Matthew Henry

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat on the judgment seat at a place called the Stone Pavement, which in Hebrew is Gabbatha.

“Paul might the better stand at Cæsar's judgment-seat when his Master had stood there before him. [2.] Notice is here taken of the place and time.”

It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about the sixth hour. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Here is your King!”

“This is mentioned as an aggravation of their sin, in persecuting Christ with so much malice and fury, that it was when they should have been purging out the old leaven, to get ready for the passover; but the better the day the worse the…”

Then Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified, and the soldiers took Him away.

“How Christ was made sin for us. We deserved to have been condemned, but Christ was condemned for us, that to us there might be no condemnation.”

Carrying His own cross, He went out to The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.

“Now Christ's carrying his cross may be considered, (1.) As a part of his sufferings; he endured the cross literally. It was a long and thick piece of timber that was necessary for such a use, and some think it was neither seasoned nor hewn.”

There they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.

“But thus the scripture was fulfilled, He was numbered among the transgressors. He did not die at the altar among the sacrifices, nor mingle his blood with that of bulls and goats; but he died among the criminals, and mingled his blood with theirs who…”

Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

“The love of Christ will constrain us more than any thing to abound in duty. (2.) He that was cast behind was Peter, who had denied his Master, and was in sorrow and shame for it, and this clogged him as a weight; sense of…”

Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

“Lazarus came out with his grave-clothes on, for he was to use them again; but Christ, rising to an immortal life, came out free from those incumbrances.”

For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.

“The Old Testament spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah; they believed him to be the Messiah; he himself had often told them that, according to the scriptures of the Old Testament, he should rise again; but they had not presence of mind sufficient by…”

Then the disciples returned to their homes.

“They went away, (1.) For fear of being taken up upon suspicion of a design to steal away the body, or of being charged with it now that it was gone Instead of improving their faith, their care is to secure themselves, to shift for…”

and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.

“(3.) Their array: They were in white, denoting, [1.] Their purity and holiness. The best of men standing before the angels, and compared with them, are clothed in filthy garments ( Zech. iii.”

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not recognize that it was Jesus.

“Note, First, The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart ( Ps. xxxiv. 18 ), nearer than they are aware. Those that seek Christ, though they do not see him, may yet be sure he is not far from them.”

“Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have…

“It should seem, this was the first word Christ spoke after his resurrection: " Why weepest thou? I am risen." The resurrection of Christ has enough in it to ally all our sorrows, to check the streams, and dry up the fountains, of our tears.”

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus.

“Christ's time of making himself known to his people is when they are most at a loss. When they think they have lost themselves, he will let them know that they have not lost him.”

So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered.

“He asks as a tender father concerning his children whether they be provided with that which is fit for them, that if they be not, he may take care for their supply. Note, The Lord is for the body, 1 Cor. vi.”

He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”

“When their ingenuity and industry failed them, the power of Christ came in opportunely for their relief; for he would take care that those who had left all for him should not want any good thing. When we are most at a loss, Jehovah--jireh. [3.]”

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

“He whom Jesus loved was the first that said, It is the Lord; for those whom Christ loves he will in a special manner manifest himself to: his secret is with his favourites.”

Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore.

“It is said of the slothful man that he roasteth not that which he took in hunting; he cannot find in his heart to dress what he has been at the pains to take, Prov. xii.”

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish.

“(1.) The entertainment here was but ordinary; it was only a fish-dinner, and coarsely dressed; here was nothing pompous, nothing curious; plentiful indeed, but plain and homely. Hunger is the best sauce.”

Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?”

“(3.) Three times Christ committed the care of his flock to Peter: Feed my lambs; feed my sheep; feed my sheep. [1.] Those whom Christ committed to Peter's care were his lambs and his sheep.”