ita vestem ponit quando voluerit, sicut se carne exuit quando voluit? Quis ita cum voluerit abit, quomodo cum voluit obiit? (S. Augustine). 31-42. THE PETITION OF THE JEws and the PETITION OF JOSEPH.

31. As in xviii. 23, the Jews shew themselves to be among those 'who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.' In the midst of deliberate judicial murder they are scrupulous about ceremonial observances. The ovv, as in v. 23, probably does not refer to what immediately precedes: it looks back to vv. 20, 21. The Jews still continue their relentless hostility. They do not know whether any one of the three sufferers is dead or not; their request shews that; so that 'therefore' cannot mean in consequence of Jesus' death. In order to save the Sabbath, and perhaps also to inflict still further suffering, they ask Pilate for this terrible addition to the punishment of crucifixion. Certainly the lesson 'I will have mercy and not sacrifice,' of which Christ had twice reminded them, and once in connexion with the Sabbath (Matt. xii. 7, ix. 13), had taken no hold on them.

πаρаσкeυń. The eve of the Sabbath; and the Sabbath on this occasion coincided with the 15th Nisan, the first day of the Passover. This first day ranked as a Sabbath (Exod. xii. 16; Lev. xxiii. 7); so that the day was doubly holy. Comp. vii. 37.

κατεαγώσιν. The σκελοκοπία or crurifragium, like crucifixion, was a punishment commonly reserved for slaves. The two were sometimes combined, as here. Lactantius (IV. xxvi.) says, 'His executioners did not think it necessary to break His bones, as was their prevailing custom;' which seems to imply that to Jewish crucifixions this horror was commonly added, perhaps to hasten death. For even without a Sabbath to make matters more urgent, corpses ought to be removed before nightfall (Deut. xxi. 23); whereas the Roman custom was to leave them to putrefy on the cross, like our obsolete custom of hanging in chains. The plural verb (contrast μeivy just before) emphasizes the separate acts: comp. & èπepíσoevσav (vi. 13). Winer, p. 645.

34. ěvužev. Pricked or stabbed, a milder word than EKÉVTNOAV (v. 37) All ancient Versions mark the difference between the two verbs. The Vulgate (aperuit) and Philox. Syriac indicate a reading ήνοιξεν. The object of the νύττειν was to make sure that He was dead. The word occurs here only in N. T.

αἷμα κ. ὕδωρ. There has been very much discussion as to the physical cause of Christ's death; and those who investigate this try to frame an hypothesis which will at the same time account for the effusion of blood and water. Two or three such hypotheses have been put forward. But it may be doubted whether they are not altogether out of place. It has been seen (v. 30) how the Evangelists insist on the fact that the Lord's death was a voluntary surrender of life, not a result forced upon Him. Of course it may be that the voluntariness consisted in welcoming causes which must prove fatal. But it is more simple to believe that He delivered up His life before natural causes became fatal. No one,' neither Jew nor Roman, 'took it

from Him' by any means whatever: He lays it down of Himself' (x. 18). And if we decline to investigate the physical cause of the Lord's death, we need not ask for a physical explanation of what is recorded here. S. John assures us that he saw it with his own eyes, and he records it that we may believe: i.e. he regards it as a 'sign' that the corpse was no ordinary one, but a Body that even in death was Divine.

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We can scarcely be wrong in supposing that the blood and water are symbolical. The order confirms this. Blood symbolizes the work of redemption which had just been completed by His death; and water symbolizes the birth from above,' with its cleansing from sin, which was the result of His death, and is the means by which we appropriate it. Thus the great Sacraments are represented. Some Fathers see in the double effusion the two baptisms, of blood (in martyrdom) and of water. Others see the Church, the Spouse of Christ, issuing in the Sacraments from the side of the sleeping Second Adam, as Eve from the side of the first Adam.

35. ὁ ἑωρακώς κ.τ.λ. He that hath seen hath borne witness and his witness is true (comp. i. 19, 32, 34, viii. 13, 14, xii. 17). The use of the perfect participle rather than the aorist is evidence that the writer himself is the person who saw. If he were appealing to the witness of another person he would almost certainly have written, as the A. V., 'he that saw.' The inference that the author is the person who saw becomes still more clear if we omit the centre of the verse, which is somewhat parenthetical: He that hath seen hath borne witness, in order that ye also may believe.' The natural sense of this statement is that the narrator is appealing to his own experience. Thus the Apostolic authorship of the Gospel is again confirmed. (See Westcott, Introduction, p. xxvii.) 'Aλneɩvý means not simply truthful, but genuine, perfect: it fulfils the conditions of sufficient evidence. (See on i. 9 and comp. viii. 16, vii. 28.) On the other hand dληon means things that are true. There is no tautology, as in the A. V. S. John first says that his evidence is adequate; he then adds that the contents of it are true. Testimony may be sufficient (e.g. of a competent eyewitness) but false: or it may be insufficient (e.g. of half-witted child) but true. declares that his testimony is both sufficient and true.

S. John

ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς π. That ye also may believe; as well as the witness who saw for himself.

Why does S. John attest thus earnestly the trustworthiness of his narrative at this particular point? Four reasons may be assigned. This incident tended to shew (1) the reality of Christ's humanity against Docetic views; and these verses therefore are evidence against the theory that the Fourth Gospel is the work of a Docetic Gnostic (see on i. 14, vi. 21, vii. 10): (2) the reality of Christ's Divinity, against Ebionite views; while His human form was no mere phantom, but flesh and blood, yet He was not therefore a mere man, but the Son of God: (3) the reality of Christ's death, and therefore of His Resurrection, against Jewish insinuations of trickery (comp. Matt. xxviii.

13-15); (4) the clear and unexpected fulfilment of two Messianic prophecies.

36. ἐγένετο. Came to pass. Note that S. John uses the aorist, where S. Matthew, writing nearer to the events, uses yéyovev. 'Hath come to pass' implies that the event is not very remote; Matt. i. 22, xxi. 4, xxvi. 56. The yap depends on TOTEUσNTE. Belief is supported by Scripture; for the two surprising events, Christ's escaping the crurifragium and yet having His side pierced, were evidently preordained in the Divine counsels. The first ypaon (ii. 22, xii. 38) is Exod. xii. 46. For ouvтpíßev comp. Matt. xii. 20; Mark v. 4, xiv. 3; Rev. ii. 27. Thus He who at the opening of this Gospel was proclaimed as the Lamb of God (i. 29, 36), at the close of it is declared to be the true Paschal Lamb. The Paschal Lamb, as dedicated to God, was protected by the Law from rough treatment and common uses. Its bones must not be broken; its remains must be burned. Once more we have evidence that S. John's consistent and precise view is, that the death of Christ coincided with the killing of the Paschal Lamb. And this seems also to have been S. Paul's view (see on 1 Cor. v. 7).

37. ovтal. All present, especially the Jews. The whole world was represented there. 'EKKEVTáv, 'to pierce deeply,' occurs nowhere else in N. T. excepting Rev. i. 7, and forms a connexion worth noting between the Gospel and the Apocalypse (see on i. 14, iv. 6, vii. 30, viii. 2, xi. 44, xiii. 8, xv. 20, xx. 16); all the more so because S. John here agrees with the present Masoretic Hebrew text and in every word differs from the LXX. The LXX. softens down ἐξεκέντησαν (which seemed a strange expression to use of men's treatment of Jehovah) into κaтwρxńσavтo ('insulted'). See on vi. 45, xii. 13, 15, where there is further evidence of the Evangelist having independent knowledge of Hebrew. With the construction eis őv comp. vi. 29, xvii. 9.

38. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα. But after these things. The dé marks a contrast between the hostile petition of the Jews and the friendly. petition of Joseph. Ταῦτα as distinct from τοῦτο shews that no one event is singled out with which what follows is connected: the sequence is indefinite (iii. 22). Contrast v. 28: there the sequence is direct and definite (ii. 12, xi. 7, 11). For Joseph of Arimathaea see on Matt. xxvii. 57; Mark xv. 43; Luke xxiii. 50. The Synoptists tell us that he was rich, a member of the Sanhedrin, a good and just man who had not consented to the Sanhedrin's counsel and crime, one who (like Simeon and Anna) waited for the kingdom of God, and had become a disciple of Christ. Διὰ τ. φόβον forms a coincidence with S. Mark, who says of him (xv. 43) that having summoned courage (TOλunoas) he went in unto Pilate,' implying that like Nicodemus he was naturally timid. Joseph probably went to Pilate as soon as he knew that Jesus was dead: the vague after these things' need not mean that he did not act till after the piercing of the side. With ηpev T. oua comp. Matt. xiv. 12; Acts viii. 2.

39.

Another coincidence. Nicodemus also was a member of the Sanhedrin (iii. 1), and his acquaintance with Joseph is thus explained. But it is S. Mark who tells us that Joseph was one of the Sanhedrin, S. John who brings him in contact with Nicodemus. It would seem as if Joseph's unusual courage had inspired Nicodemus also. Thus Jesus by being lifted up is already drawing men unto Him. These Jewish aristocrats first confess Him in the hour of His deepest degradation. To рŵтov is either at the beginning of Christ's ministry, or the first time He came to Jesus. The meaning of the Brazen Serpent, of which he heard then (iii. 14), is becoming plain to him now.

μíypa. This may be a correction of yua (NB), a roll. Myrrhgum (Matt. ii. 11) and pounded aloe-wood (here only) are both aromatic: All thy garments are myrrh and aloes' (Ps. xlv. 8). The quantity is royal (2 Chron. xvi. 14), but not improbable, and reminds us of Mary's profusion (xii. 3). It is a rich man's proof of devotion, and possibly of remorse for a timidity which now seemed irremediable: his courage had come too late.

40. Snoav avrò ỏ0. Bound it in linen cloths. The ỏ0óvia (see on Luke xxiv. 12) seem to be the bandages, whereas the awdwr (Matt. xxvii. 59; Mark xv. 46; Luke xxiii. 53) is a large sheet (Mark xiv. 51) to envelope the whole. Καθὼς ἔθος ἐ. τ. I. distinguishes Jewish from other modes of embalming. The Egyptians had three methods, but in all cases removed part of the intestines and steeped the body in nitre (Herod. II. 86 ff.) 'Evтapiátev occurs elsewhere only Matt. xxvi. 12: évтapiaouós occurs xii. 7; Mark xiv. 8: in LXX. (Gen. 1. 2) it is used for the embalming of Jacob.

41. KηTOS. S. John alone mentions it, as he alone mentions the other garden (xviii. 1). It probably belonged to Joseph, for the tomb was his (Matt. xxvii. 60). This shews that Joseph, though of Arimathaea, had settled in Jerusalem. For κalvóv see on xiii, 34, S. Matthew also says that it was new, S. Luke that never man had yet lain in it. S. John states the fact both ways with great emphasis. It is another royal honour. Not even in its contact with the grave did 'His flesh see corruption.' Comp. the colt, whereon no man ever yet sat (Luke xix. 30).

42. The burial was hastily performed: after the great Sabbath 'they intended to make a more solemn and complete burial. The fact of his having a tomb of his own close to Golgotha had perhaps suggested to Joseph the thought of going to Pilate. For the addition Tay 'Iovdalwv see on ii. 13, xi. 55: it suggests a time when there was already a Christian 'Preparation.' The order of the words, with the pathetic ending, should be preserved. There therefore, because of the Jews' Preparation (for the tomb was nigh at hand), laid they Jesus.

CHAPTER XX.

11. τῷ μνημείῳ for τὸ μνημεῖον with AB against KUX.

16. Before Ραββουνί insert Εβραϊστί with NBDLXA against A (omitted as unnecessary).

19. Before σaßßáτwv omit Tŵv (from v. 1), and before Só omit συνηγμένοι (explanatory gloss).

20. After ἔδειξεν omit αὐτοῖς : αὐτοῖς for αὐτοῦ.

We enter now upon the third and last part of the second main division of the Gospel. The Evangelist having set before us the INNER GLORIFICATION OF CHRIST IN HIS LAST DISCOURSE (Xiii.-xvii.), and HIS OUTER GLORIFICATION IN HIS PASSION and Death (xviii., xix.), now gives us his record of THE RESURRECTION AND THREEFOLD MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST (XX.).

The chapter falls naturally into five sections. 1. The first Evidence of the Resurrection (1-10).' 2. The Manifestation to Mary Magdalene (11-18). 3. The Manifestation to the Ten and others (19-23). 4. The Manifestation to S. Thomas and others (24—29). 5. The Conclusion and Purpose of the Gospel (30, 31).

S. John's Gospel preserves its character to the end. Like the rest of his narrative, the account of the Resurrection is not intended as a complete record;-it is avowedly the very reverse of complete (v. 30); —but a series of typical scenes selected as embodiments of spiritual truth. Here also, as in the rest of the narrative, we have individual characters marked with singular distinctness. The traits which distinguish S. Peter, S. John, S. Thomas, and the Magdalene in this chapter are clear and completely in harmony with what is told of the four elsewhere.

Of the incidents omitted by S. John many are given in the other Gospels or by S. Paul. S. Matthew and S. Mark; the angel's message to the two Marys and Salome. S. Matthew and [S. Mark]; the farewell charge and promise. S. Luke and [S. Mark]; the manifestation to two disciples not Apostles. S. Matthew; the earthquake, angel's descent to remove the stone, soldiers' terror and report to the priests, device of the Sanhedrin, manifestation on the mountain in Galilee (comp. 1 Cor. xv. 6). [S. Mark]; the reproach for unbelief. S. Luke; the manifestation to S. Peter (comp. 1 Cor. xv. 5), conversation on the road to Emmaus, proof that He is not a spirit, manifestation before the Ascension (comp. Acts i. 6-9). S. Paul; manifestations to the Twelve, to S. James, and to S. Paul himself (1 Cor. xv. 6—8).

ST JOHN

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