Because Pilate viewed Jesus as innocent, he may have ordered the beating expecting that the Jews would consider it adequate punishment and consent to Jesus’ release. Scourging was a horrific, brutal form of punishment. The glass and metal of the whip tore the body apart, exposing the vital organs. Men frequently died of the scourging.
As a Roman pagan, Pilate would have been superstitious and may have feared that Jesus actually had some sort of magical or divine power.
This may refer to Judas Iscariot, but Caiaphas may be the more likely one since he was directly responsible for Jesus’ going before Pilate.
This put political pressure on Pilate. The Jews indicated if Pilate released Jesus they would inform Rome and Pilate’s career would be in jeopardy.
Gr The Lithostrotos, i.e. the Mosaic Pavement, the Stone Platform.
I.e. Jewish Aramaic.
See note 18:28.
The vertical post remained permanently in the ground. Jesus carried the cross beam.
Latin: Calvarius or Calvary; Aram: Golgotha; Greek: Kranion.
Gr khiton, the long shirtlike undergarment worn next to the skin.
The mother of the apostles John and James, the sons of Zebedee.
The mother of James the Younger (also called James the Less). Believed to be a sister or sister-in-law of Jesus’ mother.
John, the Apostle and author of this Gospel was Jesus’ cousin.
This sour wine was not to dull the senses, but to provide minimal relief to the victim. The wine mixed with gall (myrrh) that Jesus earlier had refused to drink (
Matt 27:34;
Mark 15:23) had narcotic qualities to deaden the pain.
This wording implies that Jesus voluntarily and sovereignly released His spirit from His body in submission to God’s plan.
After the legs were broken with a heavy blow, the condemned prisoner could no longer push upwards to assist his own breathing and would soon suffocate due to the awkward position that was forced on him by crucifixion. At the same time, breaking the legs was more painful than a quicker end with the point of a spear.
Lit litras, equal to 12 oz each.
