G1042

Outline

1. Gabbatha = "elevated or a platform"
1. a raised place, elevation
2. "This place, in the Greek tongue, was called 'Lithostrotos'; or 'the pavement of stones', as the Syriac version renders it: it is thought to be the room 'Gazith', in which the sanhedrim sat in the temple when they tried capital causes; and it was so called, because it was paved with smooth, square, hewn stones: it was in the north part; half of it was holy, and half of it common; and it had two doors, one for that part which was holy, and another for that which was common; and in that half which was common the sanhedrim sat." (John Gill—Comments on Jhn 19:13) "The word for 'Pavement' is found nowhere else in the New Testament [outside of Jhn 19:13], but its Hebrew equivalent occurs just once in the Old Testament, and it is evident that the Holy Spirit would have us link the two passages together. In 2Ki 16:17 we read, 'King Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brazen oxen that were under it, and put it upon a pavement of stones.' In Ahaz's case, his act was the conclusive token of his surrender to abject apostasy. So here of Pilate coming down to the level of the apostate Jews. In the former case it was a Jewish ruler dominated by a Gentile idolater; in the latter, a Gentile idolater dominated by Jews who had rejected their Messiah!" (Arthur W. Pink, Exposition of the Gospel of John, p. 1038)