191 Then, therefore, did Pilate take Jesus and scourge 'him', 2 and the soldiers having plaited a crown of thorns, did place 'it' on his head, and a purple garment they put around him, 3 and said, 'Hail! the king of the Jews;' and they were giving him slaps. 4 Pilate, therefore, again went forth without, and saith to them, 'Lo, I do bring him to you without, that ye may know that in him I find no fault;' 5 Jesus, therefore, came forth without, bearing the thorny crown and the purple garment; and he saith to them, 'Lo, the man!' 6 When, therefore, the chief priests and the officers did see him, they cried out, saying, 'Crucify, crucify;' Pilate saith to them, 'Take ye him—ye, and crucify; for I find no fault in him;' 7 the Jews answered him, 'We have a law, and according to our law he ought to die, for he made himself Son of God.' 8 When, therefore, Pilate heard this word, he was the more afraid, 9 and entered again to the praetorium, and saith to Jesus, 'Whence art thou?' and Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Pilate, therefore, saith to him, 'To me dost thou not speak? hast thou not known that I have authority to crucify thee, and I have authority to release thee?' 11 Jesus answered, 'Thou wouldst have no authority against me, if it were not having been given thee from above; because of this, he who is delivering me up to thee hath greater sin.' 12 From this 'time' was Pilate seeking to release him, and the Jews were crying out, saying, 'If this one thou mayest release, thou art not a friend of Caesar; every one making himself a king, doth speak against Caesar.' 13 Pilate, therefore, having heard this word, brought Jesus without—and he sat down upon the tribunal—to a place called, 'Pavement,' and in Hebrew, Gabbatha; 14 and it was the preparation of the passover, and as it were the sixth hour, and he saith to the Jews, 'Lo, your king!' 15 and they cried out, 'Take away, take away, crucify him;' Pilate saith to them, 'Your king shall I crucify?' the chief priests answered, 'We have no king except Caesar.'
16 Then, therefore, he delivered him up to them, that he may be crucified, and they took Jesus and led 'him' away,
17 and bearing his cross, he went forth to the place called 'Place' of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha; 18 where they crucified him, and with him two others, on this side, and on that side, and Jesus in the midst.
19 And Pilate also wrote a title, and put 'it' on the cross, and it was written, 'Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews;' 20 this title, therefore, read many of the Jews, because the place was nigh to the city where Jesus was crucified, and it was having been written in Hebrew, in Greek, in Roman. 21 The chief priests of the Jews said, therefore, to Pilate, 'Write not—The king of the Jews, but that one said, I am king of the Jews;' 22 Pilate answered, 'What I have written, I have written.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 19:1-22
Commentary on John 19:1-18
(Read John 19:1-18)
Little did Pilate think with what holy regard these sufferings of Christ would, in after-ages, be thought upon and spoken of by the best and greatest of men. Our Lord Jesus came forth, willing to be exposed to their scorn. It is good for every one with faith, to behold Christ Jesus in his sufferings. Behold him, and love him; be still looking unto Jesus. Did their hatred sharpen their endeavours against him? and shall not our love for him quicken our endeavours for him and his kingdom? Pilate seems to have thought that Jesus might be some person above the common order. Even natural conscience makes men afraid of being found fighting against God. As our Lord suffered for the sins both of Jews and Gentiles, it was a special part of the counsel of Divine Wisdom, that the Jews should first purpose his death, and the Gentiles carry that purpose into effect. Had not Christ been thus rejected of men, we had been for ever rejected of God. Now was the Son of man delivered into the hands of wicked and unreasonable men. He was led forth for us, that we might escape. He was nailed to the cross, as a Sacrifice bound to the altar. The Scripture was fulfilled; he did not die at the altar among the sacrifices, but among criminals sacrificed to public justice. And now let us pause, and with faith look upon Jesus. Was ever sorrow like unto his sorrow? See him bleeding, see him dying, see him and love him! love him, and live to him!
Commentary on John 19:19-30
(Read John 19:19-30)
Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death, more fully related than before. Pilate would not gratify the chief priests by allowing the writing to be altered; which was doubtless owing to a secret power of God upon his heart, that this statement of our Lord's character and authority might continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament. All things therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly provided for his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for it. Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in life and death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their comfort by every means in their power. Especially observe the dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his soul. It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those of his body. It is finished; the work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up.