"Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews."--_John 19:19._
OVER the head of the blessed Lord on the cross was a tablet, with the
words, "JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS;" and on each side of
Him was another cross, with a robber upon it.
There He hung patiently, while the chief priests and Pharisees passed
by, mocking and laughing at His pain, and crying out, "He saved others;
Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come
down from the cross, and we will believe Him."
Even the robbers at first joined in the cry; but by-and-by one of them
began to feel that He who was so patient and so great in all that agony
must truly be the Son of God; and he rebuked his fellow, and said,
"Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom!" And the Lord
answered, "To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise!"
[Illustration: THE CRUCIFIXION.--John 19:30.]
His holy mother had come to stand by the foot of His cross, and with
her, her sister and some other women, and His beloved apostle John.
The Lord looked down at her, and said, "Woman, behold thy son!" and
He looked at St. John, and said, "Behold thy mother!" And John took
the blessed Virgin home with him, and was always like a son to her
afterward.
At noon-day, a dreadful darkness came over all the earth, and it lasted
for three whole hours, as if the very sun mourned for Him who made it.
Just at three o'clock, the blessed Lord said, "I thirst;" and as one
of the soldiers was touching His lips with a sponge full of vinegar, He
gave a great sad cry, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me!"
Then presently he added, "It is finished! Father, into Thy hands I
commend my spirit!" And He cried with a loud cry; and so He, who was
God and man in one, died for us men, and for our salvation.