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34. Note the solemn brevity of the introductions to vv. 34, 35, 36. Jesus demands that the responsibility of making this charge against Him be laid on the right persons. Moreover the meaning of the charge, and therefore the truth of it, would depend on the person making it. In Pilate's sense He was not King; in another sense He was. Note that He asks for information; see on xi. 17, 34.

35. Is it likely that I, a Roman governor, have any interest in Jewish questions? Am I likely to call Thee King? It was Thine own nation (double article; see next note) that delivered Thee to me. What made them do it?'

36. ß. † éμń. This emphatic form, 'the kingdom that is Mine' (see on viii. 31) prevails throughout the verse. Yηpéraι must be rendered 'servants,' not 'officers,' although there is doubtless an allusion to the officials of the hierarchy (vv. 3, 12, 18, 22, vii. 32, 45, 46; Matt. v. 25). In Luke i. 2 and 1 Cor. iv. 1, the only places in Gospels and Epistles in which the word is used of Christians, it is rendered 'ministers,' both in A.V. and R. V. 'Officers' would here suggest military officers. "The kingdom that is really Mine does not derive its origin (ex) from this world (iv. 22, viii. 23, xv. 19, xvii. 14, 16, x. 16): if from this world sprang My kingdom, then would the servants that are really Mine be striving' (Luke xiii. 24; 1 Cor. ix. 25). For the construction see on v. 46, and for Toîs 'Iovdaíos see on xiii. 33.

vûv Sé. The meaning of vûv is clear from the context; 'as it is, as the case really stands:' comp. viii. 40, ix. 41, xv. 22, 24. It does not mean 'My kingdom is not of this world now, but shall be so hereafter;' as if Christ were promising a millennium.

37. OÚKOûv. Here only in N. T. Combined with the position of cú it gives a tone of scorn to the question, which is half an exclamation: 'So then, Thou art a King! We might write ouкovv and render, 'Art Thou not then a King?' or, 'Thou art not then a King.' But oukoûv is simpler and is preferred by most editors. See Winer, p. 643.

σù λéyas őrɩ. The rendering, Thou sayest (well), because, is much less natural than Thou sayest that. Christ leaves the royal title which Pilate misunderstands and explains the nature of His kingdom-the realm of truth.

εἰς τοῦτο. Τo this end have I been born and to this end am Ι come into the world. To be a King, He became incarnate; to be a King, He entered the world: and this in order to witness to the truth. The second eis Toûтo does not, any more than the first, refer exclusively to what follows; both refer partly to what precedes, partly (1 John iii. 8) to what follows. The perfects express a past act continuing in the present; Christ has come and remains in the world. 'Ey is very emphatic; in this respect Christ stands alone among men. "Epxeolaι eis T. Kóσμov is frequent in S. John (i. 9, ix. 39, xi. 27, xvi. 28). Applied to Christ it includes the notions of His mission and of His pre-existence: but Pilate would not see this.

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ἵνα μαρτ. τῇ ἀλ. This is the Divine purpose of His royal power: not merely witness the truth,' i.e. give a testimony that is true, but bear witness to the objective reality of the Truth: again, not merely bear witness of,' i.e. respecting the Truth (i. 7, 15, ii. 25, v. 31–39, viii. 13-18, &c.), but bear witness to,' i.e. in support and defence of the Truth (v. 33). Both these expressions, 'witness' and 'truth,' have been seen to be very frequent in S. John (see especially chaps. i. iii. v. viii. passim). We have them combined here, as in v. 33. This is the object of Christ's sovereignty, to bear witness to the Truth. It. is characteristic of the Gospel that it claims to be the Truth.' "This title of the Gospel is not found in the Synoptists, Acts, or Apocalypse; but it occurs in the Catholic Epistles (James i. 19; 1 Pet. i. 22; 2 Pet. ii. 2) and in S. Paul (2 Thess. ii. 12; 2 Cor. xiii. 8; Eph. i. 13, &c.). It is specially characteristic of the Gospel and Epistles of S. John." Westcott, Introduction to S. John, p. xliv.

Ó ❝v Ék T. Åλ. That has his root in the Truth, so as to draw the power of his life from it: comp. v. 36, iii. 31, viii. 47, and especially 1 John ii. 21, iii. 19. "It is of great interest to compare this confession before Pilate with the corresponding confession before the high priest (Matt. xxvi. 64). The one addressed to the Jews is in the language of prophecy, the other addressed to a Roman appeals to the universal testimony of conscience. The one speaks of a future manifestation of glory, the other of a present manifestation of truth... It is obvious how completely they answer severally to the circumstances of the two occasions." Westcott, in loco.

38. Tí ẻσTIV ȧλnea; Pilate does not ask about the Truth,' but truth in any particular case. His question does not indicate any serious wish to know what truth really is, nor yet the despairing scepticism of a baffled thinker; nor, on the other hand, is it uttered in a light spirit of 'jesting' (as Bacon thought). Rather it is the half-pitying, half-impatient, question of a practical man of the world, whose experience of life has convinced him that truth is a dream of enthusiasts, and that a kingdom in which truth is to be supreme is as visionary as that of the Stoics. He has heard enough to convince him that the accused is no dangerous incendiary, and he abruptly closes the investigation with a question, which to his mind cuts at the root of the Prisoner's aspirations. "It was a good question; but Pilate's haste lost him the answer": he asked it and went out. Quid est Veritas? Vir est qui adest (Anagram attributed to Charles I.). Here probably we must insert the sending to Herod Antipas, who had come from Tiberias, as Pilate from Caesarea, on account of the Feast, the one to win popularity, the other to keep order (Luke xxiii. 6—12).

38-40. Outside the Praetorium; Pilate pronounces Him innocent and offers to release Him for the Feast: the Jews prefer Barabbas.

38.

T. 'Iovdalous. Apparently this means the mob and not the hierarchy. Pilate hoped that only a minority were moving against Jesus; by an appeal to the majority he might be able to acquit Him

without incurring odium. By pronouncing Him legally innocent he would gain this majority; by proposing to release Him on account of the Feast rather than of His innocence he would avoid insulting the Sanhedrin, who had already pronounced Him guilty. From S. Mark (xv. 8, 11) it would appear that some of the multitude hoped to deliver Jesus on the plea of the Feast and took the initiative in reminding Pilate of the custom, but were controlled by the priests and made to clamour for Barabbas.

éyú...airíav. Whatever you fanatics may do, I find no ground of accusation in Him:' comp. xix. 6. Airía means 'legal ground for prosecution, crime' (Matt. xxvii. 37; Mark xv. 26; Acts xiii. 28, xxviii. 18).

39. σvvýleιa. Nothing is known of this custom beyond what the Gospels tell us. It may have been a memorial of the deliverance from Egypt. But prisoners were sometimes released at Rome at certain festivals, and it would be quite in harmony with the conciliatory policy of Rome to honour native festivals in this way in the case of subject nations. In Luke xxiii. 17 the custom is said to be an obligation, άváуêŋν eîxev: but the verse is of very doubtful genuineness. For ἵνα comp. xi. 57, xv. 12. Εν τ. πάσχα is no evidence that the Passover had been already celebrated: the prisoner would naturally be released in time to share in the Paschal meal. The Synoptists use the less definite expression, Karà opThy (Matt. xxvii. 15; Mark xv. 6). For the construction βούλεσθε ἀπολύσω comp. θέλεις συλλέξωμεν, ποῦ θέλεις ἑτοιμάσωμεν (Matt. xiii. 28, xxvi. 17; Luke xxii. 9), where in each case the fut. ind. is found as a various reading, perhaps from the LXX. (Heb. viii. 5). Matt. xx. 32, xxvii. 17, 21; Mark x. 51, xv. 9, 12; Luke xviii. 41, like this, are ambiguous; but the aor. subj. is much more intelligible (though not as a kind of deliberative subjunctive; comp. 1 Cor. iii. 21) than the fut. ind. Luke ix. 54 must be aor. subj. Comp. Boulet ppáow, Arist. Eq. 36. The subj. intensifies the demand: would ye have me release.

40. éκρaúуaσaν. They cried out therefore again: mávres is of very doubtful authority. S. John has mentioned no previous shout, but, as usual, assumes that his readers know the main facts. Pilate declared Jesus innocent both before and after sending Him to Herod, and in both cases this provoked an outcry (Luke xxiii. 4-7, 14—21): S. John in narrating the later clamour implies the earlier. Kpavyásw expresses a loud cry, and (excepting Matt. xii. 19; Acts xxii. 23) occurs only in S. John (xi. 43, xii. 13, xix. 6, 12, 15).

T. Bapaßßav. Bar-Abbas, son of Abba (father): the derivation Barrabban, son of a Rabbi, seems fanciful. The innocent Son of the Father is rejected for the blood-stained son of a father. The name has the article, although S. John has not mentioned him before. The Jews who speak had mentioned him before. In Matt. xxvii. 16 and 17 some inferior authorities give 'Jesus Barabbas' as his name, and Pilate asks 'Which do ye wish that I release to you, Jesus

Barabbas, or Jesus Who is called Christ?' The reading is remarkable, but it is supported by no good MS.

ἦν δὲ ὁ Β. λῃστής. For the tragic brevity of this remark comp. ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς (xi. 35) and ἦν δὲ νῦξ (xiii. 30). The ληστής as distinct from the кλéπтηs (x. 1) is the man of violence, the bandit or brigand, more dangerous to persons than to property. In the case of Barabbas we know from S. Mark and S. Luke that he had been guilty of insurrection and consequent bloodshed rather than of stealing; and this was very likely the case also with the two robbers crucified with Jesus. Thus by a strange irony of fate the hierarchy obtain the release of a man guilty of the very political crime with which they charged Christ,-sedition. The people no doubt had some sympathy with the insurrectionary movement of Barabbas, and on this the priests worked. Barabbas had done, just what Jesus had refused to do, take the lead against the Romans. They laid information against Jesus before the Roman government as a dangerous character; their real complaint against him was precisely this, that He was not dangerous. Pilate executed Him on the ground that His kingdom was of this world; the Jews procured His execution precisely because it was not." Ecce Homo, p. 27.

CHAPTER XIX.

66

3. Insert καὶ ἤρχοντο πρὸς αὐτόν before καὶ ἔλεγον with NBLUXA against A (homoeoteleuton; omission from autóv to aútóv).

4. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν (ΝABKLX) for ἐξῆλθεν οὖν (Δ).

7. After Tov vóμov omit uv (obvious amplification) with NBLA against A.

12. Authorities vary much between ékpaúyaľov, ékpaúyaσav, and ἔκραξον.

13. τῶν λόγων τούτων (NA) for τοῦτον τὸν λόγον (from v. 8).

17.

After ̓Ιησοῦν omit καὶ ἀπήγαγον (perhaps from Matt. xxvii. 31). Αὐτῷ τὸν σταυρόν (BLX) for τ. στ. αὐτοῦ (Ε) : there are other variations.

20. Ρωμαϊστί before Ελληνιστί with NBLX against AI.

26, 27.

against A,

Se (S. John's usual form) for idou, with NB and others

29. σπόγγον οὖν μεστὸν τοῦ ὄξους (NBLX) for οἱ δὲ πλήσαντες σTÓɣYOν Öğοvs Kaì (A), a combination with Matt. xxvii. 48 and Mark xv. 36, which caused our to be transferred to the previous clause,— σκεῦος οὖν ἔκειτο.

38. Before and after 'Iwono omit ỏ (usual in mentioning a well-known person).

39. αὐτόν for τὸν Ἰησοῦν (correction for clearness).

ST JOHN

21

1-3. Inside the Praetorium; the scourging and mockery by the soldiers.

1. TÓTE OŮV. Because the attempt to release Him in honour of the Feast had failed, Pilate tries whether the severe and degrading punishment of scourging will not satisfy the Jews. In Pilate's hands the boasted justice of Roman Law ends in the policy "What evil did He do? I found no cause of death in Him: I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go" (Luke xxiii. 22). Scourging was part of Roman capital punishment, and had we only the first two Gospels we might suppose that the scourging was inflicted immediately before the crucifixion: but this is not stated, and S. John, combined with S. Luke, makes it clear that scourging was inflicted as a separate punishment in the hope that it would suffice. The supposition of a second scourging as part of the execution is unnecessary and improbable. Pilate, sick of the bloody work and angry at being forced to commit a judicial murder, would not have allowed it; and it may be doubted whether any human frame could survive a Roman scourging twice in one day. One infliction was sometimes fatal; ille flagellis ad mortem caesus, Hor. S. 1. ii. 41. Comp. 'horribile flagellum,' S. 1. iii. 119.

2. oi σтρаTI@Tal. Herod and his troops (Luke xxiii. 11) had set an example which the Roman soldiers were ready enough to follow. Pilate countenances the brutality as aiding his own plan of satisfying Jewish hatred with something less than death. The soldiers had inflicted the scourging; for Pilate, being only Procurator, would have no lictors. They crown Him in mockery of royalty rather than of victory, as what follows shews. The plant used was probably the thorny nabk, lycium spinosum, with flexible branches and leaves like ivy, abundant round about Jerusalem.

ἱμ. πορφυροῦν. S. Mark has πορφύραν, S. Matthew χλαμύδα κοκKivny. Purple with the ancients was a vague term for rich bright colour, crimson as well as violet. The robe was a military chlamys or paludamentum, representing a royal robe. That in which Herod mocked Jesus was probably white: 1 Macc. viii. 14, x. 20, 62. The soldiers act in derision of the detested Jews generally, who could probably see all this from the outside, rather than of Jesus in particular. The whole is a caricature of Jewish expectations of a national king.

йрXоνто πρ. аŮ. This graphic touch is omitted by the Synoptists and by some authorities here. We see each soldier coming up (imperfect) to offer his mock homage. As in xviii. 22, pámɩoμa is probably a blow with the hand rather than with a rod. Comp. Is. 1. 6, I gave my back, eis μáσriyas, and my cheek, eis paπíoμara. The Old Latin adds in faciem. The blow is the mock gift brought by the person doing homage.

4-7. Outside the Praetorium; Pilate's appeal, 'Behold the Man;' the Jews' rejoinder, 'He made Himself Son of God.'

4. άyw. On the previous occasion (xviii. 38) Pilate left Jesus within,

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