Mark 15:24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots on them, what every man should take. Solomon's words in Proverbs 31:6, 7, were taken by the Jews to apply to such as were condemned to death, and it was usual for the most illustrious and honourable women of Jerusalem to attend criminals to their execution, and to give them to drink, before they were put to death, wine and myrrh, with gall, which was regarded as numbing the nerves, and superinducing sleep. The Talmud says that they were wont to put a grain of incense in the draught, as that deadened the sense of pain. It says further, "The women of highest rank in Jerusalem, out of free impulse, and at their own cost, gave the condemned man this draught. But if it should so happen that the noble ladies failed to do so, then the cost of providing this drink fell on the community, and was paid for out of the public fund." This was sometimes the case among the heathen. We are told that at the annual feast of Chronos, when a man was put to death to expiate the sins of the people, he was first made drunk with wine, and then executed whilst in a state of intoxication. Among the ancients, myrrh was regarded as having great effect as a pain killer, and, indeed, it will be found to be one of the principal ingredients in modern compounds, sold for the purpose of deadening the nerves to suffering. Accordingly, the pious women who followed Jesus were only acting according to immemorial custom, when they followed Him weeping, bearing the cup of wine, mingled with myrrh and gall, and offered it to Him before He was stretched on the cross, and His hands and feet nailed to the wood. He, however, turned away His head. He would not drink of the offered cup; not because He disapproved of the piety and pity of the women who offered it, but because He would not seem in any way to evade the sufferings He had come to endure. (S. Baring Gould, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.WEB: Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take. |
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