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Selected Verse: Matthew 27:37 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Mt 27:37	Strong Concordance	And [2532] set up [2007] over [1883] his [846] head [2776] his [846] accusation [156] written [1125], THIS [3778] IS [2076] JESUS [2424] THE KING [935] OF THE JEWS [2453].
	King James	And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And set up over his head - John says Joh 19:19 that Pilate wrote the title and put it upon the cross. Probably Pilate wrote it or caused it to be written, and directed the soldiers to set it up. A man is often said to do what he directs others to do. It was customary to set up over the heads of persons crucified the crime for which they suffered, and the name of the sufferer The accusation on which Jesus had been condemned by Pilate was his claiming to be the King of the Jews. This is Jesus, the King of the Jews - The evangelists differ in the account of this title. Mark Mar 15:26 says it was, "The King of the Jews." Luke Luk 23:38, "This is the King of the Jews." John Joh 19:19, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." But the difficulty may be easily removed. John says that the title was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. It is not at all improbable that the inscription "varied" in these languages. One evangelist may have translated it from the Hebrew, another from the Greek, a third from the Latin, and a fourth may have translated one of the inscriptions a little differently from another. Besides, the evangelists all agree in the main point of the inscription, namely, that he was the King of the Jews.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

And set up over his head - John says Joh 19:19 that Pilate wrote the title and put it upon the cross. Probably Pilate wrote it or caused it to be written, and directed the soldiers to set it up. A man is often said to do what he directs others to do. It was customary to set up over the heads of persons crucified the crime for which they suffered, and the name of the sufferer The accusation on which Jesus had been condemned by Pilate was his claiming to be the King of the Jews.

This is Jesus, the King of the Jews - The evangelists differ in the account of this title. Mark Mar 15:26 says it was, "The King of the Jews." Luke Luk 23:38, "This is the King of the Jews." John Joh 19:19, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." But the difficulty may be easily removed. John says that the title was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. It is not at all improbable that the inscription "varied" in these languages. One evangelist may have translated it from the Hebrew, another from the Greek, a third from the Latin, and a fourth may have translated one of the inscriptions a little differently from another. Besides, the evangelists all agree in the main point of the inscription, namely, that he was the King of the Jews.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
This is Compare (Mar 15:26); (Luk 23:38); (Joh 19:19). These accounts supplement, but do not contradict one another. No one of the Evangelists quotes the entire inscription. All have "The King of the Jews." Luke adds to this the further words, "This is"; Matthew quotes the name, "Jesus"; whilst John gives the additional words "of Nazareth." The narratives combined give the entire inscription: "This is [Matthew, Luke] Jesus [Matthew, John] of Nazareth [John] the King of the Jews" [all].

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]

This is

Compare (Mar 15:26); (Luk 23:38); (Joh 19:19).

These accounts supplement, but do not contradict one another. No one of the Evangelists quotes the entire inscription. All have "The King of the Jews." Luke adds to this the further words, "This is"; Matthew quotes the name, "Jesus"; whilst John gives the additional words "of Nazareth." The narratives combined give the entire inscription: "This is [Matthew, Luke] Jesus [Matthew, John] of Nazareth [John] the King of the Jews" [all].

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Accusation (αἰτίαν) Lit., cause, and so rendered by Wyc. Tynd., cause of his death. The word accusation is compounded with the Latin causa, a cause. It is the cause of his condemnation and suffering.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]

Accusation (αἰτίαν)

Lit., cause, and so rendered by Wyc. Tynd., cause of his death. The word accusation is compounded with the Latin causa, a cause. It is the cause of his condemnation and suffering.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
His accusation - It was a common custom to affix a label to the cross, giving a statement of the crime for which the person suffered. This is still the case in China, when a person is crucified. Sometimes a person was employed to carry this before the criminal, while going to the place of punishment. It is with much propriety that Matthew calls this αιτια, accusation; for it was false that ever Christ pretended to be King Of The Jews, in the sense the inscription held forth: he was accused of this, but there was no proof of the accusation; however it was affixed to the cross. From Joh 19:21, we find that the Jews wished this to be a little altered: Write, said they, that He said, l am king of the Jews; thus endeavoring, by the addition of a vile lie, to countenance their own conduct in putting him to death. But this Pilate refused to do. Both Luke, Luk 23:38, and John, Joh 19:20, say that this accusation was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. In those three languages, we may conceive the label to stand thus, according to the account given by St. John; the Hebrew being the mixed dialect then spoken. In Hebrew - ΕβραΐϚι: ישוע נצריא מלכא דיהודיא In Greek - ΕλληνιϚι: ΙΗΣΟΥΣ Ο ΝΑΖΩΡΑΙΟΣ Ο ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΕ ΤΩΝ ΙΟΥΔΑΙΩΝ In Latin - ΡωμαΐϚι: IESUS NAZARENUS REX IUDAEORUM It is only necessary to observe, that all the letters, both of the Greek and Roman alphabets, were those now called square or uncial, similar to these above.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

His accusation - It was a common custom to affix a label to the cross, giving a statement of the crime for which the person suffered. This is still the case in China, when a person is crucified. Sometimes a person was employed to carry this before the criminal, while going to the place of punishment.

It is with much propriety that Matthew calls this αιτια, accusation; for it was false that ever Christ pretended to be King Of The Jews, in the sense the inscription held forth: he was accused of this, but there was no proof of the accusation; however it was affixed to the cross. From Joh 19:21, we find that the Jews wished this to be a little altered: Write, said they, that He said, l am king of the Jews; thus endeavoring, by the addition of a vile lie, to countenance their own conduct in putting him to death. But this Pilate refused to do. Both Luke, Luk 23:38, and John, Joh 19:20, say that this accusation was written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. In those three languages, we may conceive the label to stand thus, according to the account given by St. John; the Hebrew being the mixed dialect then spoken.

In Hebrew - ΕβραΐϚι:

ישוע נצריא מלכא דיהודיא

In Greek - ΕλληνιϚι:

ΙΗΣΟΥΣ Ο ΝΑΖΩΡΑΙΟΣ Ο ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΕ ΤΩΝ ΙΟΥΔΑΙΩΝ

In Latin - ΡωμαΐϚι:

IESUS NAZARENUS REX IUDAEORUM

It is only necessary to observe, that all the letters, both of the Greek and Roman alphabets, were those now called square or uncial, similar to these above.

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