the second to have assembled about an hour later, we may then readily suppose Jesus to have been taken to Pilate between five and six o'clock-a little before sun-rising.

§ 177. Newcome, Robinson, Strong, and others place THE REMORSE AND DEATH OF JUDAS after the condemnation of Jesus by Pilate, § 181. There is no necessity, however, of changing the order of Matthew, in whose Gospel alone the repentance of Judas is found. When he learned the condemnation of Jesus by the Sanhedrim, he doubtless regarded his death certain. He very probably saw him led forth to Pilate. Guilt and remorse would naturally lead him to forebode the greatest evils. With Lightfoot, Greswell, Tischendorf, Ellicott, Lange, and others, I therefore place this section here, after the condemnation of Jesus by the Jewish council.

The words, "This man purchased," Acts 1: 18, have a causative sense, meaning, gave occasion for the purchase, etc. Matthew (27:5) states how he came to his death by hanging himself; Peter, in the Acts, describes the frightful condition in which his body was found. The rope, or limb of a tree, may have broken, and he thus falling may have burst open his abdo

men.

§ 178. All the Evangelists again unite. The next section, placed by Luke before the offer to release Jesus or Barabbas, shows that this was the FIRST ARRAIGNMENT OF JESUS BEFORE PILATE. On John 18: 28, see note § 159 (3), p. 299.

179. The natural position of this section (JESUS BEFORE HEROD); see preceding note. On this harmonists are generally agreed. The enmity which had existed between Herod and Pilate may have arisen or been strengthened by the slaughter of the Galileans, Luke 13: 1.

§ 180. The PROPOSAL IN REFERENCE TO BARABBAS appears to come first from Pilate, according to Matthew, but first from the people, according to Luke. Mark seems to solve the difficulty by representing the multitude as making the general request, and Pilate the particular application. Harmonists are generally agreed upon the position of this and the next section. On washing the hands, compare Deut. 21: 6; Psa. 26: 6.

§ 181. JESUS SCOURGED AND MOCKED. The robe appears to have been the usual scarlet cloak worn by soldiers. The scarlet or crimson of Matthew (2728) and the purple of Mark (15: 17) and John (19: 2) seem to have been both expressive of shades of red, and nearly synonymous.

On John 19: 14, "The preparation of the Passover," see note on § 159 14), p. 299. In the same verse John says, "about the sixth hour," whereas

Mark (1525) says that the hour of crucifixion was "the third hour." The statement of Mark is in harmony with the early arraignment of Jesus before Pilate, and with the whole course of events that morning. Besides, according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the darkness commenced at the sixth hour, $ 184. The difficulty may be solved:

First. By supposing sixth in John to be an early error of transcription for third, arising from the similarity of the Greek numeral letters. This reading (third) is supported by some, though by no means decisive, manuscript authority. This is an ancient supposition, and is adopted by Robinson, Olshausen, and others.

Second. By supposing the hour of crucifixion to have been between the two broad divisions, the third and sixth hours, and that Mark speaks of one and John of the other terminus. Mark may have viewed the scourging as a part of the crucifixion; and John's mind may have been led especially to the sixth hour, which was peculiarly sacred to the Jews on Sabbath and festival days. This view is adopted or favored by Lange, Ellicott, and others.

Third. By supposing that John adopted the Roman mode of reckoning the day from midnight to midnight. "About the sixth hour," then, may mean between six and seven o'clock in the morning, which certainly agrees well with the course of events as related by all the Evangelists. The events after this, the preparation for crucifixion, the leading Jesus to Golgotha, and the crucifixion itself, could have taken up an hour or two, so that the third hour specified by Mark may thus be easily harmonized. This view is held by Wieseler, Greswell, and others. There seems to be internal evidence elsewhere in John's Gospel that he adopted the common Roman reckoning. Thus, in John 1: 39, "the tenth hour" accords better with ten o'clock A.M. than four P.M. The introduction of the two disciples "on the morrow” (John 1: 35), and the statement, "they abode with him that day," accord better with the morning hour. So also in chapter 4 : 6, "the sixth hour," six P.M. (numbering the hours from mid-day as well as from midnight, and not exceeding the number twelve), agrees remarkably with our Lord's weariness from his journey, and the time, instead of noon, when the woman would naturally come forth to draw water. So also in chapter 4: 52, seven P.M. may be said to agree better with the circumstances and probable distance between Cana and Capernaum. This view also accords with the fact that John wrote for the people (primarily for the Christians) of Asia Minor, and that they were largely unacquainted with and unaccustomed to the Jewish mode of reckoning. See Dr. William Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, American edition, articles "Jesus Christ," and "Hour."

While I admit that the difficulty in question may be solved by either of these three suppositions, my own mind at the time of writing inclines to the last. See Note on § 196, last paragraph.

§ 182. Between this (JESUS LED TO CRUCIFIXION) and the preceding sec tion, Robinson and others place the account of Judas' repentance and suicide. Its better position is that given by Matthew himself. See note on § 177.

§ 183. THE CRUCIFIXION. On the third hour, Mark 15 : 25, see note on § 181.

The different forms of the title on the cross may be explained by the twofold fact that the title was written in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew; and that the Evangelists often give the expressions of Christ and others according to the sense.

Seven scoffs around the cross are recorded: two by the multitude, three by the rulers, one by the soldiers, and one by the malefactors.

According to Matthew and Mark, both malefactors reviled Jesus, while according to Luke (23: 40) one was penitent. Both at first may have joined in the general mockery around the cross; but one of them, impressed with the manner he bore his sufferings, and the revilings of his enemies, and convinced of his innocence and Messiahship, afterward repented. Robinson and others suppose that Matthew and Mark put the plural for the singular. This is allowable, especially where the writer expresses his idea generally. Compare Matt. 9:8; 27: 48; and John 19: 29.

§ 184. JESUS EXPIRES ON THE CROSS. Eli, in Matt. 27: 46, is the Hebrew, and Eloi, in Mark 15: 34, is the Aramaan, or the colloquial language of the Jews for My God.

The vinegar was the sour wine and water, the ordinary drink of the Roman soldiers. This was extended to Jesus upon a stalk of hyssop, Matt. 27: 48; Mark 15: 36; John 19: 29.

The seven sayings of Jesus upon the cross may be arranged as follows: (1) Luke 23: 34; (2) Luke 23: 43; (3) John 19: 26; (4) Matt. 27: 46; (5) John 1928; (6) John 19: 30; (7) Luke 23: 46.

§ 185. THE BODY TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND BURIED. The Evangelists, in their narratives, leave no doubt concerning the position of this and the three preceding sections. In this also harmonists are generally agreed.

On John 19: 31, "That Sabbath-day was a high day," see note on § 159 (5), p. 300.

Josephus is in harmony with the inspired records when he says (Jewish War, iv. 5, 2), "So great care did the Jews take respecting sepulchre, that even the bodies of those condemned to be crucified they took down and buried before sunset."

§ 186. This request, for MAKING SECURE THE SEPULCHRE, it appears,

was made upon the Sabbath, the 16th of Nisan, April 8th, A.D. 30. The watch probably took their places at or near the close of the Sabbath, the sunset commencing the first day of the week. It was the third day about which the chief priests and elders were anxious.

PART VIII.

CHRIST'S RESURRECTION, HIS SUBSEQUENT APPEARANCES, AND HIS ASCENSION.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

MANY difficulties have presented themselves to those endeavoring to harmonize this portion of Gospel history. These have arisen from the brevity of the several accounts of Christ's resurrection, and from the fact that the inspired writers have selected different appearances from a very large number which doubtless occurred during the forty days previous to his ascension. It can not be shown that the Evangelists contradict one another in a single statement, and the several plausible ways in which harmonists have harmonized these accounts show that there are no insurmountable differences in these accounts. The most that can be done is to give the most probable arrangement and sequence of events. If we knew more of the incidents in detail, and probably but a few would be necessary, then we could speak positively upon every portion of the narrative.

From a very careful and protracted study of this subject, I would present the following summary of events connected with our Lord's resurrection and ascension, in their most probable order of occurrence.

The resurrection took place at the early dawn of the first day of the week, about the time that the women started for the sepulchre with spices to embalm the body of Jesus. On their way to the sepulchre, the women inquire among themselves who shall remove the stone from the door of the sepulchre. They approach the sepulchre just after the watch have sufficiently recovered from their fright to flee from the scene of their terror. The women, at their first view of the sepulchre, see the stone rolled away; and Mary Magdalene, quick to suspect evil, runs back, and in a few minutes reports to Peter and John that the body of Jesus had been taken away, and they both run in excitement to the tomb. But to return. After Mary Magdalene ran back to the city, the other women approach the sepulchre, view the rolled-away stone, enter the tomb, look through it, and, finding not the body of Jesus, are greatly perplexed, They can not explain why the

body should not be there, or how it could have been taken away when there were no signs of its being stolen, but the orderly condition of every thing implied the contrary. But while in this perplexed state of mind, they are favored with the vision of the angels. They flee from the sepulchre in great fear and amazement, to bring indeed the disciples word, yet scarcely knowing whither they went. They had but just departed as John and Peter near the sepulchre, followed at a little distance by Mary Magdalene. Peter and John enter in, and find it empty; but the orderly arrangement of the graveclothes and of the napkin convinced John that the body had not been stolen, and he believed that the prediction of Jesus, that he should rise the third day, had been in some way miraculously fulfilled. They immediately return to the city. In the mean time, Mary Magdalene had come to the sepulchre, and just after the departure of Peter and John, she looks in and sees the angels; then turns around and sees Jesus. The women, who had fled from the sepulchre, recovering from their fright, are now hastening on their way to the city, and Jesus meets them. Mary Magdalene also returning, simultaneously, or very nearly so, enters the city with them, and they tell the disciples what they had seen. But while they were going into the city, to report to the disciples, some of the guard had so far recovered from their terror as to decide about what to do, and were now going into the city to report the occurrences, to the chief priests.

How naturally these events may have occurred in this order, as proposed, may be seen from the following scheme:

Ho. Min.

The women, viewing the sepulchre, are perplexed,

Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene,

The other women, recovering themselves, hasten toward the city,
Jesus meets them,

Mary Magdalene and the other women enter the city,
Some of the guard enter the city,

This table might be variously arranged, according to the time fixed upon for the resurrection and earthquake, the supposed distance from the disci ples in the city to the sepulchre, and the time the women set out with their