They said this that the words might be fulfilled in which Jesus predicted the kind of death He was to die.

(That the word of Jesus might come true, pointing to the sort of death he would have.)

In fulfillment of what Jesus had said when indicating the death that he was destined to die.

That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled. Finally, the Evangelist adds, that it was necessary that this should be done, in order that the prediction which Christ had uttered might be fulfilled, The Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles, (Matthew 20:19.) And, indeed, if we wish to read with advantage the history of Christ's death, the chief point is, to consider the eternal purpose of God. The Son of God is placed before the tribunal of a mortal man. If we suppose that this is done by the caprice of men, and do not raise our eyes to God, our faith must necessarily be confounded and put to shame. But when we perceive that by the condemnation of Christ, our condemnation before God is blotted out, because it pleased the Heavenly Father to take this method of reconciling mankind to himself, raised on high by this single consideration, we boldly, and without shame, glory even in Christ's ignominy. Let us therefore learn, in each part of this narrative, to turn our eyes to God as the Author of our redemption.

That the saying of Jesus - To wit, that he would be delivered into the hands of the Gentiles and be crucified, Matthew 20:19. Neither of these things would have happened if he had been put to death in the way that the Jews first contemplated, Matthew 26:4. Though it should be admitted that they had the power, in religious cases, to do this, yet in such a case it would not have been done, as Jesus predicted, by the Gentiles; and even if it should be admitted that they had the right to take life, yet they had not the right to do it by crucifixion. This was particularly a Roman punishment. And thus it was ordered, in the providence of God, that the prediction of Jesus in both these respects was fulfilled.

That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled - Or, thus the word was fulfilled. God permitted the Jews to lose the power of life and death, in the sense before stated, that according to the Roman laws, which punished sedition, etc., with the cross, Christ might be crucified, according to his own prediction: John 12:32, John 3:14.

That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, (c) signifying what death he should die.
(c) For Christ had foretold that he would be crucified.

That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled,.... That he should be delivered by the Jews to the Gentiles, to crucify him; and that he should be lifted up from the earth, and as the serpent upon the pole:
which he spake, signifying what death he should die; Matthew 20:19 and which was brought about this way, by the providence of God conducting this whole affair; and was cheerfully submitted to by Christ, in great love to his people, to redeem them from the curse of the law, being hereby made a curse for them.

That the saying . . . might be fulfilled which he spake, signifying what death he should die--that is, by crucifixion (John 12:32-33; Matthew 20:19); which being a Roman mode of execution, could only be carried into effect by order of the governor. (The Jewish mode in such cases as this was by stoning).

Signifying what death he should die - For crucifixion was not a Jewish, but a Roman punishment. So that had he not been condemned by the Roman governor, he could not have been crucified. John 3:14.