John 19:13

John 19:13-15 . When Pilate heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth — Brought him out of the palace a second time; and sat down in the judgment-seat — On the tribunal which was then erected without the palace; in a place that was called, in Greek, λιθοστρωτον , the Pavement — So called on account of a beautiful piece of Mosaic work, with which the floor was adorned; but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha — Or, the high place, because it stood on an eminence; so that the judge, being seated there, might be heard and seen by a considerable number of people. And it was the preparation of the passover — Or, of the paschal sabbath. The word παρασκευη , [here rendered preparation, ] in the New Testament, denotes always, in my opinion, says Dr. Campbell, “the day before the sabbath, and not the day which preceded any other festival, unless that festival fell on the sabbath. My reasons for this opinion are, 1st, This explanation coincides exactly with the definition which Mark gives of that word, ( Mark 15:42 ,) It was the preparation, that is, the eve of the sabbath. 2d, The word occurs six times in the New Testament, and, in all these places, confessedly means the sixth day of the week, answering to our Friday, and consequently the day before the Jewish sabbath, or Saturday. 3d, The preparation of all things necessary the day before the sabbath was expressly commanded in the law, Exodus 16:5 ; Exodus 16:23 .

There was nothing analogous to this enjoined in preparation for the other feasts.” And about the sixth hour — Or rather, the third hour: for as there is no reason to think that John computed time in a manner different from that used by the other evangelists; “as six o’clock, (according to the Roman computation,) or soon after sunrise, must have been much too early for all the events to have occurred that morning which preceded our Lord’s crucifixion; as Mark has expressly mentioned the third hour, or nine o’clock, for the time of that event, to which the accounts of the other evangelists accord; and as the sixth hour, or noon, (according to the Jewish computation,) would be too late to agree with the parallel scriptures; so it seems the most easy way of solving the difficulty, to suppose that [ ζ ] sixth, instead of [ γ ] third, was inserted by some of the early transcribers of this gospel. The mistake would be very easily fallen into; and in a few places it is necessary to allow that something of this kind has happened. Indeed some manuscripts read the third hour.” — Scott. See this point more fully explained and defended in the note on Mark 15:25 . And he saith unto the Jews — Who were present in vast numbers; Behold your king — Pointing to Jesus as he now appeared in the mock pomp of royalty, wearing the purple robe and crown of thorns, and with his hands manacled.

John 19:13 . Pilate therefore, when he heard this, brought Jesus out, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος . In the Gospel according to Peter , ἐκάθισεν is understood transitively: καὶ ἐκάθισαν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ καθέδραν κρίσεως λέγοντες Δικαίως κρῖνε , βασιλεῦ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ . Similarly in Justin, I. Apol. , i. 35. This rendering presents a strikingly dramatic scene, and admirably suits the “behold your king” of John 19:14 . (See Expositor for 1893, p. 296 ff., and Robinson and James’ Gospel according to Peter , p. 18.) But it is extremely unlikely that Pilate should thus have degraded his seat of justice, and much more natural to suppose that ἐκάθισεν is used intransitively, as in John 12:14 , etc. (Joseph., Bell. Jud. , ii. 9, 3, ὁ Πιλάτος καθίσας ἐπὶ βήματος ), and that Pilate’s taking his seat is mentioned to indicate that his mind was now made up and that he was now to pronounce his final judgment. The βῆμα was the suggestum or tribunal , the raised platform (Livy, xxxi. 29; Tac., Hist. , iv. 25) or seat (Suet., Aug. , 44) on which the magistrate sat to administer justice. See 2Ma 13:26 .— εἰς τόπον λεγόμενον Λιθόστρωτον , “at a place called Lithostroton,” i.e. , lit. Stone pavement, or Tesselated pavement (of which see reproductions in Rich’s Antiq. ). Cf. 2 Chronicles 7:3 , Joseph., Bell. Jud. , vi. 1, 1.

Pliny (xxxvi. 15) defines Lithostrota as mosaics, “parvulis certe crustis,” and says they were a luxury introduced in the time of Sulla and found in the provinces rather than in Rome (see Krebs in loc ). The space in front of the praetorium where the βῆμα stood was thus paved and therefore currently known as “Lithostroton”: Ἑβραϊστὶ δὲ Γαββαθᾶ , “but in Hebrew,” i.e. , in the popular Aramaic, “Gabbatha,” which is not a translation of Lithostroton, but a name given to the same place from its being raised , from גַּב , a ridge or elevation. The tribunal was raised as a symbol of authority and in order that the judge might see and be seen (see Lücke).

That saying (τοῦτον τὸν λόγον) The best texts read τῶν λόγων τούτων, these words. He was afraid of an accusation at Rome before Tiberius, an accusation which could be justified by his misrule. Judgment-seat (βήματος) See on Acts 7:5. The best texts omit the article, which may indicate that the tribunal was an improvised one. The Pavement (Λιθόστρωτον) From λίθος, stone, and στρωτός, strewn or spread. Gabbatha From the Hebrew gab, "back," and meaning, therefore, a raised place. Thus the Aramaic term is not a translation of the Greek term, which indicates that the place, wherever it was, was distinguished by a mosaic or tessellated pavement. Suetonius relates that Julius Caesar used to carry about with him on his expeditions a portable tessellated pavement for his tribunal. It is not likely, however, that there is any allusion to such a practice here. Westcott explains Gabbatha as the ridge of the house.

{4} When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, {b} Gabbatha. (4) Pilate condemns himself first, with the same mouth with which he afterwards condemns Christ. (b) Gabbatha signifies a high place, as judgment seats are.

12-16. And from thenceforth—particularly this speech, which seems to have filled him with awe, and redoubled his anxiety. Pilate sought to release him—that is, to gain their consent to it, for he could have done it at once on his authority. but the Jews cried—seeing their advantage, and not slow to profit by it. If thou let this man go, thou art not Cæsar's friend, &c.—"This was equivalent to a threat of impeachment, which we know was much dreaded by such officers as the procurators, especially of the character of Pilate or Felix. It also consummates the treachery and disgrace of the Jewish rulers, who were willing, for the purpose of destroying Jesus, to affect a zeal for the supremacy of a foreign prince" [Webster and Wilkinson]. (See Joh 19:15). When Pilate … heard that, … he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in—"upon" the judgment seat—that he might pronounce sentence against the Prisoner, on this charge, the more solemnly. in a place called the Pavement—a tesselated pavement, much used by the Romans. in the Hebrew, Gabbatha—from its being raised.

That saying, that if he let Jesus go he was not Caesar’s friend. Pilate was a man that loved the honour that was from men more than the honour and praise which is from God; he was more afraid of losing his place than his soul, and could no longer resist the temptation he was under. He brought Jesus forth, and sat down in a place called the Pavement, because it was paved with stone, but in the Hebrew, (mixed with the Syriac), Gabbatha, that is, a high place; for it was their manner to have their judgment seats higher than other parts of the room where they were.

John 19:13 . Ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος , on the judgment-seat ) The judgment-seat was outside the judgment-hall or pretorium, in the place called Gabbatha.— λεγόμενον , called ) There is not added, “ in Greek ,” for John wrote in Greek; comp. John 19:17 .— Λιθόστρωτον ) A tesselated stone pavement , formed of various kinds of stones, and so, as it were, made into a painting. [Mosaic-work, inlaid with stones.] See concerning such pavements, Amœn. lit. T. vii., p. 19, et seqq .— Γαββαθὰ , Gabbatha ) A place elevated and conspicuous.

13 . that saying ] The better reading gives, these words . Pilate’s mind seems to be made up at once. brought Jesus forth ] Sentence must be pronounced in public. Thus we find that Pilate, in giving judgment about the standards, which had been brought into Jerusalem, has his tribunal in the great circus at Caesarea, and Florus erects his in front of the palace (Josephus, B. J . ii. ix. 3, xiv. 8). sat down ] The Greek verb ( kathizo ) may be either transitive, as in 1 Corinthians 6:4 ; Ephesians 1:20 , or intransitive, as in Matthew 19:28 ; Matthew 25:31 . If it is transitive here, the meaning will be, ‘placed him on a seat,’ as an illustration of his mocking exclamation, ‘Behold your King!’—i.e. ‘There He sits enthroned! But [ John 8:2 ;] John 12:14 ; Revelation 3:21 ; Revelation 20:4 , the only places where S. John uses the word, and Acts 12:21 ; Acts 25:6 ; Acts 25:17 , where we have the same phrase as here, are against the transitive meaning in this place. in the judgment seat ] In the true text there is no article, which may mean that it was not the usual Bema but a temporary one. Every where else in N.T. ‘judgment seat’ has the definite article. Pavement ] Literally, stone-paved . Josephus ( Ant. v. John 19:2 ) says that the Temple-mount, on part of which the fortress of Antonia stood, was covered with a tesselated pavement. in the Hebrew, Gabbatha ] Omit ‘the,’ as in John 19:20 , and see on John 20:16 .

It was, we may conclude “from its having a Hebrew name, a fixed spot, and not the portable mosaic work which Roman generals sometimes carried about with them.” S. p. 250. The fact that there was a fixed pavement supports this view; but Gabbatha (= Gab Baitha ) means ‘the ridge of the House’ i.e. ‘the Temple-mound,’ and refers to the shape of the ground (like a back ), not to the pavement upon it.