Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 27].
night, scourging, have made the flesh weak" (Bruce). Yes, and the
burden of sin of the world that was breaking his heart. {His
cross} (\ton stauron autou\). Jesus had used the term cross about
himself (16:24). It was a familiar enough picture under Roman
rule. Jesus had long foreseen and foretold this horrible form of
death for himself (Mt 20:19; 23:24; 26:2). He had heard the cry
of the mob to Pilate that he be crucified (27:22) and Pilate's
surrender (27:26) and he was on the way to the Cross (27:31).
There were various kinds of crosses and we do not know precisely
the shape of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified, though
probably the one usually presented is correct. Usually the victim
was nailed (hands and feet) to the cross before it was raised and
it was not very high. The crucifixion was done by the soldiers
(27:35) in charge and two robbers were crucified on each side
of Jesus, three crosses standing in a row (27:38).
27:33 {Golgotha} (\Golgotha\). Chaldaic or Aramaic _Gulgatha_,
Hebrew _Gulgoleth_, place of a skull-shaped mount, not place of
skulls. Latin Vulgate _Calvariae locus_, hence our Calvary.
Tyndale misunderstood it as a place of dead men's skulls. Calvary
or Golgotha is not the traditional place of the Holy Sepulchre in
Jerusalem, but a place outside of the city, probably what is now
called Gordon's Calvary, a hill north of the city wall which from
the Mount of Olives looks like a skull, the rock-hewn tombs
resembling eyes in one of which Jesus may have been buried.
27:34 {Wine mingled with gall} (\oinon meta chol•s memigmenon\).
Late MSS. read {vinegar} (\oxos\) instead of wine and Mark (Mr
15:23) has myrrh instead of gall. The myrrh gave the sour wine a
better flavour and like the bitter gall had a narcotic and
stupefying effect. Both elements may have been in the drink which
Jesus tasted and refused to drink. Women provided the drink to
deaden the sense of pain and the soldiers may have added the gall
to make it disagreeable. Jesus desired to drink to the full the
cup from his Father's hand (Joh 18:11).
27:36 {Watched him there} (\et•roun auton ekei\). Imperfect tense
descriptive of the task to prevent the possibility of rescue or
removal of the body. These rough Roman soldiers casting lots over
the garments of Christ give a picture of comedy at the foot of
the Cross, the tragedy of the ages.
27:37 {His accusation} (\t•n aitian autou\). The title (\titlos\,
Joh 19:19) or placard of the crime (the inscription, \he
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