect to the praise or esteem of men, as a motive to induce us to choose and adhere to the way of God and godliness: thus our Saviour says, _I receive not honour from men_, John v. 41. that is, I value it not, so as to regulate my conversation thereby; and then he adds, _How can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only_, ver. 44.

4. Let us not think the worse of Christ, or his gospel, because they are reproached, but rather, as the apostle adviseth, _Go forth to him without the camp, bearing his reproach_, Heb. xiii. 13. and not only be content to bear it, but count it our honour; as he says elsewhere, concerning himself, _God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ_, Gal. iv. 14.

5. Let us take heed, that while we seem to honour Christ by our profession, and testify our abhorrence of the contempt that was cast on him, by his enemies, we do not reproach him by our practice; and that either by sinning presumptuously, which is called, _A reproaching of the Lord_, Num. xv. 30. or not by reproving and bearing our testimony against those who blaspheme and revile him; by which means, we shall partake with them in their crime.

VI. Our Saviour was condemned by Pilate. The former indignities offered him, were without any pretence, or form of law; but now he is set before a court of judicature, and there tried, and sentence passed immediately before his crucifixion. In this they had no regard to the exercise of justice, nor desire to proceed in a legal way with any good and honourable design, but to prevent the inconvenience that would have arisen from their putting him to death in a riotous and tumultuous manner, without the form of a trial. This they had in some particular instances, at other times, designed, or attempted to do, but they thought it not a safe way of proceeding; since they might afterwards have been called to an account for it, by the civil magistrate, as the town-clerk says, upon occasion of the tumult at Ephesus, _We are in danger to be called in question for this day’s uproar_, Acts xix. 40. Therefore our Saviour, being apprehended, is brought before Pilate, the Roman governor; and there were the chief priests and elders met together, as his accusers and prosecutors; and the whole process was the most notorious instance of injustice, that ever was practised in any court of judicature in the world. Whatever pretence of law there might be, the assembly was certainly tumultuous. It is not usual for persons who are tried for capital matters to be insulted, not only by the rude multitude of spectators that are present, but by the judge himself, as our Saviour was, being spit upon, buffeted, and smote with the palms of their hands; and Pilate also, with a sarcastic sneer, unbecoming the character of a judge, says, _Behold the Man; Behold your King_, John xix. 5, 14. Here we may observe,

1. Concerning his persecutors, that they sought false witnesses against him, that is, they endeavoured to persuade, or bribe any that they could find, among the most vile and profligate wretches, to come in against him; nevertheless, they could not bring this matter to bear for some time: thus, it is said, _They sought false witness against Jesus to put him to death, but found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none_, Matt. xxvi. 59, 60. The evidence that many gave was not regarded, and therefore they were set aside; at last they found two, whom they depended on, as legal evidences: but it is observed, that _their witness did not agree together_, Mark xiv. 59. and, if they had agreed in their testimony, the matter alleged against him was no crime, namely, _We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands; and, within three days, I will build another made without hands_, ver. 58. which refers to what he had said when he drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and foretelling his resurrection from the dead, he uses this metaphorical way of speaking; that when they had destroyed this temple, meaning his body, he would raise it up in three days. We will suppose, that the Jews, then present, did not understand what he meant by this expression, or that he did not explain it, as the evangelist does: but let them take it in what sense they would, it carries in it no crime for him to say so; and therefore it is observed, that when this was witnessed against him, though the High Priest urged him to make a reply, _he held his peace, and answered nothing_, because there was nothing alleged worth an answer; the thing he was charged with, carried in it its own confutation, and inferred not the least degree of guilt in him. This his enemies themselves seemed to be sensible of; and therefore they ask him this trying question, _Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?_ expecting that his reply to this would have afforded matter for them to proceed upon his conviction. To this our Saviour gives a direct answer, saying, _I am; and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven_, ver. 62. Here he was called to give a reply; the question was worthy of an answer; and therefore he does not, on this occasion, hold his peace, but witnessed a good confession, though he knew it would cost him his life.

2. Some things may be observed concerning Pilate’s conduct in his trial; as,

(1.) He acted contrary to that good advice that was given him by his wife; which, because the Evangelist thinks it worthy to be taken notice of, as occasioned by a dream, in which she told him, _She had suffered many things because of him_, Matt, xxvii. 19. gives ground to conclude that it was a divine dream, which rendered the advice more solemn, and, as such, deserved his regard.

(2.) He acted against the dictates of his own conscience; for _he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy_, Matt. xv. 20. and therefore he ought to have stopped all farther proceedings, as in cases of malicious prosecutions; and it farther appears that he acted against his conscience, in that he took _water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just Person_, Matt. xxvii. 24.

(3.) He appears to have been a very mean-spirited man, and therefore was apprehensive that the Jews had he released our Saviour, would have accused him to Cæsar, for sparing one whom they would have pretended to have been an usurper, and a rebel, inasmuch as he is styled King of the Jews. Accordingly he feared that he should have been turned out of his place, or otherwise punished, provided the matter were not fully heard, or the misrepresentations that might be made thereof, were believed by him. This seems the main reason of his delivering our Saviour up to them, to be crucified: thus it is observed, that Pilate first sought out to release him; but, upon the Jews saying, _If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar’s friend, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat_, and, in haste, _delivered him unto them to be crucified_, John xix. 12, 13, 16.

(4.) When he thought it his interest to comply with the Jews in this matter, he did not pass sentence on him himself, it may be, thinking that not so adviseable, as being contrary to the profession he had a little before this, made of his innocency: but he asked his prosecutors, what he should do with him? which was a flagrant instance of barbarity and injustice, in one who had the character of a judge or magistrate.[217]

VII. Our Saviour was tormented by his persecutors, scourged, buffeted, smitten with the palms of their hands, crowned with thorns, which, as most divines suppose, pierced his head, and drew blood from thence, which was a part of the torments he endured. And to this we may add, that they compelled him to bear his cross, till his strength was so exhausted, that he could carry it no longer; and then they obliged one Simon, a Cyrenian, _to bear it_; or, as Luke says _to bear it after him_, John xix. 17. compared with Luke xxiii. 26. that is, as some suppose, to help him to carry it, going behind, and bearing a part of the weight thereof. These things he endured, immediately before his crucifixion, from wicked men, divested of all humanity, as well as religion: but still there is something more afflictive than this, which he endured; accordingly it is farther observed,

VIII. That he conflicted with the terrors of death, felt, and bore the weight of God’s wrath; these were the sufferings which he endured, more especially in his soul. From whence we may observe, that the death he was going to endure, was exceeding formidable to him, and accompanied with great terrors; therefore there must certainly be some bitter ingredient in it, more than in the death of others. If we enquire what it was therein that seemed so terrible to him, when many of the martyrs, who have been, as the apostle says, _pressed out of measure above strength_, 2 Cor. i. 8. that is, suffered as much as frail nature could well bear, have endured it without any dread of the wrath of God, the sting and bitterness thereof being taken away; why then should our Saviour, who never contracted the least degree of guilt, have any conflict of this nature in his own spirit? To this it may be replied, that there were some things in his death that rendered it more formidable, than it ever was to any of his saints and martyrs. For,

1. It is more than probable that the powers of darkness had a great hand in setting before his view the terrors of the wrath of God due to sin, which none are better able to do, than they who are the subjects thereof; and therefore it is observed, in this answer, that he conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers of darkness. The devil is sometimes said to have _the power of death_, Heb. ii. 14. that is, if the Spirit of God do not come in with his comforting presence, but Satan be suffered to do what he can to fill the soul with horror, he hath certainly power to make death, beyond measure, terrible. His design herein, with respect to our Saviour, was either to drive him to despair, induce him to repent of his undertaking what he came into the world about, or, at least, to take some indirect methods to decline sufferings. That Satan had some hand in this matter, we may infer from what our Saviour says, when, considering himself as fallen into the hands of his enraged enemies, he tells them, not only that this was _their hour_, that is, the time in which they were suffered to express their rage and malice against him, but that it was the hour of _the power of darkness_, Luke xxii. 53.

2. His death was in itself more terrible than the death of his people, when the sting and bitterness thereof is taken away from them; therefore it is farther observed, in this answer, that he felt and bore the weight of God’s wrath, which was the punishment of the sins of his people, for whom he suffered. It was upon this account that he is said _to begin to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy_, to cry out, _My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death_; and to pray, that, _if it were possible_, this part of his sufferings _might pass from him_, Mark xiv. 33-36. We cannot suppose that he was afraid of death; but the wrath of God was what he principally feared. And, since this wrath is, in itself, so terrible, he might well be supposed to be amazed, and exceeding sorrowful, at the view thereof, not for his own sin, but ours, and yet herein not to be guilty of any sin himself.

That this may farther appear, let it be considered, that as he _bore our sins_, 1 Pet. ii. 14. and _it pleased the Lord to bruise him_ for them, Isa. liii. 6. so he bore every thing that was a punishment thereof, excepting some circumstances that are peculiar to us, and were inconsistent with his perfect holiness, and the efficacy of his sufferings, to take away the guilt of our sin; and therefore we must suppose that he bore, that is, he had an afflictive sense of the wrath of God due to it. Nothing less than this could occasion him to sweat drops of blood, in his agony, in the garden. Had there been no circumstance in his death, but barely his leaving this miserable world, wherein he had such ill treatment, it would have rendered his stay therein less desirable: but, when he considered those bitter ingredients that were therein, and how he should, when on the cross be forsaken of God, as to his comforting, though not his supporting presence, this made his death more formidable, than the death of any of his people can be said to be. And this leads us to consider the last part of his sufferings; and accordingly it is farther said,

IX. That he endured the shameful, painful, and cursed death of the cross. The pains that he endured before, in being buffeted, scourged, and crowned with thorns, were very great; but what he suffered, when nailed to the cross, and hanging on it till he died, was too great for words to express. His body was, as it were, torn asunder by its own weight, and the small and very sensible nerves and fibres thereof broken, by their violent extension. The apostle therefore speaks of it, as the most cruel death, as appears by the emphasis he puts on the words, _He humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross_, Phil. ii. 8. This death was a punishment peculiar to the Romans, while the empire was Heathen; but when Christianity obtained in the world, it was forbidden by supreme authority, not only because of the barbarity of it, but out of respect and honour to our Saviour, who suffered it.[218] And therefore we have only some monuments of antiquity that discover what kind of death it was; but there is enough said of it to give us ground to conclude, that it was the most cruel, painful, and formidable death; wherein the body was fastened to, and extended on a tree, or stake, driven into the ground for that purpose; the arms extended on a transverse beam; the hands and feet fastened, either by ropes or nails. The former of these, as some suppose, was often used in fastening persons to the cross; and, if so, then the nailing our Saviour to it was an instance of unusual cruelty; but whether this observation be just, or no, is uncertain.

It appears that our Saviour was nailed to the cross, by the mark and print of the nails remaining after his resurrection, which he shewed to Thomas for his conviction, John xx. 27. and this greatly tended to increase the pain of his crucifixion, in which the weight of the whole body depended on the hands and feet, which being nervous, are more sensible of pain, than many other parts thereof; and, they being wounded with the nails, the pain must be much more exquisite, and this not only for a little while, but for several hours; all which time he felt the pains of death, and did, as it were, die many deaths in one. This kind of death was so cruel, and so excessively tormenting, that some of the Roman emperors, who were of a more merciful disposition, when persons, for the highest crimes, had deserved it, notwithstanding ordered, that they should first be slain, and then hanged on a cross, to be exposed to shame, or as a terror to others, without suffering those inexpressible tortures, which would attend their dying on it. But our Saviour submitted to all these; and so willing was he to bear them, that when they offered him a mixture of wine and myrrh, as a narcotic, or stupifying potion, that he might be less sensible of his pain, which was the only kindness they pretended to shew him, and which is, by many, supposed to be customary in such cases, _he received it not_; which is as though he had said, I contemn all your offered assistances to ease my pain, as much as I do your insults and reproaches; all my ease and comfort shall be derived from heaven, and not from you. Thus concerning the death of the cross, as exceeding painful.

There is another circumstance observed in this death, namely, that it was shameful. Many think it was styled so, because persons, who suffered it, were stripped of all their garments: but I am inclined to think, that this opinion, though almost universally received, is no better than a vulgar error; for the Romans, who were a civilized nation, would not admit any thing to be done, which is so contrary to the law of nature, as this thing would have been, had it been done. Besides, there are other circumstances mentioned by the evangelist, Mark xv. 40, 41. which farther argue the improbability thereof.

_Object._ To this it is objected, that the soldiers parted our Saviour’s garments, and divided them among themselves, after they had cast lots for his upper garment, or seamless coat, John xix. 23. which they suppose to have been done before his crucifixion.

_Answ._ But to this it may be replied, that it seems more than probable, that only his upper garment, or seamless coat, was taken from him before he was nailed to the cross, and other garments were not taken till he was dead, and, when he was taken down from it, they were exchanged for those linen garments in which he was buried. This seems evident from the words of the evangelist, who intimates, that his garments were taken off _when they had crucified him_. Therefore the principal reason why the death of Christ is called shameful, as the apostle styles it, when he says, _He despised the shame_, Heb. xii. 2. is because it was a punishment inflicted on none but those who were charged with the vilest crimes, or who were slaves; and therefore it is called a servile punishment.[219] When any one was made free of Rome, he was exempted from it; and therefore it was reckoned the highest crime to punish such an one with it, because of the reproach thereof.

It is farther observed, that the death of the cross was a cursed death; upon which account the apostle speaks of Christ, as being _made a curse for us, as it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree_, Gal. iii. 13. For the understanding of which, let it be considered, that to be accursed, sometimes signifies to be abandoned of God and man; but far be it from us to assert this concerning the blessed Jesus, who had done no violence, neither was any deceit found in his mouth. Therefore the meaning of that scripture, as applied to him, is only this, that the death of the cross had a curse annexed to it, and it denotes that the person, who thus suffered, died the death of those who were made a public example, as though they had been abandoned of God. Now though Christ’s death had this appearance, yet he was, at the same time, God’s beloved Son, in whom he was well pleased, how much soever he bore the external marks of God’s wrath, or abhorrence of our sins, for which he suffered. The scripture which the apostle refers to, is in Deut. xxi. 22, 23. from whence we may take occasion to observe, that, after the Jews had put persons to death for notorious crimes, they sometimes hanged them on a tree, and such were deemed accursed.

The common punishments, which were ordained, in scripture, to be inflicted on malefactors, were burning, slaying with the sword, or stoning; and when persons were hanged up before the Lord, that they might be a public spectacle to others, it was done after they were slain: thus it is said, that Joshua _smote_ the five kings, _and slew them, and then hanged them on five trees until the evening_, Josh. x. 26. so David slew the two men that murdered Ishbosheth, and then _hanged them over the pool in Heshbon_, 2 Sam. iv. 12. and, inasmuch as these are said to _be hanged before the Lord_, it was a significant sign of God’s righteous judgment inflicted on them for their crimes, upon which account they were said to be cursed: but our Saviour was not liable to the curse of God, as one who had committed any crime that deserved it; but it had respect to the kind of death which he endured for our sins, who were thereby exposed to the curse, or condemning sentence of the law. Thus concerning Christ’s humiliation in his death.

We are now to consider his humiliation after his death. Though the greatest part of his humiliation was finished when he yielded up the ghost, yet his state of humiliation was not fully ended till he rose from the dead; therefore it is observed in the latter of these answers we are now explaining, that he was buried, and continued under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, _He descended into hell_, as it is contained in that Creed, which is commonly attributed to the apostles. Here we may observe,

1. That Christ was buried. Before this, while he hanged on the cross, he had, as it was before observed, the visible mark of the curse of God upon him, without any desert of his own; and this he was delivered from, when he was taken down from thence. It was a custom, among the Romans, to suffer the bodies of those that were crucified to hang on the cross till they were devoured by wild beasts, or fowls of the air, or turned to corruption, unless they were given to their relations to be buried, as an act of favour: but, in this instance, we may observe, that Christ’s implacable enemies desired that his body might be taken down soon after he was dead; not out of respect to him, but for fear the land should be defiled, as God had ordained in the law, that _if a person were hanged on a tree, his body should not remain all night upon it, but must be buried, lest the land should be defiled_, Deut. xxi. 22, 23. and they were the more importunate that he should be taken down, because of the sanctity of the approaching day, John xix. 31. They petitioned Pilate for it with one view, and Joseph of Arimathea, ver. 38. with another; he begged the body that he might bury it.