23:1 Et surgens omnis multitudo eorum, duxerunt illum ad Pilatum.
And the whole multitude of them, rising up, led him to Pilate.
23:2 Coeperunt autem illum accusare, dicentes : Hunc invenimus subvertentem gentem nostram, et prohibentem tributa dare Caesari, et dicentem se Christum regem esse.
And they began to accuse him, saying: We have found this man perverting our nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar and saying that he is Christ the king.
* Footnote
* Matthew
22 : 21
They say to him: Caesar's. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's.
* Footnote
* Mark
12 : 17
And Jesus answering, said to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. And they marvelled at him.
23:3 Pilatus autem interrogavit eum, dicens : Tu es rex Judaeorum ? At ille respondens ait : Tu dicis.
And Pilate asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, said: Thou sayest it.
* Footnote
* Matthew
27 : 11
And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus saith to him: Thou sayest it.
* Footnote
* Mark
15 : 2
And Pilate asked him: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it.
* Footnote
* John
18 : 33
Pilate therefore went into the hall again and called Jesus and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews?
23:4 Ait autem Pilatus ad principes sacerdotum et turbas : Nihil invenio causae in hoc homine.
And Pilate said to the chief priests and to the multitudes: I find no cause in this man.
23:5 At illi invalescebant, dicentes : Commovet populum docens per universam Judaeam, incipiens a Galilaea usque huc.
But they were more earnest, saying: He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.
23:6 Pilatus autem audiens Galilaeam, interrogavit si homo Galilaeus esset.
But Pilate hearing Galilee, asked if the man were of Galilee?
23:7 Et ut cognovit quod de Herodis potestate esset, remisit eum ad Herodem, qui et ipse Jerosolymis erat illis diebus.
*H And when he understood that he was of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was also himself at Jerusalem in those days.
Ver. 7. He sent him away to Herod. Pilate, in this instance, not only extricated himself from the importunities of the Jewish priests, (v. 5) but moreover obeyed the Roman law in that particular, which forbade any one to be condemned by a governor to whom he was not the subject. Theophylactus.
23:8 Herodes autem viso Jesu, gavisus est valde. Erat enim cupiens ex multo tempore videre eum, eo quod audierat multa de eo, et sperabat signum aliquod videre ab eo fieri.
And Herod seeing Jesus, was very glad: for he was desirous of a long time to see him, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to see some sign wrought by him.
23:9 Interrogabat autem eum multis sermonibus. At ipse nihil illi respondebat.
And he questioned him in many words. But he answered him nothing.
23:10 Stabant autem principes sacerdotum et scribae constanter accusantes eum.
And the chief priests and the scribes stood by, earnestly accusing him.
23:11 Sprevit autem illum Herodes cum exercitu suo : et illusit indutum veste alba, et remisit ad Pilatum.
*H And Herod with his army set him at nought and mocked him, putting on him a white garment: and sent him back to Pilate.
Ver. 11. And mocked him. It is evident from the behaviour of Herod on this occasion, that he was far from believing him to be that seditious person he was represented; otherwise he would have undoubtedly treated his prisoner with less ridicule, and paid more serious attention to the accusations of his enemies. Theophylactus. — Putting on him a white garment. The Greek signifies not only a white, but a shining splendid robe: perhaps with some resemblance to royal garments, but at the same time through scorn and derision. Wi.
23:12 Et facti sunt amici Herodes et Pilatus in ipsa die : nam antea inimici erant ad invicem.
And Herod and Pilate were made friends, that same day: for before they were enemies one to another.
23:13 Pilatus autem, convocatis principibus sacerdotum, et magistratibus, et plebe,
And Pilate, calling together the chief priests and the magistrates and the people,
23:14 dixit ad illos : Obtulistis mihi hunc hominem, quasi avertentem populum, et ecce ego coram vobis interrogans, nullam causam inveni in homine isto ex his in quibus eum accusatis.
Said to them: You have presented unto me this man as one that perverteth the people. And behold I, having examined him before you, find no cause in this man, in those things wherein you accuse him.
* Footnote
* John
18 : 38
Pilate saith to him: What is truth? And when he said this, he went out again to the Jews and saith to them: I find no cause in him.
* Footnote
* John
19 : 4
Pilate therefore went forth again and saith to them: Behold, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in him.
23:15 Sed neque Herodes : nam remisi vos ad illum, et ecce nihil dignum morte actum est ei.
*H No, nor Herod neither. For, I sent you to him: and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to him.
Ver. 15. Nothing worthy of death is done to him. Herod has not treated him as a criminal, or one worthy of death. He only derided him as a fool: had there been any cause to punish him, he would not have failed to have done it himself, or commanded me to put him to death. Calmet.
23:16 Emendatum ergo illum dimittam.
*H I will chastise him therefore and release him.
Ver. 16. It was a very common punishment among the Jews to scourge those who had committed crimes for which death would have been too severe. According to the laws of the Hebrews, (Deut. xxv. 3.) the number of blows could not exceed thirty-nine. Pilate dares not condemn Jesus to death, because he believes him innocent; yet not to disoblige the people and magistrates, who demanded his death, he takes a middle way, which, as is usual in such cases, satisfies neither party. He neither saves the innocent Victim, nor satisfies justice. In lieu of one punishment, Jesus suffers two. He is at length both scourged and crucified. Calmet.
23:17 Necesse autem habebat dimittere eis per diem festum unum.
Now of necessity he was to release unto them one upon the feast day.
23:18 Exclamavit autem simul universa turba, dicens : Tolle hunc, et dimitte nobis Barabbam :
But the whole multitude together cried out, saying: Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas:
23:19 qui erat propter seditionem quamdam factam in civitate et homicidium missus in carcerem.
Who, for a certain sedition made in the city and for a murder, was cast into prison.
23:20 Iterum autem Pilatus locutus est ad eos, volens dimittere Jesum.
And Pilate again spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus.
23:21 At illi succlamabant, dicentes : Crucifige, crucifige eum.
But they cried again, saying: Crucify him, Crucify him.
23:22 Ille autem tertio dixit ad illos : Quid enim mali fecit iste ? nullam causam mortis invenio in eo : corripiam ergo illum et dimittam.
And he said to them the third time: Why, what evil hath this man done? I find no cause of death in him. I will chastise him therefore and let him go.
* Footnote
* Matthew
27 : 23
The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying: Let him be crucified.
* Footnote
* Mark
15 : 14
And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him.
23:23 At illi instabant vocibus magnis postulantes ut crucifigeretur : et invalescebant voces eorum.
But they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
23:24 Et Pilatus adjudicavit fieri petitionem eorum.
And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.
23:25 Dimisit autem illis eum qui propter homicidium et seditionem missus fuerat in carcerem, quem petebant : Jesum vero tradidit voluntati eorum.
And he released unto them him who for murder and sedition had been cast into prison, whom they had desired. But Jesus he delivered up to their will.
23:26 Et cum ducerent eum, apprehenderunt Simonem quemdam Cyrenensem venientem de villa : et imposuerunt illi crucem portare post Jesum.
And as they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country; and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus.
* Footnote
* Matthew
27 : 32
And going out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon: him they forced to take up his cross.
* Footnote
* Mark
15 : 21
And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross.
23:27 Sequebatur autem illum multa turba populi et mulierum, quae plangebant et lamentabantur eum.
And there followed him a great multitude of people and of women, who bewailed and lamented him.
23:28 Conversus autem ad illas Jesus, dixit : Filiae Jerusalem, nolite flere super me, sed super vos ipsas flete et super filios vestros.
*H But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves and for your children.
Ver. 28. Weep not over me. If you knew the evils that threaten and must soon fall upon your city, upon yourselves, and upon your children, you would preserve your tears to deplore your own misfortunes. My death is for the good of mankind; but it will be fatal to your nation because you have been pleased to make it so. In the ruin of Jerusalem, which is at hand, happy shall they be who have no children. They shall save themselves the grief of seeing their sons and daughters perish miserably, and in some sort of suffering as many deaths as they have children to die. Calmet.
23:29 Quoniam ecce venient dies in quibus dicent : Beatae steriles, et ventres qui non genuerunt, et ubera quae non lactaverunt.
For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren and the wombs that have not borne and the paps that have not given suck.
23:30 Tunc incipient dicere montibus : Cadite super nos ; et collibus : Operite nos.
Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us. And to the hills: Cover us.
* Footnote
* Isaias
2 : 19
And they shall go into the holes of rocks, and into the caves of the earth from the face of the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty, when he shall rise up to strike the earth.
* Footnote
* Osee
10 : 8
And the high places of the idol, the sin of Israel shall be destroyed: the bur and the thistle shall grow up over their altars: and they shall say to the mountains Cover us; and to the hills: Fall upon us.
* Footnote
* Apocalypse
6 : 16
And they say to the mountains and the rocks: Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.
23:31 Quia si in viridi ligno haec faciunt, in arido quid fiet ?
*H For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?
Ver. 31. In the green wood: by which are signified persons of virtue and sanctity; as by the dry wood, the wicked, who bring forth no fruit, and who, like dry wood, are fit to be cast into the fire. Wi. — If they be thus cruel with me, how will they treat you!
23:32 Ducebantur autem et alii duo nequam cum eo, ut interficerentur.
And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death.
23:33 Et postquam venerunt in locum qui vocatur Calvariae, ibi crucifixerunt eum : et latrones, unum a dextris, et alterum a sinistris.
*H And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there: and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Ver. 33. Called Calvary. A place at a small distance from Jerusalem, where condemned malefactors were beheaded. So Christ, as a malefactor, dies on Calvary for the redemption of all: that where sin abounded, grace might more abound. Ven. Bede. — In this mountain, according to the Hebrew doctors, were interred the remains of our protoparent, Adam. Athana.
* Footnote
* Matthew
27 : 33
And they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary.
* Footnote
* Mark
15 : 22
And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary.
23:34 Jesus autem dicebat : Pater, dimitte illis : non enim sciunt quid faciunt. Dividentes vero vestimenta ejus, miserunt sortes.
And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots.
23:35 Et stabat populus spectans, et deridebant eum principes cum eis, dicentes : Alios salvos fecit, se salvum faciat, si hic est Christus Dei electus.
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others: let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God.
23:36 Illudebant autem ei et milites accedentes, et acetum offerentes ei,
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
23:37 et dicentes : Si tu es rex Judaeorum, salvum te fac.
And saying: If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
23:38 Erat autem et superscriptio scripta super eum litteris graecis, et latinis, et hebraicis : Hic est rex Judaeorum.
And there was also a superscription written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
23:39 Unus autem de his, qui pendebant, latronibus, blasphemabat eum, dicens : Si tu es Christus, salvum fac temetipsum et nos.
And one of those robbers who were hanged blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
23:40 Respondens autem alter increpabat eum, dicens : Neque tu times Deum, quod in eadem damnatione es.
But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing; thou art under the same condemnation?
23:41 Et nos quidem juste, nam digna factis recipimus : hic vero nihil mali gessit.
And we indeed justly: for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man hath done no evil.
23:42 Et dicebat ad Jesum : Domine, memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum.
And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom.
23:43 Et dixit illi Jesus : Amen dico tibi : hodie mecum eris in paradiso.
*H And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.
Ver. 43. I say to thee: This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; i.e. in a place of rest with the souls of the just. The construction is not, I say to thee this day, &c., but, thou shalt be with me this day in the paradise. Wi. — In paradise. That is, in the happy state of rest, joy and peace everlasting. Christ was pleased by a special privilege, to reward the faith and confession of the penitent thief with a full discharge of all his sins, both as to the guilt and punishment, and to introduce him, immediately after death, into the happy society of the saints, whose limbo (that is, the place of their confinement) was now made a paradise by our Lord's going thither. Ch. — The soul of the good thief was that same day with Jesus Christ, in the felicity of the saints, in Abraham's bosom, or in heaven, where Jesus was always present by his divinity. S. Aug. — S. Cyril, of Jerusalem, says he entered heaven before all the patriarchs and prophets. S. Chrys. thinks that paradise was immediately open to him, and that he entered heaven the first mankind.—Tom. v. homil. 32.
23:44 Erat autem fere hora sexta, et tenebrae factae sunt in universam terram usque ad horam nonam.
And it was almost the sixth hour: and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
23:45 Et obscuratus est sol, et velum templi scissum est medium.
And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
23:46 Et clamans voce magna Jesus ait : Pater, in manus tuas commendo spiritum meum. Et haec dicens, expiravit.
And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he gave up the ghost.
* Footnote
* Psalms
30 : 6
Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth.
23:47 Videns autem centurio quod factum fuerat, glorificavit Deum, dicens : Vere hic homo justus erat.
Now, the centurion, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed this was a just man.
23:48 Et omnis turba eorum, qui simul aderant ad spectaculum istud, et videbant quae fiebant, percutientes pectora sua revertebantur.
And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight and saw the things that were done returned, striking their breasts.
23:49 Stabant autem omnes noti ejus a longe, et mulieres, quae secutae eum erant a Galilaea, haec videntes.
And all his acquaintance and the women that had followed him from Galilee stood afar off, beholding these things.
23:50 Et ecce vir nomine Joseph, qui erat decurio, vir bonus et justus :
And behold there was a man named Joseph who was a counsellor, a good and a just man,
* Footnote
* Matthew
27 : 57
And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus.
* Footnote
* Mark
15 : 43
Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus.
* Footnote
* John
19 : 38
And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (because he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews), besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave leave. He came therefore and took away the body of Jesus.
23:51 hic non consenserat consilio, et actibus eorum : ab Arimathaea civitate Judaeae, qui exspectabat et ipse regnum Dei :
*H (The same had not consented to their counsel and doings) of Arimathea, a city of Judea: who also himself looked for the kingdom of God.
Ver. 51. Arimathea. In other parts of Scripture it is called Ramatha, a city of Judea, where Samuel, the prophet, was born. Ven. Bede.
23:52 hic accessit ad Pilatum et petiit corpus Jesu :
*H This man went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus.
Ver. 52. This man went to Pilate. We may suppose that from his rank and condition in life, he had always access to Pilate.
23:53 et depositum involvit sindone, et posuit eum in monumento exciso, in quo nondum quisquam positus fuerat.
And taking him down, he wrapped him in fine linen and laid him in a sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid.
23:54 Et dies erat parasceves, et sabbatum illucescebat.
*H And it was the day of the Parasceve: and the sabbath drew on.
Ver. 54. Parasceve. That is, the eve or day of preparation for the sabbath. Ch. — And the sabbath drew near. Lit. shined. The sabbath began in the evening, at sunset. It may, perhaps, be said to shine by the moonlight, at full-moon, or because of a great many lights that used to be set up at that time, on account of the great sabbath. Wi. — We learn from Maimon, that all the Jews were so strictly bound to keep a light in their dwellings on the sabbath-day, that although a man had not bread to eat, he was expected to be from door to door, to purchase oil for his lamp. P.
23:55 Subsecutae autem mulieres, quae cum eo venerant de Galilaea, viderunt monumentum, et quemadmodum positum erat corpus ejus.
And the women that were come with him from Galilee, following after, saw the sepulchre and how his body was laid.
23:56 Et revertentes paraverunt aromata, et unguenta : et sabbato quidem siluerunt secundum mandatum.
And returning, they prepared spices and ointments: and on the sabbath day they rested, according to the commandment.