Matthew 27
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
1When it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him.
Rome had taken away Israel’s right to capital punishment.
2They tied him up, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
Archaeologists have found the “Pilate stone” among the remains of the amphitheater in Caesarea. This stone names Pilate as “the perfect” of Judaea at this same exact time. Pilate lived in Caesarea, but he also owned a palace in Jerusalem. He would travel to Jerusalem during the feasts so that he could keep order.
Judas’ Suicide
3Now when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus had been condemned, he regretted what he had done and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders,
Judas “saw” by observation that Jesus was betrayed.
4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood!” But they said, “What is that to us? You take care of it yourself!”
Judas confessed that Jesus was innocent. If Judas would have turned to Jesus instead of men, then Jesus would have forgiven him.
5So Judas threw the silver coins into the temple and left. Then he went out and hanged himself.
This was a fulfillment of Zechariah 11:12-13.
6The chief priests took the silver and said, “It is not lawful to put this into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.”
The chief priests were hypocrites. It was also not lawful to conduct trials at night, bring up false witnesses, make false accusations, and condemn the Messiah to die.
7After consulting together they bought the Potter’s Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners.
The Potter’s Field was a burial site for those who could not afford to buy a grave.
8For this reason that field has been called the “Field of Blood” to this day.
When Matthew was writing this gospel in 62-63 A.D., this field was called the "Field of Blood." In 70 A.D., the Romans sieged Jerusalem and killed many of the Jewish people in this same field.
9Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price of the one whose price had been set by the people of Israel, 10and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Not only did Zechariah predict this historical event, but so did Jeremiah (19:1, 4, 6, 11). Jeremiah was the first book among the prophets, so in Matthew’s day, Jeremiah would be given the title to represent all of the prophetic books.
Jesus and Pilate11Then Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.”
Jesus was confirming in Greek in the strongest way possible that He was the King of the Jews.
12But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond.
This was a fulfillment of Isaiah 53. Jesus was led as a silent lamb to its slaughter.
13Then Pilate said to him, “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?” 14But he did not answer even one accusation, so that the governor was quite amazed.
Pilate had never seen someone refuse to defend himself.
15During the feast the governor was accustomed to release one prisoner to the crowd, whomever they wanted. 16At that time they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Jesus Barabbas.
Notice that there were two men on trial named Jesus. One is innocent and the other is a murderer.
17So after they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Christ?”
Rome was known for its justice and law. The blindfolded woman holding the two scales was a symbol of Rome’s law and justice. Pilate was a cheap politician. Instead of taking the reasonability of judgment upon himself, he allowed the crowd to make the decision. He was willing to sentence an innocent man to the cross in order to keep his political power.
18 For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.
The religious leaders were jealous that all of their followers were flocking to Jesus instead of them. Pilate knew their motives and still condemned the God of the universe to the cross.
19As he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man; I have suffered greatly as a result of a dream about him today.”
Pilate’s wife was a superstitious pagan. Satan did not want Jesus crucified on Passover, because it would be a fulfillment of prophecy.
20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed.
The leaders of Israel persuaded the crowds to kill their own Messiah.
21The governor asked them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas!”
This was not official Roman Law protocol. If Jesus was innocent, then He should have been released.
22Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!”
The Jewish people had been waiting for the Messiah for centuries. Now that He had finally arrived they wanted Him crucified.
23He asked, “Why? What wrong has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”
Pilate could find nothing wrong that Jesus had done. He was caught in a political situation into which there was no escape. If he released Jesus, then possible riots could threaten his career. Rome did not tolerate weak leaders who could not control their province.
Jesus is Condemned and Mocked24When Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but that instead a riot was starting, he took some water, washed his hands before the crowd and said, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You take care of it yourselves!”
This was a superstitious pagan ritual. Pilate washing his hands would not clear him of sentencing an innocent man to death, especially when it was the god-man of the universe.
25In reply all the people said, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”
The Jews demanded in mob action that the guilt of murdering their own Messiah be laid upon them and their children. They and their children will be destroyed in the Temple destruction of 70 A.D.
26Then he released Barabbas for them. But after he had Jesus flogged, he handed him over to be crucified.
Barabbas is Aramaic, meaning “Son of the Father.” This murderer was released while the true Son of the Father died in his place.
27Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole cohort around him.
The Roman soldiers took Jesus into Pilate’s palace and surrounded Him. The Roman soldiers were usually bisexual, having a wife at home and a lover on the battlefield. They were cruel and trained to be killers. They loved violence so much that when Rome was experiencing Pax Romana (200 years of peace), gladiator games were established to quench their violent natures.
28They stripped him and put a scarlet robe around him,
The Roman soldiers wanted to have a good time. They stripped the God of the universe naked and placed a scarlet robe around Him in order to mock Him.
29and after braiding a crown of thorns, they put it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand, and kneeling down before him, they mocked him: “Hail, king of the Jews!”
This was the moral condition of the Gentiles of whom Jesus came to save. Every man who has ever been born possesses this same sin nature inside him. The Holy Spirit must give the natural man a new heart (or new personality) so that he can change his attitude toward Christ and be saved.
30They spat on him and took the staff and struck him repeatedly on the head.
The God of the universe came to save the Gentiles as well as the Jews. The Gentiles responded by striking the God of the universe on the head.
31When they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes back on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus, just as unbelievers mock Him today. If the Holy Spirit left man alone, then everyone born would mock Jesus in this way
The Crucifixion32As they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced to carry his cross.
Jesus was so weak from the beating, that He could not carry His own cross. Simon was a man from Cyrene who later became a Christian. He was forced to carry the cross for Jesus.
33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”)
Golgotha was a hill which was located outside of the city of Jerusalem.
34and offered Jesus wine mixed with gall to drink. But after tasting it, he would not drink it.
This was a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21. The wine was a painkiller to alleviate some of the pain from the crucifixion. Jesus refused it, because He wanted to be fully alert as He was dying for the sins of the earth.
35When they had crucified him, they divided his clothes by throwing dice.
This is a fulfillment of Psalm 22:18. The Roman soldiers would divide all of the property of the condemned. The only valuable article that Jesus possessed was the robe, which was given to Him at Pilate’s house during His mocking.
36Then they sat down and kept guard over him there.
Psalm 22 predicted that Gentile dogs would gleefully watch the crucifixion of Jesus. Gentile dogs was a metaphor for sodomites. The Roman soldiers sat down to watch Jesus suffer on the cross. This is similar to people going to a violent R-rated movie for entertainment.
37Above his head they put the charge against him, which read: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”
The crime of the individual was written on a sign over the cross. The sign said, “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” According to official Roman Law, the crime of Jesus was that He was the King of the Jews.
38Then two outlaws were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
Two other criminals were crucified on each side of Jesus.
39Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads 40and saying, “You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross!”
Satan did not want Jesus to die on Passover, because this would be a fulfillment of prophecy. He attempted to kill Jesus before Passover, but he was not able to do so. These taunters could not persuade Jesus to come down from the cross and avenge Himself. This was a fulfillment of Psalm 22.
41In the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law and elders – were mocking him:
This was the spiritual condition of the religious leadership of God’s chosen people.
42“He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down now from the cross, we will believe in him!
Even the taunts of the religious leaders would not cause Jesus to come off of the cross and execute vengeance upon those who were mocking Him. This is an example of divine patience and divine love.
43He trusts in God – let God, if he wants to, deliver him now because he said, ‘I am God’s Son’!”
This was the result of man’s totally depraved and evil mind. Jesus died for their sins, but their reaction was ridicule.
44The robbers who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him.
Notice that both robbers spoke abusively to Jesus. The other gospels report that one of the robbers had a change of attitude and actually believed in Jesus.
45Jesus’ Death45Now from noon until three, darkness came over all the land.
Jesus was “the light of the world,” but His light was distinguished during these three hours of darkness. Liberals like to claim that this was a solar eclipse, but solar eclipses do not last this long. This darkness could have been similar to the darkness of the ninth plague of Egypt. There will also be five blackouts before and during the Great Tribulation.
46At about three o’clock Jesus shouted with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
This was a fulfillment of Psalm 22:1. Notice that Jesus did not use “God the Father,” but “my God, my God.” During these three hours, Jesus was forsaken by God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Therefore, as Jesus was being judged for the sins of the world in His humanity, He addressed the other two members of the Trinity as “my God.”
47When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”
Elijah was predicted to return to earth before the Day of the Lord.
48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink.
This was a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21.
49But the rest said, “Leave him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to save him.”
Even after three hours, the curious bystanders were still at the cross, enjoying the suffering of Jesus.
50Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit.
Notice that no man could kill Jesus. The Lord Jesus Christ gave up His own spirit.
51Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart.
The temple curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. It would take four horses to tear open the temple curtain from top to bottom. Only God could tear this curtain from top to bottom. This was a supernatural event. The blood of lambs and goats would no longer cover the sins of Israel. Only the blood of Jesus would eliminate the sins of all men.
52And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died were raised. 53(They came out of the tombs after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.)
Even though liberals do not like this verse, God is God and He can perform miracles. Jesus gave the religious leaders and the people who rejected Him a taste of the future resurrection. After seeing loved ones resurrected from the dead, the enemies of Jesus had to know that they had killed their own Messiah. The point is that they loved their power and prestige on earth more than living in eternity with Jesus.
54Now when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what took place, they were extremely terrified and said, “Truly this one was God’s Son!”
The centurions and soldiers recognized that they crucified the Son of God. This would become a tremendous testimony to the Roman political and military leaders.
55Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and given him support were also there, watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
There were more women followers at the crucifixion of Jesus than male followers.
Jesus’ Burial57Now when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus.
God gave this man riches and power so that he could bury Jesus.
58He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
After his wife’s dream, three hours of darkness, the questioning of Jesus, and the testimony of the soldiers, the superstitious Pilate was not about to deny this request.
59Joseph was a member of the Sanhedrin. He did not agree with the decision to crucify Jesus. He took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
Only loving hands touched the dead body of Jesus. Joseph and Nicodemus wrapped the cloth around the corpse of Jesus.
60and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut in the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away.
It is interesting to note that the tomb of Joseph was purchased in Jerusalem and not Arimathea. Joseph may have prepared this tomb in advance.
61(Now Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there, opposite the tomb.)
All of the disciples had deserted Jesus, but not these two women.
The Guard at the Tomb
62The next day (which is after the day of preparation) the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate 63and said, “Sir, we remember that while that deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’
The chief priests were the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus and the dead saints walking through Jerusalem must have shaken them, but it did not convert them. Unless God opens the eyes of a skeptic, it is impossible for them to believe, even if they witness the resurrections of the dead. The Pharisees hated the Sadducees, but they joined together against Christ. They both understood the claims of Jesus. They understood that He would raise Himself from the dead after three days.
64So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body and say to the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
With all of the first-hand evidence, these skeptics still could not believe in the resurrection of Jesus. Their total depraved and sinful nature explained away the resurrection.
65Pilate said to them, “Take a guard of soldiers. Go and make it as secure as you can.”
Roman legions were guarding the tomb of Jesus to make sure that the disciples did not steal the body.
66So they went with the soldiers of the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
Sixteen soldiers guarded the tomb of a dead man. Twelve were always on duty and four were sleeping or resting. A two ton rock covered the entrance to the tomb. The Roman seal was placed upon the rock. Anyone who broke the seal was given the death penalty. If the guards fell asleep, then they would receive the death penalty as well. The Pharisees think that they are keeping the disciples from stealing the body. What they were actually doing was confirming the resurrection.