The rest said, let be
The others, to whom he belonged, that fetched the sponge, said to
him, let him alone, keep at a distance from him, give him nothing
to drink:
let us see whether Elias will come to save him;
whom the Jews looked upon to be the forerunner of the Messiah,
and therefore suggest, that should he come to save him, they
would believe he was the Messiah; and they had a mighty notion of
Elias appearing to persons frequently F19, and
talking, and conversing with them; (See Gill on Matthew
17:3), though they did not believe he would come, and
appear to Christ; for they were persons of great note for piety
and learning, to whom he appeared, as they pretend, whereas they
had no such opinion of him. The Ethiopic version here adds, and
one took a spear and pierced his side with it, and blood and
water flowed out: but this circumstance is only recorded by the
Evangelist John, ( John 19:34 ) , though
Beza says the same is read here in two ancient copies.
F19 Vid. Juchasin, fol. 79. 1. & 86. 1. & 101. 1. & 118. 2. & 132. 1.
