Luke 23:38

Luk_23:38

A superscription also was written over Him

The superscription affixed to the cross of Christ

It was the custom of the Romans, that the equity of their proceedings might more clearly appear when they crucified any man, to publish the cause of his death in a table written in capital letters, and placed over the head of the crucified.

And that there might be, at least, a show and face of justice in Christs death, He also shall have His title or superscription. The worst and most unrighteous actions labour to cover and shroud themselves under pretentions of equity. Sin is so shameful a thing that it cares not to own its name. Christ shall have a table written for Him also.

1. The character or description of Christ contained in that writing: The King of the Jews.

2. The person who drew His character or title. Pilate, who was His judge, becomes now His herald to proclaim His glory.

3. The time when this honour was done Him. When at the lowest ebb; amid shame and reproach.

I. THE NATURE AND QUALITY OF CHRISTS TITLE OR INSCRIPTION.

1. An extraordinary title. Instead of proclaiming Christs crime, it vindicates His innocence.

2. Public. Written in three languages.

3. Honourable. Thus the cross became a throne of majesty.

4. A vindicating title.

5. A predicting and presaging title.

6. An immutable title.

II. WHAT HAND THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE HAD IN THIS BUSINESS.

1. In overruling the heart and hand of Pilate in the draught and style of it, and that contrary to his own inclination.

2. Herein the wisdom of Providence was gloriously displayed, in applying a present, proper, public remedy to the reproaches and blasphemies which Christ had then newly received in His name and honour. The superstitious Jews wound Him, and heathen Pilate prepares a plaster to heal Him: they reproach, he vindicates; they throw the dirt, he washes it off. Oh, the profound and inscrutable wisdom of Providence!

3. Moreover, Providence eminently appeared at this time, in keeping so timorous a person, a man of so base a spirit, that would not stick at anything to please the people, from receding or giving ground in the least to their importunities.

4. Herein also much of the wisdom of Providence appeared, in casting the ignominy of the death of Christ upon those very men who ought to bear it. Pilate was moved by Divine instinct at once to clear Christ and accuse them.

5. The Providence of God wonderfully discovered itself (as before was noted) in fixing this title to the cross of Christ, when there was so great a confluence of all sorts of people to take notice

Inference

1. Hence it fellows that the Providence of our God can and often doth overrule the counsels and actions of the worst of men to His own glory. He is never at a loss for means to promote and serve His own ends.

2. Hence likewise it follows, that the greatest services performed to Christ accidentally and undesignedly, shall never be accepted nor rewarded of God. Pilate did Christ an eminent piece of service. He did that for Christ that not one of His own disciples at that time durst do; and yet this service was not accepted of God, because he did it not designedly for His glory, but from the mere overrulings of Providence.

3. Would not Pilate recede from what he had written on Christs behalf? How shameful a thing is it for Christians to retract what they have said or done on Christs behalf?

4. Did Pilate affix such an honourable, vindicating title to the cross? Then the cross of Christ is a dignified cross. How did the martyrs glory in their sufferings for Christ? Calling their chains of iron, chains of gold; and their manacles, bracelets. I remember it is storied of Ludovicus Marsacus, a knight of France, that when he, with divers other Christians of an inferior rank and degree in the world, were condemned to die for religion, and the jailor had bound them with chains, but did not bind him, being a more honourable person than the rest, he was offended greatly by that omission, and said, Why do you not honour me with a chain for Christ also, and create me a knight of that illustrious order?

5. Did Pilate so stiffly assert and defend the honour of Christ? What doubt can then be made of the success of Christs interest, and the prosperity of His cause, when the very enemies thereof are made to serve it? Rather than Christ shall want honour, Pilate, the man that condemned Him, shall do Him honour. And as it fared with His person, just so with His interest also.

6. Did Pilate vindicate Christ in drawing up such a title to be affixed to His cross, then hence it follows that God will, sooner or later, clear up the innocence and integrity of His people who commit their cause to Him. (J. Flavel.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 23:38. A superscription also was written over him, &c. — THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS — No transposition is necessary here: for Luke does not tell us when the superscription was written, so far is he from saying that it was written after Jesus was mocked. He only observes in general that there was a title placed over him, and by mentioning it together with the insults, insinuates that it was one of them. The Evangelist John has marked the particular time when the title was written and affixed, Luk 19:9. See notes on Mat 27:37-38.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23:38 The sign confirmed that Jesus was crucified on the charge of claiming to be the King of the Jews (cp. John 19:19-22).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 23:38. Ἦν δὲ καὶ, now there wets also) The mention of His Kingship joins the 37th and 38th verses.—γράμμασιν, in letters) There are still, to the present day, three languages in particular, to which they who learn and preach Christ are bound to devote their attention—Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.—Ἑβραϊκοῖς, Hebraic, of Hebrew) In Joh 19:20, the Hebrew is placed first in order. Luke enumerates the languages in the order in which Pilate had arranged them.[261] That order was [if one is disposed to admit of conjecture.—Harm., p. 567] Greek, Latin, Hebrew. John arranges them according to the custom of the Hebrews, in the order of their nature and dignity. Both however adopt that order, in which Christ and His cross and kingdom were subsequently preached. The beginning was made in the Hebrew tongue: in the last times the Hebrews shall have the first place (the most prominent part to fill). The Roman tongue never occupied the first place; nor is it destined, after the destruction of Rome, to remain in great vigour.

[261] Townson, in his Harmony of the Gospels, shows the probability that Matthew gave the Hebrew inscription, as in other particulars his Gospel has most of an Hebraic character, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Mark, in accordance with the Latin or Roman aspect of his Gospel, probably gave the Latin inscription, THE KING OF THE JEWS; and so no foreign word is found in this, supposing that this is the Latin. Pilate would scorn to introduce any word from another tongue in the inscription written in the language of dominant Rome. The brevity, too, accords with the genius both of the Latin and of the Evangelist’s own style. Luke follows Mark with This is (οὖτός ἐστιν, verse 35), brought down from above, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Thus the Greek is left for John, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. But Bengel’s view, given in the note, Joh 19:19, that the words were the same in the three languages, is perhaps more probable. See his note.—E. and T.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 23:38 . ἐπʼ αὐτῷ , over Him, i.e. , above His head; or in reference to Him (Bleek). The ἐπιγραφὴ is viewed by Lk. as also an insult, crowning the others ( ἦν δὲ καὶ ), to which answers its form as in W. and H [199] : ὁ βασιλεὺς τ . Ἰ . οὗτος = the King of the Jews this (crucified person).

[199] Westcott and Hort.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pilate at unawares is made a preacher of the kingdom of Christ.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 38. A superscription] See Mt 27:37.

ln letters of Greek, and Latin and Hebrew] The inscription was written in all these languages, which were the most common, that all might see the reason why he was put to death. The inscription was written in Greek, on account of the Hellenistic Jews, who were then at Jerusalem because of the passover; it was written in Latin, that being the language of the government under which he was crucified; and it was written in Hebrew, that being the language of the place in which this deed of darkness was committed. But, by the good providence of God, the inscription itself exculpated him, and proved the Jews to be rebels against, and murderers of, their king. See Clarke on Mt 27:37. It is not to be wondered at that they wished Pilate to alter this inscription, Joh 19:21, as it was a record of their infamy.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(38) And a superscription.—See Note on Mat_27:38.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

38. a superscription] A tilulus written in black letters on a board smeared with white gypsum, and therefore very conspicuous. To put such a board over the head of a crucified person was the ordinary custom. The jeers of the soldiers were aimed at the Jews in general quite as much as at the Divine Sufferer; and these jeers probably first opened the eyes of the priests to the way in which Pilate had managed to insult them.

in letters of Greeks and Latin, and Hebrew] This is omitted in א, B, L, and some ancient versions, though the fact is undoubted from Joh_19:20. Thus the three great languages of the ancient world—the languages of Culture, of Empire, and of Religion—bore involuntary witness to Christ.

This is the King of the Jews] The superscription is given differently by each Evangelist. St Luke perhaps gives the peculiarly scornful Latin form. “Rex Judaeorum hie est.” The other Evangelists give

This is Jesus the King of the Jews. Mat_27:37.

The King of the Jews. Mar_15:26.

Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. Joh_19:19.

Although no serious and sensible writer would dream of talking about ‘a discrepancy’ here, it is very probable that the differences arise from the different forms assumed by the Title in the three languages. We may then assume that the Title over the Cross was as follows:

ישו הנצרי מלך היהודים: John.

Ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.: Mark.

Rex Judaeorum hic est.: Luke.

It will be seen that St Matthew’s is an accurate combination of the three, not one of which was an accusation.

It was only while the Priests were deriding Christ that it began to dawn on them that Pilate, even in angrily yielding to their violent persistence, had avenged himself in a way which they could not resent, by a deadly insult against them and their nation. This was their King, and this was how they had treated Him. Thus our Lord reigned even on His Cross, according to the curious old reading of Psa_96:10, ἐβασίλευσεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου (LXX.), Regnavit a ligno. (See Life of Christ, 1.12, n.) For the attempt of the Priests to get the superscription altered

In refusing it Pilate shewed the insolence and obstinacy which Philo attributes to him. The actual title was a glorious testimony to Jesus and an awful reproach to the Jews. Psa_2:6. Thus His Cross becomes, as St Ambrose says, His trophy; the gibbet of the Malefactor becomes the feretrum—the spoil-bearing sign of triumph—of the Victor. See this alluded to in Col_2:14-15. (Life of St Paul, II. 461.)

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he said unto Jesus, Lord,.... Acknowledging him to be the Messiah, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; the Lord of all, and especially of his church and people, and his own Lord. So the Syriac and Persic versions read, "my Lord": however, he said this by the Spirit of God, who enlightened his understanding, and wrought faith in him to believe in Christ; see Co1 12:3 "remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom"; or rather in thy kingdom, as in Mat 16:28 for this man had not only faith in the kingdom of Christ, as being of a spiritual nature, and not of this world, and not coming with outward pomp and observation; in which respect his faith exceeded that of the apostles themselves, who were looking for, and expecting a temporal kingdom; and he not only was without all doubt, or scruple, about Christ's entering into his kingdom and glory after death, but he had knowledge of, and faith in his second coming, when his glorious kingdom should appear, or his kingdom appear in glory; and when he desired he might be remembered by him, have favour shown him, and he share in the glories and happiness of it. This was great faith indeed to be exercised on Christ at such a time as this, when he was under the greatest reproach and ignominy; while he was insulted and derided by all sorts of people; and when he was forsaken by his own apostles, and was suffering a shameful punishment, and now dying.

for this man had not only faith in the kingdom of Christ, as being of a spiritual nature, and not of this world, and not coming with outward pomp and observation; in which respect his faith exceeded that of the apostles themselves, who were looking for, and expecting a temporal kingdom; and he not only was without all doubt, or scruple, about Christ's entering into his kingdom and glory after death, but he had knowledge of, and faith in his second coming, when his glorious kingdom should appear, or his kingdom appear in glory; and when he desired he might be remembered by him, have favour shown him, and he share in the glories and happiness of it. This was great faith indeed to be exercised on Christ at such a time as this, when he was under the greatest reproach and ignominy; while he was insulted and derided by all sorts of people; and when he was forsaken by his own apostles, and was suffering a shameful punishment, and now dying.

Luke 23:43

luk 23:43

luk 23:43

luk 23:43And Jesus said unto him,.... Jesus immediately answered him, though he said not one word to the other that railed at him, or to the multitude that abused him; and promised him more than he asked for, and sooner than he expected.

Verily I say unto thee, today thou shall be with me in paradise; , "in the garden of Eden"; not the earthly paradise, nor the church militant, but the future place, and state of the happiness of the saints, even heaven, and eternal glory, which the Jews frequently call by this name; See Gill on Co2 12:4 and is so called, because, as the earthly paradise, or Eden's garden, was of God's planting, so is the heavenly glory of his providing and preparing: as that was a place of delight and pleasure, so here are pleasures for evermore; as there was a river in it, which added to the delightfulness and advantage of it, so here runs the river of God's love, the streams whereof make glad the saints now, and will be a broad river to swim in to all eternity: as there were the tree of life, with a variety of other trees, both for delight and profit, so here, besides Christ, the tree of life, which stands in the midst of it, are an innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect: and as the inhabitants of that garden were pure and innocent creatures, so into this paradise shall nothing enter but what is righteous, pure, and holy: and whereas the principal enjoyment of man in Eden was conversation with God, and communion with him, the glory of the heavenly paradise will lie in fellowship with God, Father, Son, and Spirit, in beholding the face of God, and seeing him as he is: and this is the happiness promised by Christ to the penitent and believing thief, that he should be here; and not only so, but with him here, which is far better than being in this world, and than which nothing can be more desirable: and which, when enjoyed, will be for ever: and this he was to enter upon that very day; which shows, that Christ's soul did not descend into hell, locally and literally considered, or into the "Limbus Patrum", the Papists talk of, to fetch the souls of the patriarchs thence, but as soon as it was separated from the body was taken up into heaven; and also, that the souls of departed saints are immediately, upon their separation from the body, there; which was the case of this wonderful instance of the grace of God; and shows the swiftness of the soul, or the velocity of angels in conveying it thither immediately: and this agrees with the sense of the Jews, who say (b), that

"the souls of the fathers, or patriarchs have rest, and in a moment, immediately enter into their separate places, or apartments, and not as the rest of the souls; of whom it is said, all the twelve months the soul ascends and descends, (goes to and fro,) but the souls of the fathers, , "immediately, upon their separation", return to God that gave them.''

Some would remove the stop, and place it after "today", and read the words thus, "I say unto thee today"; as if Christ only signified the time when he said this, and not when the thief should be with him in paradise; which, besides it being senseless, and impertinent, and only contrived to serve an hypothesis, is not agreeably to Christ's usual way of speaking, and contrary to all copies and versions. Moreover, in one of Beza's exemplars it is read, "I say unto thee, that today thou shalt be with me", &c. and so the Persic and Ethiopic versions seem to read, which destroys this silly criticism. And because this was a matter of great importance, and an instance of amazing grace, that so vile a sinner, one of the chief of sinners, should immediately enter into the kingdom of God, and enjoy uninterrupted, and everlasting communion with him and that it might not be a matter of doubt with him, or others, Christ, who is the "Amen", the faithful witness, and truth itself, prefaces it after this manner: "verily I say unto thee"; it is truth, it may be depended on. This instance of grace stands on record, not to cherish sloth, indolence, security and presumption, but to encourage faith and hope in sensible sinners, in their last moments, and prevent despair. The Papists pretend to know this man's name; they say his name was Disma; and reckon him as a martyr, and have put him in the catalogue of saints, and fixed him on the "twenty fifth" of March.

(The story of the penitent thief has sometimes been considered the most surprising, the most suggestive, the most instructive incident in all the Gospel narrative. ... In the salvation of one of the thieves \@@vital\@@ \@@theology finds one of its finest demonstrations.\@@

\@@Sacrementalism was refuted,\@@ for the thief was saved without recourse to baptism, the Lord's Supper, church, ceremony, or good works.

\@@The dogma of purgatory was refuted,\@@ for this vile sinner was instantly transformed into a saint and made fit for paradise apart from his personal expiation of a single sin.

\@@The teaching of universalism was refuted,\@@ for only one was saved of all who might have been saved. Jesus did not say, "Today shall ye be with me in paradise", but "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

\@@The notion of soul-sleep was refuted,\@@ for the clear implication of the entire incident is that the redeemed thief would be in conscious fellowship with his Saviour in paradise even while his body disintegrated in some grave.

Too, it is doubtful whether any other gospel incident presents the plan of salvation more clearly or simply.--Dr. Charles R. Erdman)

(b) Tzeror Hammor, fol. 58. 4.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Ver. 38. Greek, Latin, and Hebrew] This venerable eulogy and epitaph, set upon our Saviour’s cross, proclaimed him King of all religion, having reference to the Hebrews; of all wisdom, to the Greeks; of all power, to the Latins.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

38. Letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew—The Greek was the universal language of literature; the Latin was the language of the Roman empire; the Hebrew (being the Aramean or Chaldee-Syriac) was spoken vernacularly by the Jews. The rabbins say there are three most perfect languages: the Roman for battle, the Greek for conversation, the Syriac for prayers.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. The older authorities omit "in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew," but the fact is indisputable, for we read the same statement in Joh_19:20, where in the older authorities the order of the titles is, "in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek." Such multilingual inscriptions were common in the great provincial cities of the empire, where so many nationalities were wont to congregate. The four reports of the inscriptions slightly differ verbally, not substantially. Pilate probably (see note on ver. 33, on effect of accurate rendering of Joh_19:19, "and Pilate wrote a title also") wrote a rough draft with his own hand, "Rex Ju-daeorum hic est." One of the officials translated freely into Hebrew and Greek the Roman governor"s Latin memorandum of what he desired to have written in black on the white gypsum-smeared board to be affixed to the upper arm of the cross. yrxnh w (John). O basileuwn (Mark). Rex Judaeorum hic est (Luke).

Dr. Farrar suggests that the title over the cross was as above. St. Matthew"s is an accurate combination of the three, and was not improbably, as a combination of the three inscriptions, the common form reproduced in the first oral Gospel.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matt. xxvii, 37; Mark xv, 26; John xix, 19.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

38. [γράμμασιν … Ἑβραϊκοῖς.] Perhaps added from Joh 19:20. It is wanting in BL, Copt. Sah[393] Curetonian Syriac &c.

[393] Sah. Sahidic Version.

οὗτος. אBL. There are several slight variations.

38. ἐπιγραφή. A titulus written in black letters on a board smeared with white gypsum, and therefore very conspicuous. To put such a board over the head of a crucified person was the ordinary custom. The jeers of the soldiers were aimed at the Jews in general quite as much as at the Divine Sufferer; and these jeers probably first opened the eyes of the priests to the way in which Pilate had managed to insult them.

[γράμμασιν Ἑλληνικοῖς καὶ Ῥωμαϊκοῖς καὶ Ἑβραϊκοῖς.] This is omitted in אBL, and some ancient versions. The fact is undoubted from Joh 19:20. Thus the three great languages of the ancient world—the languages of Culture, of Empire, and of Religion—bore involuntary witness to Christ.

Ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὗτος. The superscription is given differently by each Evangelist. St Luke perhaps gives the peculiarly scornful Latin form. “Rex Judaeorum hic est.” The other Evangelists give

This is Jesus the King of the Jews. Mat 27:37.

The King of the Jews. Mar 15:26.

Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews. Joh 19:19.

Although no serious and sensible writer would dream of talking about ‘a discrepancy’ here, it is very probable that the differences arise from the different forms assumed by the Title in the three languages. We may then assume that the Title over the Cross was as follows:

ישו הנצרי מלך היהודים

John.

Ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

Mark.

Rex Judaeorum hic est.

Luke.

It will be seen that St Matthew’s is an accurate combination of the three, not one of which was an accusation.

It was only while the Priests were deriding Christ that it began to dawn on them that Pilate, even in angrily yielding to their persistence, had avenged himself in a way which they could not resent, by a deadly insult against them and their nation. This was their King, and this was how they had treated Him. Thus our Lord reigned even on His Cross, according to the curious old reading of Psa 96:10, ἐβασίλευσεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου (LXX[408]), Regnavit a ligno. (See Life of Christ, I. 12, n.) For the attempt of the Priests to get the superscription altered see Joh 19:21-22. In refusing it Pilate shewed the insolence and obstinacy which Philo attributes to him. The actual title was a glorious testimony to Jesus and an awful reproach to the Jews. Psa 2:6. Thus His Cross becomes, as St Ambrose says, His trophy; the gibbet of the Malefactor becomes the feretrum—the spoil-bearing sign of triumph—of the Victor. See this alluded to in Col 2:14-15. (Life of St Paul, II. 461.)

[408] LXX. Septuagint.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

38.] See on Matt. ver. 37.

ἐπʼ αὐτῷ, over Him, on the projecting upright beam of the cross.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Superstition. See on Mr 14:26.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.