his mother to John. (SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) Jerusalem. (SIXTH DAY OF THE WEEK.) CH. XXIII. 44-46. 44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Jerusalem. often attribute to many what is said or done by single persons; nor does any striking peculiarity in the case omitted, lead them to deviate from their manner; for instance, the case of Judas, Matth. xxvi. 8, and the parallel places. NEWCOME. Luke xxiii. 44, over all the earth.] The objection urged by infidels, upon this passage, against the veracity of the Evangelists, from the silence of profane writers concerning so remarkable an event, is met and answered by Bp. Watson in his Reply to Gibbon, Let. 5. The word translated earth, in Luke, is the same which is rendered land, in the others, and applies equally to both. Taken in the latter sense, it may limit the darkness to Judea. But the Evangelists do not mention the degree of darkness; if therefore it was slight, though it extended over the whole globe, the objection of its not being recorded by Pliny or Seneca vanishes at once. § 158. The watch at the Sepulchre. (SEVENTH CH. XXVII. 62-66. 62 Now, the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. Matth. xxvii. 66, setting a watch.] The mention of this circumstance by Matthew, and not by the other Evangelists, is in perfect keeping with his previous occupation; which led him to watch for fraud, in all places where it might be perpetrated. See Preliminary Observations, ante, § 24. DAY OF THE WEEK, OR SABBATH.) Jerusalem. Luke xxiii. 54, drew on.] We must not understand this word of the morning light. The Jewish sabbath began at six in the evening, before which time our Lord's body was deposited in the tomb. NEWCOME. |