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37. ἀφεὶς φωνὴν μεγάλην. The recurrence of the verb is purely accidental. The great cry is in all three Synoptists, and it shows that Christ did not die merely of exhaustion.
ἐξέπνευσεν. The change from imperfects to aorists is accurate. No Evangelist says that Christ “died”; He gave up His life by an act of will, He yielded up His spirit; κατʼ ἐξουσίαν, ὅτε ἠθέλησεν, ἀποθνήσκει (Euthym.). Mk and Lk. say ἐξέπνευσεν, Mt. ἀφῆκεν τὸ πνεῦμα, Jn παρέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα. The last expression indicates that this “great cry” is to be identified with the last Word; Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου (Lk.). See on Joh 19:30. The Gospel of St Peter has ἀνελήμφθη, “He was taken up,” another expression with a Docetic tinge. A discussion of the physical causes of the death of Christ is unnecessary, and lack of evidence precludes the attainment of any satisfactory result. We may abide by the words of Scripture that He “lay down His life that He might take it again” (Joh 10:17).