Sayfadaki görseller
PDF
ePub

Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, "If thou let this man go, thou art not Cesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Cesar." a When Pilate heard that saying, he delivered Jesus to be crucified. And they took him and led him away, bearing his cross. And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep yourselves, and for your children. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" b

[blocks in formation]

for

AND when they came to a place called Golgotha, (the place of a skull,) they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh. That was an intoxicating drink which was usually given to condemned prisoners before they were executed, in order to diminish their sufferings. But Jesus desired to retain his full consciousness, and therefore he would not drink of it.

Thus then was He, our Saviour, the only pure and holy One, suspended on the cross, and his hands and feet pierced with nails. For my sins and thy sins was this done, and for the sins of the whole world. With him were crucified two malefactors; one on his right hand, and the other on his left. Roman soldiers were the perpetrators of this dreadful deed. But Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." b Luke xxiii. 27-30.

a John xix. 1-12.

JESUS ON THE CROSS.

The soldiers then took his garments, and divided them into four parts, to every soldier a part; but his coat (his under garment) was without seam, woven in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be." a

And Pilate caused a superscription to be placed over the cross of Jesus, which was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin; and it was, "Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews." But the people, and the chief priests, and the soldiers reviled him, and said, "If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." One of the malefactors, also, which were hanged, railed on him, and said, "If thou be Christ, save thyself and us." But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed

justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." And he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise." b

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by whom Jesus loved, he saith unto his mother, "Woman, behold thy son!" Then saith he to the disciple, "Behold thy mother." And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. c

Luke xxiii. 34.

b Luke xxiii. 39-43. John xix. 25-27.

And at the sixth hour, (twelve o'clock at noon,) there was darkness over the whole land, which continued until the ninth hour, (three o'clock in

[graphic]

the afternoon.) And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, "My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken me?" After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst." Now there was set there a vessel full of vinegar; and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon a reed, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished." And he cried aloud, and said, "Father, into thy

THE BURIAL OF JESUS.

hands I commend my spirit." And when he had said this, he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves, and after his resurrection they went into the holy city, and appeared to many. And when the centurion who stood over against him saw the earthquake, and that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God." And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts and returned. d

38. THE BURIAL OF JESUS.

THE day on which Jesus died was the Friday before the great sabbath at the passover. Now that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath day, the Jews besought Pilate the governor that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. This was done with clubs, with which the final death blow was given to them. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the two malefactors who were crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, seeing that he was dead already, they brake not his legs; but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. These things were done that

d Mark xv. 33-41; Luke xxiii. 44—48.

the Scripture might be fulfilled, "A bone of him shall not be broken." And again another Scripture saith, "They shall look on him whom they pierced."

a

And, behold, in the evening there came Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and honourable member of the council, but who had not consented to their counsel and deed, for he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly. He went in boldly to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate wondered in himself that he was already dead, and, calling unto him the centurion, he asked whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he granted Joseph's request. And Joseph bought fine linen, and took the body of Jesus down from the cross. There came also Nicodemus, (who at first came to Jesus by night,) and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pounds weight. Then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Now there was near to the place where he was crucified a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid; Joseph's own sepulchre. There laid they the body of Jesus therefore, because the sepulchre was nigh at hand.b

On the next day, the chief priests and the pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night,

a John xix. 31-37.

b John xix. 38-42.

« ÖncekiDevam »