Глава XXVII

Matthew 27:1–2. When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people came together in council against Jesus to put Him to death. And they brought Him bound and handed Him over to the governor [praesidi] Pontius Pilate 648. He was not only brought 649 to Pilate, but also to Herod, so that both would mock the Lord. And pay attention to the care of the priests when committing evil. They stayed awake all night to commit the murder, and “they handed Him over to Pilate, bound,” for it was their custom to hand over to the judge the bound man who was sentenced to death. Matthew 27:3–4. Then Judas, who betrayed Him, saw that He was condemned, and, repenting, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the high priests and elders, saying: I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. The severity of wickedness exceeds the size of stinginess: Judas, seeing the Lord condemned to death, returned the price to the priests, as if it were in his power to change the decision of his persecutors. Thus, although he changed his desire, he could not change the outcome or consequences of his original desire. But if he sinned by betraying the righteous blood, how much more did the Jews sin who bought the righteous blood and, by bringing payment, prompted the disciple to betray? Those who try to prove that there are different qualities of nature 650 and argue that Judas the traitor was evil by nature and could not maintain election to the apostleship - [those] let them answer how evil nature could bring repentance. Matthew 27:5. [end of 4th] They said to him: What is that to us? see for yourself. And, throwing away the pieces of silver in the church, he went out, went and hanged himself. It was not at all useful to bring repentance, which cannot correct the crime. If in this way one brother ever sins against another, so that he is able to make up for what he sinned, then he can be forgiven. But if he has no work left to do, then his verbal repentance is in vain. This is precisely what is said about the most unfortunate Judas in the psalm: “And let his prayer become sin” (Ps. 109:7), so that he not only could not blot out the crime of betrayal, but he also added the crime of his own murder to the previous crime. The apostle says something similar in his Second Epistle to the Corinthians: “So that the brother is not consumed by excessive sorrow” (2 Cor. 2:7). 651 Matthew 27:6. The high priests, taking the pieces of silver, said: it is not permissible to put them in the church treasury, because this is the price of blood. Truly these are the people who strain out the mosquito and swallow the camel. Indeed, if they do not put 652 money in the church treasury (γαξοφυλάκιον) and among the gifts to God, because this is the price of blood, then why is the blood itself shed? Matthew 27:7–8. But having gathered a council, they bought a potter's field with them for the burial of strangers, which is why this field is called Akeldemach, that is, the field of blood even to this day. 653 They really did this for a different motive, so that by purchasing the field they could make an eternal monument to their wickedness. And we, who were strangers from the law and the prophets, accepted their wicked deeds for salvation and will rest at the price of His blood. And this field is called the potter's field, because Christ is our poor man (figulus - potter). Matthew 27:9–10. Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled, saying: And they took thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him who was valued, whom the children of Israel valued, and gave them for the potter’s land, as the Lord told me. We do not find this evidence in the prophet Jeremiah. And in Zechariah, who is almost the last of the prophets, we find some similarity to this (Zech. 11, 12-13). And although the meaning is somewhat different, the words and their arrangement are also different. I recently read in a certain Hebrew scroll, given to me by a Jew of the Nazarian sect, the secret work of Jeremiah, in which this passage is given word for word. However, it seems to me that this testimony was borrowed rather from the prophet Zechariah, because the evangelists and apostles usually cite only the meaning with a change in word order as an example from the Old Testament. Matthew 27:11. Jesus stood before the governor. And the ruler asked Him: Are you the King of the Jews? Since Pilate does not ask anything else about the crime, except whether He is the King of the Jews, the Jews are accused of wickedness, because they really could not come up with anything false to reproach the Savior. Jesus said to him: You speak. He answered this way in order to express the truth and so that His word would not be reviled. And pay attention to the fact that to Pilate, who against his will passed his verdict on Him, He answers somewhat; and He did not want to answer the priests and princes, considering them unworthy of His word. Matthew 27:13–15. Then Pilate said to Him: Do you not hear how many testify against You? And he did not answer a single word, so the ruler was very surprised. On Easter, the ruler had the custom of releasing to the people one prisoner they wanted. It is true that the one judging Jesus is a pagan: but he places the reason for the condemnation on the Jewish people: “Have you not heard how many testify against you?” But Jesus did not want to answer anything, so that, by eliminating the imaginary crime, he would not be released by Pilate and would not delay the benefits of death on the cross. Matthew 27:16–18. At that time they had a famous prisoner called Barabbas; So, when they had gathered, Pilate said to them: whom do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ? for he knew that they had betrayed Him out of envy. This [Barabbas 655] in the Gospel “of the Hebrews” is called “the son of their teacher”; he was convicted of treason and murder. And Pilate gives them a decision - who would they like to release: the thief or Jesus; he has no doubt that Jesus should be chosen, since he knows that they betrayed him to envy. So, it is obvious that the reason for the crucifixion lay in envy. Matthew 27:19–21. When he was sitting at the judgment seat, his wife sent him to him, saying: “[Let] nothing be between you and That Righteous One. For I suffered a lot today in a dream for His sake. And the chief priests and elders of the people convinced the people to ask [to release] Barabbas, and to destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them: “Which of the two do you want to be released?” And they said: “Barabbas.” 657 Please note that dreams are often sent to the pagans from God, and that in the person of Pilate and his wife, who confessed the Lord as righteous, there is a witness on the part of a completely pagan people. Matthew 27:22–23. Pilate said to them: “So what will I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Everyone answered: “Let him be crucified!” The ruler said to them: “What evil has He done?” But they shouted even more: “Let him be crucified.” 658 Pilate gave many reasons for the release of Jesus. First, he compared the thief with the righteous. Secondly, he asked: “What will I do with Jesus?”, that is, with Him who is your King. And when they answered: “Let him be crucified,” he does not immediately calm down, but, at the suggestion of his wife, who convinced him: [Let there be] “nothing between you and That Righteous One,” he, in turn, asks: “What evil has He done?” Saying this, Pilate released Jesus. But they shouted even more: “Let him be crucified,” so that what was written in the Twenty-first Psalm was fulfilled: “Dogs have surrounded Me, a crowd of evil ones has surrounded Me” (Ps. 21:17) 659 “and the well-known word of Jeremiah: “My portion has become for Me like a lion in the forest; he lifts up his voice against Me” (Jer. 12:8). Isaiah also agrees: “He waited for justice, but behold, bloodshed; I waited for the truth, and behold, a cry” (Is. 5:7). Matthew 27:24. Pilate, seeing that nothing helped, but the confusion was increasing, took water and washed his hands before the people, and said: I am innocent of the blood of this Righteous One; look you. Pilate took the water according to the well-known prophetic word: “I will wash my hands in innocence” (Ps. 25:6); so that in the washing of his hands the deeds of the pagans are cleansed, and by the wickedness of the Jews, who cried out: “Crucify Him,” he makes us, the pagans, strangers, as if thus testifying and saying: “I wanted to free the innocent, but since indignation begins and the charge of treason against Caesar is brought against me, then “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous one.” The judge, forced to pronounce a sentence against Christ, does not condemn the One given into his hands, but denounces those who brought Him by declaring righteous the One who must be crucified. “Look,” he says. I am a servant of the law: your sentence sheds blood. Matthew 27:25. And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us and on our children. And to this day this curse continues over the Jews, and the blood of the Lord is not removed from them. That is why it is said through the prophet Isaiah: “If you wash your hands before Me, I will not listen to you, for your hands are full of blood” (Is. 1:15). 660 This is the wonderful legacy that the Jews left to their children: “His blood be on us and on our children!” Matthew 27:26. Then he released Barabbas to them, and beat Jesus and handed him over to be crucified. Barabbas 661, who caused indignation among the people and was the culprit of the murders, was released to the Jewish people; This is the devil, who still reigns among them, and therefore they cannot have peace. Jesus, betrayed by the Jews, is freed by Pilate's wife, and the ruler himself calls Him righteous. A learned reader may ask: How can we agree with each other that Pilate washed his hands and said: “I am innocent of the blood of this Righteous One,” and then handed Jesus over, scourging Him, to be crucified? But for this it is necessary to know that he fulfilled the Roman laws, which determined that those condemned to crucifixion would first be subjected to scourging. So, Jesus was handed over to the soldiers so that they would strike Him, and this most holy body and chest, the receptacle of God, were tormented with whips. And it was so that what was written was fulfilled: “Many are the scourges of sinners” (Ps. 31:10) 662, because when He was scourged, then we were freed from the blows, as the Scripture says: “The scourge will not come near your dwelling” (Ps. 90:10). 663 Matthew 27:27–29. Then the soldiers of the governor, having taken Jesus into the courtyard of the court (praetorium), gathered a whole detachment (cohortam) to Him and, having undressed Him, dressed Him in a scarlet robe, and having woven a crown of thorns, they placed it on His head and put a reed in His right hand, and, kneeling before Him, they mocked Him, saying: “Hail, King of the Jews!” 664 The soldiers, since He was called the King of the Jews and since the scribes and priests blamed Him for this, did this in mockery: they took off His own clothes from Him and dressed Him in a long scarlet robe instead of the red robe that the ancient kings wore, and instead of a royal crown they put a crown of thorns on Him, and instead of a royal scepter they gave Him a cane and revered [by worship] as a king. And we will understand all this in a mysterious meaning. Indeed, as Caiaphas 665 said: “It is better for us that one man should die for the people” (John 11:50), not knowing what to say; So, whatever they do, even though they do it in a different sense, they still communicate the sacraments to us believers. In a scarlet robe He puts aside the bloody deeds of the pagans; in the crown of thorns He resolves the ancient curse; He kills poisonous animals with a cane, or else: He holds a cane in his hand to record the sacrilege of the Jews. Matthew 27:30. And they spat on Him and, taking a reed, beat Him on the head. At this time the word was fulfilled: “I did not hide My face from mockery and spitting” (Isa. 50:6); and yet He, although they beat Him on the head, endured everything patiently, so that He showed that the prophecy of Isaiah was true, who said: “He will not break a bruised reed” (Is. 42:3). Matthew 27:31. “And when they had mocked Him, they took off His scarlet robe, and clothed Him with His own garments, and led Him away to be crucified.” When Jesus was scourged, spat on and ridiculed, he did not have His own clothes, but those that He accepted for our sins. And when He is crucified, after the cessation of the solemn atmosphere of ridicule and curses, then again He receives his former clothes and takes on his own adornment, and immediately the constituent parts of the world (elements, elementa) come into confusion and the creature gives testimony about the Creator. Matthew 27:32. As they went out, they met one Cyrene man named Simon; this one was forced to bear His cross. Let no one think that this passage contradicts the story of the Evangelist John. He says that, leaving the courtyard of the judgment seat, the Lord Himself carried His cross, but Matthew says that they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon, whom, having captured by force, they forced to carry the cross of Jesus. This must be understood in such a way that, leaving the courtyard of the judgment seat, Jesus Himself carried the cross, and then they met a man on whom they entrusted to carry the cross. And in a figurative sense, this means that the cross of Jesus is accepted by the [pagan] nations and the obedient stranger bears the shame of the Savior. Matthew 27:33. And they came to a place called Golgotha, which means: a mountainous place with a naked top [frontal]. 666 I heard someone explain that the place of the forehead is the one on which Adam was buried, and it is so named because the skull of the ancient [first] man is hidden there, and as if in connection with this there is a saying of the Apostle: “Awake, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Eph. 5:14). A favorable interpretation and pleasing to the ears of the people, but incorrect. In reality, outside the city, outside the gates, there are places where the heads of the condemned are cut off, and these places are called “frontal”, that is, the place of the beheaded. The Lord was crucified there so that the banner of martyrdom would be erected where there was a field of the condemned and, just as for our sake He became the curse of the cross, was scourged and crucified, so for the salvation of all He, as if a villain, was crucified among the villains. But if anyone wants to dispute that the Lord was buried there for this reason, in order to water the grave mound of Adam with His very blood, then we will ask him: why were other robbers crucified in that place? From this it is clear that the place of execution was not the burial mound of the first man, and therefore: “the place of the beheaded,” so that where sin was abundant, grace was also abundant (Rom. 5:20). And in the scroll of Jesus, son of Navi [na] we read that Adam was buried near Hebron and Arbee (Joshua 14, 15). 667 Matthew 27:34. They gave Him vinegar mixed with gall to drink; and, having tasted it, did not want to drink. The Lord says to Jerusalem: “I have planted you as a noble vine; How did you turn into a wild branch of someone else’s vine with Me?” (Jer. 2:21) The bitter vine also produces bitter wine, which Jerusalem prepared for the Lord Jesus, so that what is written was fulfilled: “They gave me gall for food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 69:22). And the words: “And having tasted it, he was not thirsty,” show that He will indeed taste the bitterness of death for our sins, but will rise again on the third day. Matthew 27:35. And after they crucified Him, they divided His clothes by casting lots. So what was spoken through the prophet was fulfilled, who says: They divided my clothes among themselves, and cast lots for my clothing. 668 And this was predicted in the same psalm: “They divide my garments among themselves, and cast lots for my clothes” (Ps. 21:19). Matthew 27:36. And they sat and guarded Him there. The caring of soldiers and priests is useful to us so that the power of the Risen One will be revealed even more and more clearly. Matthew 27:37. And they placed an inscription over His head, signifying His guilt: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. I cannot truly be surprised at the great deed in that even with the bribery of false witnesses and with the incitement of the unfortunate people to indignation and outcry [against Him], the enemies could not find any other reason for the death sentence, except that He is the King of the Jews. But they may have done it with insults and ridicule. However, Pilate, when they expressed their reluctance to do this, answered them: “What I wrote, I wrote.” Jews! Whether you want it or not, the whole multitude of pagans answers you that He is the King of the Jews, that is, the ruler of those who believe and profess [the faith]. Matthew 27:38. Then two thieves were crucified with Him: one on the right side, and the other on the left. If the place of execution is the burial mound of Adam, and not the place of those condemned to death, and if the Lord was crucified there for this purpose in order to restore Adam, then why are two thieves crucified in the same place? Matthew 27:39–41. Those passing by slandered Him, nodding their heads and saying: He who destroys the church and builds it in three days! save yourself; if you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes and elders and Pharisees, spoke mockingly. They mocked Him because they were, so to speak, passing along the path and did not want to walk along the true path of the Scriptures. They nodded their heads, because even before they were not stable on their feet, they did not stand on the rock. The foolish people attacking Him say the same things that the false witnesses made up. Matthew 27:42. He saved others, but he cannot save himself! Even against their will, the scribes and Pharisees confess that He saved others. So, your own judgment condemns you, because He who saved others, of course, could have saved Himself if He had wished. Matthew 27:43. [end of 42] If He is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and let us believe in Him; trusted in God; Let him deliver Him now, if He pleases Him. For He said: I am the Son of God. A false promise on their part! What is more: for a living person to still come down from the cross, or for a dead person to rise from the dead? He rose again, but you did not believe; in the same way, you would not believe if He even came down from the cross. But it seems to me that this was said under the inspiration of demons. Immediately, as soon as the Lord was crucified, they felt the power of the cross and realized that their strength had been broken, and [now] they are working to ensure that He comes down from the cross. But the Lord, knowing the machinations of the enemies, remains on the cross (patibulum - gallows) to overthrow the devil. Matthew 27:44. Likewise, the thieves who were crucified with Him reviled Him. Here, according to a method called “combination” (σύλληφις), instead of one robber, both of them appear to be swearing. Luke [the evangelist] claims that when one cursed, the other confessed Him and forbade the first to curse (Luke 23:39-43). 669 This does not mean that the Gospels do not agree with each other; this means that at first both mocked Him, and then - when the sun disappeared, the earth shook, the stones disintegrated and darkness covered the earth - one believed in Jesus and cleared his previous denial with further repentance. In the person of two robbers, initially two peoples reviled the Lord: both pagans and Jews; but then one, frightened by the greatness of the signs, brought repentance and to this day he holds back the curses of the Jews. Matthew 27:45. From the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. Those who wrote objections to the Gospels suspect that there was an ordinary eclipse of the sun, occurring at certain, certain times, and slander that the disciples of Christ interpreted it in comparison with the Resurrection of the Lord, although an eclipse of the sun occurs only on the new moon. But no one doubts that during Passover [Jewish] there is always a full moon. And so that it does not accidentally seem that this was a consequence of the shadow of the earth or the opposite position of the circle of the moon, which creates a short-term darkness, the color of iron rust, [in the Gospel] a three-hour period is indicated in order to eliminate any possibility of objections. In my opinion, this was so that the prophecy was fulfilled, which says: “I will cause the sun to go down at noon and darken the earth in the midst of the bright day” (Am. 8:9). And in another place: “By day her sun set” (Jer. 15:9). And it seems to me that the clearest light of the world, that is, the greater light, hid its rays either in order not to see the Lord hanging on the cross, or so that those who blasphemed would not use its light. Matthew 27:46. And about nine o'clock Jesus exclaimed in a loud voice: Ate, Ate! lama sabachthani, which means: My God, My God! why did you leave me? 670 At the beginning of the Twenty-first Psalm there is an irregularity, and what is in the middle, the words: “Look at Me,” is unnecessary, because the Hebrew text reads: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me.” So, those who think that this psalm was spoken on behalf of David, or Esther and Mordecai, are wicked, because even the evangelists attribute the testimonies taken from it to the Savior; so, for example: “They divided My clothes among themselves and cast lots for My clothing” and another place: “They pierced My hands and My feet.” Do not be surprised at the humility of the words and complaints of the Abandoned One when you, knowing Him in the image of a servant, see the temptation of death on the cross. Matthew 27:47. Some of those standing there, hearing this, said: He is calling Elijah. Not all, but only some, by which I mean the Roman soldiers who did not understand the peculiarities of Jewish speech and concluded from the exclamation: “Eli, Eli,” that He was calling Elijah. And if we want to see Jews in these people, then [we must think that] they do this according to their usual technique, that is, pointing out the helplessness of the Lord, since He asks for help from Elijah. Matthew 27:48. And immediately one of them ran, took a sponge, filled it with vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave Him to drink. And this happened in such a way that the prophecy was fulfilled: “In my thirst they gave me a bite to drink” (Ps. 68:22). And to this day the Jews and all those who do not believe in the Resurrection of the Lord give Him vinegar and gall to drink and give Him wine mixed with myrrh to put Him to sleep and so that He does not see their atrocities. Matthew 27:50. Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up the ghost. To give up the spirit is proof of Divine power, as He himself said: “No one can take My soul from Me; but I lay it down for myself, and will receive it again” (John 10:18). 671 Matthew 27:51. And behold, the curtain of the church was torn in two, from top to bottom. The temple veil was torn and revealed all the previously hidden mysteries of the law, and they passed to the pagans. We read in the Gospel, which was often mentioned, that a church crossbar of enormous size was broken into two parts. Josephus [Flavius] also reports that the angelic powers that had once stood in the church then exclaimed: “Let us leave this dwelling.” Matthew 27:51–52. [end of 51st] And the earth shook; and the stones dissipated; and the coffins were opened. No one will doubt what these great signs literally mean: [they took place] so that both the earth and the sky and everything else would show the crucifixion of His Lord. But it seems to me that the earthquake and so on are images of believers who were initially like the tombs of the dead, and then, leaving behind the former vices of delusion and softening hardness of heart, they recognized Him as the Savior. Matthew 27:52–53. [end of 52nd] And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were resurrected and, coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. Just as Lazarus, who died, was resurrected, so many bodies of saints were resurrected to show the resurrection of the Lord (John 11). However, although the tombs were opened, the dead did not rise again before the resurrection of the Lord, so that He is the firstborn of the resurrection from the dead. And by the holy city in which the resurrected ones appeared, we must understand either the heavenly Jerusalem, or this earthly one, which was previously holy. Likewise, Matthew is called a publican [tax collector], not because, being an apostle, he remained a publican, but because he retained his former nickname 672. The city of Jerusalem is called holy because it had a temple and the Holy of Holies, and also to distinguish it from other cities in which idols were honored. When it is said: “they appeared to many,” it is shown that the resurrection was not universal, or for everyone, but special for many, so that those who were worthy to see it could see it. Matthew 27:54. And the centurion and those who were with him, who were guarding Jesus, seeing the earthquake and what happened, were very afraid and said: “In truth this is the Son of God” 673 In another Gospel after the earthquake, the reason for the centurion’s amazement is more clearly shown, namely: when he saw that the Savior had given up the ghost, he said: “In truth it was the Son of God.” Indeed, only the Creator of souls has the power to give up the ghost. And by spirit in this place we must understand the soul, either because it makes the body vital and spiritual, or because the spirit is the essence of the soul itself, in accordance with the words of Scripture: “If you take away their spirit, they die” (Ps. 103:29). It should also be noted that the thief on the cross, although he sees all the temptation of the Lord’s suffering, nevertheless confesses Him as the Son of God, and Arius in the Church preaches that He is a creature. Matthew 27:55–56. There were also many women there, watching from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, serving Him; among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Josiah, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. The Jews had a custom, which according to ancient customs was not considered reprehensible, for women to provide clothing and food for teachers at their own expense. Since this custom could cause temptation among the pagans, the Apostle Paul claims that he abandoned it. Indeed, he says: “Or we do not have the power to have a sister as a wife as a companion, like the other Apostles” (1 Cor. 9:5). And they served the Lord with their property in order to provide what was necessary for the body to the One who gave them what was necessary for the soul. And this is not because the Lord of creatures needed food, but because He wanted to be an image for teachers, who had to be content with the means of living received from their students. However, we see what kind of companions He had: Mary Magdalene, from whom he cast out seven demons, Mary, the mother of James and Joseph (Josiah), aunt, that is, the sister of Mary, His Mother, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee, who a little earlier asked Him for the kingdom for the children; and there were also others about whom we read in the Gospels (Luke 8:2-3). Matthew 27:57–58. When evening came, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also studied with Jesus; He came to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered the body to be handed over. His wealth is mentioned not out of the vanity of the writer [of the Gospel], who wanted to show that Jesus had as a disciple a noble and very rich man; but in order to show why he could obtain the body of Jesus from Pilate. After all, it was impossible for a poor and unknown person to get to Pilate, the representative of Roman power. Another Evangelist calls this Joseph βονλευτής, that is, “counselor,” and some think that the First Psalm was written about him: “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,” and so on. Matthew 27:59. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean shroud. The simple example of the Lord condemns the ambition of the rich, who even in their graves cannot part with their wealth. But spiritually we can also understand that the body of the Lord should not be covered with gold, precious stones and silk, but with simple clean linen; although this may also mean that he who received [the Lord] with a pure heart covered the body of Jesus with clean linen. Matthew 27:60. And he laid him in his new tomb, which he had carved out of the rock; and, having rolled a large stone to the door of the tomb, he left. He is placed in a new tomb so that after the Resurrection, when other bodies remain, no one will imagine that someone else was resurrected. The new tomb may also represent Mary's virgin womb; and a large stone (saxum - rock), rolled over at the entrance, shows that the grave could not have been opened without the assistance of many. Matthew 27:61–63. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb. The next day, which followed Friday, the high priests and Pharisees gathered to Pilate and said: Master! We remembered that the deceiver, while still alive, said: after three days I will rise again. At a time when others have left the Lord, women continue to serve Him, expecting what He promised, and therefore they were the first to see the Risen One, because the one “who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22; Matt. 24:13). 674 Matthew 27:64–66. So give orders that the tomb be guarded until the third day, so that His disciples, coming at night, do not steal Him and say to the people: He has risen from the dead; and the last deception will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: You have a guard; go and protect it as best you can. They went and placed a guard at the tomb, and put a seal on the stone 675 It was not enough for the chief priests, scribes and Pharisees that they crucified the Lord the Savior, if only they had left the tomb without guards: they took a detachment of guards, sealed the stone and, as far as it depended on them, put barriers to the Risen One, so that their careful forethought would benefit our faith, because the greater the guard around Him, the more clearly the reality (virtus) of the Resurrection is proven. That is why He is also placed in a new tomb, which was hewn out of the rock, so that they would not say that He was kidnapped if this tomb were built of many stones with a foundation placed under it. And that He had to lie in the grave is testified to by the prophet, who says: “He will dwell in a cave hewn out of the strongest rock” (Isa. 33:16). 676 And after that, two verses below follow the words: “You will see the King with glory” (Is. 33:17). 677 In the translation: The Gospel of Matthew - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “When morning came, all the high priests and elders of the people had a meeting about Jesus, to put Him to death; and, having bound Him, they took Him away and handed Him over to Pontius Pilate, the governor” - ed. In the lane: different natures - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “So that he would not be consumed by excessive sadness” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Having held a meeting, they bought a potter’s land with them for the burial of wanderers; That’s why that land is called “the land of blood” to this day” – ed. Obviously, we are talking about the Nazirites (see (Num. 6:2); (Num. 6:5–6); (Am. 2:11–12); (1 Macc. 3:49) - ed. In the lane: according to the old transcription: Barabbas - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “While he was sitting in the judgment seat, his wife sent him to say: do not do anything to the Righteous One, because now in a dream I suffered a lot for Him. But the chief priests and elders stirred up the people to ask Barabbas and to destroy Jesus. Then the governor asked them: which of the two do you want me to release to you? They said: Barabbas” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Pilate says to them: what will I do to Jesus, who is called Christ? Everyone tells him: let him be crucified. The ruler said: what evil has He done? But they shouted even more loudly: let him be crucified - ed. The text states: (Ps. 21:12) – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And when you stretch out your hands, I close My eyes from you; and when you multiply your prayers, I do not hear: your hands are full of blood” - ed. In the text from the translator according to the old spelling: Varabbas - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Many are the sorrows of the wicked” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “The plague will not come near your dwelling” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Then the ruler’s soldiers, taking Jesus to the praetorium, gathered the entire regiment against Him and, having undressed Him, put a scarlet robe on Him; and having woven a crown of thorns, they placed it on His head and gave Him a reed in His right hand; and, kneeling before Him, they mocked Him, saying: “Hail, King of the Jews!” – ed. At the lane according to the old transcription: Caiaphas - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And, having come to the place called Golgotha, which means: Place of Execution” - ed. The name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-Arba - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And those who crucified Him divided His garments, casting lots” - ed. The text states: Luke 23, 39–44 – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice: Either, Or! Lama Savakhthani? that is: “My God, My God! why have You forsaken Me?” – ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “No one takes it away from Me, but I myself give it away. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to receive it again. I have received this commandment from My Father” – ed. In the lane: name - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “The centurion and those who were guarding Jesus with him, seeing the earthquake and everything that happened, were greatly afraid and said: Truly He was the Son of God - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “He who endures to the end will be saved” - ed. According to the old Synodal Russian translation: “And they strengthened [the entrance to] “the tomb, sealing the stone, with the guard” (Verse 66) - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “He will dwell on the heights; his refuge is inaccessible rocks” - ed. According to the new Synodal Russian translation: “Your eyes will see the Tsar in his beauty” - ed. You might be interested in: