John Gill

And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed,

“And he was withdrawn from them,.... That is, from the three disciples, Peter, James, and John, whom he took along with him, leaving the rest at some further distance; and from these he removed, about a stone's cast; fifty, or sixty feet from the place…”

“Why are you sleeping?” He asked. “Get up and pray so that you will not enter into temptation.”

“And said unto them, why sleep ye?.... The Arabic version prefaces this with these words, "and he awaked them"; and then rebuked them for sleeping, adding, rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation; together with words recorded in Mat 26:45.”

Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”

“When they which were about him,.... That is, the eleven disciples that were about Christ, and with him in the garden: saw what would follow; that their Lord and master was about to be betrayed by Judas, and would be seized, and carried away by…”

And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

“And one of them smote the servant of the high priest,.... The person that drew his sword, and performed this daring action, not waiting for an answer from Christ, was Peter, and the high priest's servant, that he smote, was Malchus; both which we learn…”

The men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.

“And the men that held Jesus,.... Whilst he was before the sanhedrim; and were either the Roman soldiers, or the servants of the high priest, who kept hold of him all the while, lest he should get away; though there was no reason for it…”

They blindfolded Him and kept demanding, “Prophesy! Who hit You?”

“And when they had blindfolded him,.... Or put a veil, or linen cloth over his eyes, as children do at play, to make themselves some sport with him: they struck him on the face; on that part of it which was not covered, either with…”

And they said many other blasphemous things against Him.

“And many other things blasphemously spake they,.... As denying and ridiculing his deity, and divine sonship; mocking at, and burlesquing his offices, of prophet, priest, and king; asserting him to be a mere man, and a very wicked one; a profane sinner, a glutton, and…”

“If You are the Christ, tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe.

“Saying, art thou the Christ,.... The Messiah, promised and prophesied of by Moses, and all the prophets, and long expected by us: "tell us". The Ethiopic version adds, openly; tell us frankly, freely, plainly, as in Joh 10:24.”

But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

“Hereafter shall the son of man,.... Meaning himself, who was truly man, and then in a low and mean form, and thought by the Jews to be a mere man; though this character was known by them to belong to the Messiah, especially what follows…”

“Why do we need any more testimony?” they declared. “We have heard it for ourselves from His own lips.”

“And they said,.... That is, the council, as the Persic version reads; some of the members of the sanhedrim, or the whole body of them: what need we any further witness?”

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”

“Then said Pilate to the Chief priests, and to the people,.... Both to the sanhedrim, and to the mob that were gathered together about the governor's palace on this occasion; and who were standing without the judgment hall, into which they would not enter, lest…”

But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.”

“And they were the more fierce,.... Or urgent to have him put to death; so the Hebrew word חזק is rendered in Exo 12:33 which answers to that here used.”

Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him.

“And the chief priests and Scribes,.... The sanhedrim that followed him from Pilate's hall, to Herod's palace; fearing, lest Herod should be disposed to let him go, should he gratify him by working a miracle: stood; before Herod; so witnesses, and accusers, used to do…”

Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”

“I will therefore chastise him,.... Give him some correction, as by scourging, or beating with rods: this he proposed, not because he thought him deserving of it, but in complaisance to the Jews; since it would look as if their charges were not altogether weak…”

“For of necessity he must release one,.... And therefore proposed to release Jesus unto them at the feast; of passover, which now was; not that there was any law that obliged to it, but it having been customary with the Roman governor to do so…”

Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,

“Pilate therefore willing to release Jesus,.... Being more and more convinced of his innocence; and still seeing more clearly into the wickedness, malice, and envy of his accusers; and having received a message from his wife: spake again to them; putting it again to them…”

As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and handed Jesus over to their will.

“And he released unto them, him,.... Barabbas, who is not named, as being a detestable person, and unworthy to be named; and is therefore described by the infamous, though just character of him, as follows: that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, as…”

Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’

“For behold the days are coming,.... The time is hastening on; yet a little while, a few years more, and such times of distress will be: in the which they shall say; or it shall be commonly said; it will be in every one's mouth…”

When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.

“And when they were come to the place which was called Calvary,.... Or Cranion, which signifies a skull; so called from the skulls of persons that lay about, who were executed.”

The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.

“And the soldiers also mocked him,.... The Roman soldiers, to whom the execution was committed, who crucified him, and parted his garments, and stood at his cross watching; these joined in the insult, which is not to be wondered at.”

And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

“And 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.”

The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.

“And the sun was darkened,.... There was an eclipse of it, which was preternatural, it being now full moon, and lasted three hours, and so total, as to darken the whole earth; and now was the prophecy in Amo 8:9 literally fulfilled: and the vail…”

Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.

“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,.... A second time; for at the first loud cry, he uttered these words, "Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani"; and at the second what follows; see Mat 27:46. See Gill on Mat 27:47. See Gill on Mat 27:48.”

When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

“Now when the centurion saw what was done,.... The eclipse of the sun, the darkness upon the land, the earthquake, the rocks rent, and Jesus expire in so uncommon a manner: he glorified God; by confessing that Christ was the Son of God, and declaring…”

Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man,

“And behold, there was a man named Joseph,.... See Gill on Mat 27:57. a counsellor; Mark says, he was an "honourable" one; he was either one of the council of the high priest, or a member of the great sanhedrim; See Gill on Mar 15:43.”