Matthew 27

Matthew 27 describes the events leading to Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. The chapter begins with Jesus’ trial before Pilate, then details His suffering, the mockery by Roman soldiers, and His crucifixion at Golgotha. It highlights the fulfillment of prophecy, the reactions of various people around Him, and the miraculous events surrounding His death. Matthew 27 concludes with Jesus’ burial and the measures taken by religious leaders to secure His tomb, reflecting both the tragedy of Jesus’ death and the anticipation of His resurrection.

Matthew 27:1-2 (NKJV)
1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.
2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

The chief priests and elders are resolute in their plan to have Jesus executed, binding Him as a criminal and taking Him to Pilate, the Roman governor, for judgment. Their decision to involve Roman authority underscores their intent to ensure Jesus’ death through crucifixion—a punishment only Rome could enforce. This act fulfills Old Testament prophecy and reveals the extreme lengths they go to eliminate what they see as a threat to their authority.

Matthew 27:3-10 (NKJV)
3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”
5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.
6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.”
7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.
8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced,
10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

Judas’ remorse after betraying Jesus shows his recognition of Jesus’ innocence. He returns the silver, but the priests dismiss him, indifferent to his guilt. The priests’ decision to buy a field with the returned money, fulfilling prophecy, emphasizes the tragic irony—the very money meant to betray Jesus is used to buy a burial ground, symbolizing both death and the weight of guilt. Judas’ tragic end reveals the consequences of his betrayal and the deep regret that ultimately overcomes him.

Matthew 27:11-14 (NKJV)
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”
12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.
13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?”
14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Jesus’ silence before Pilate, despite the accusations against Him, reflects His submission to God’s will and His innocence. By answering minimally, Jesus allows the actions and words of His accusers to speak for themselves, demonstrating His composure and dignity amidst unjust accusations. Pilate’s amazement highlights the contrast between Jesus’ calm demeanor and the hostility of His accusers, suggesting a deeper recognition of Jesus’ uniqueness even in the midst of trial.

Matthew 27:15-26 (NKJV)
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.
16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.
19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”
20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!”
22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”
23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”
24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”
25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”
26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

Pilate’s attempt to release Jesus by presenting Barabbas to the crowd fails as the religious leaders manipulate the people to demand Jesus’ crucifixion. Despite Pilate’s belief in Jesus’ innocence, he succumbs to public pressure, symbolically washing his hands to absolve himself of guilt. The people’s declaration—accepting responsibility for Jesus’ death—reveals the gravity of their choice. This exchange contrasts the guilt of the crowd with Jesus’ innocence, emphasizing the injustice of His sentence.

Matthew 27:27-31 (NKJV)
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him.
28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head.
31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

The soldiers of the governor mock Jesus in a brutal display of contempt. They dress Him in a scarlet robe, crown Him with thorns, and give Him a reed as a scepter, sarcastically hailing Him as "King of the Jews" while physically and verbally abusing Him. This scene not only depicts Jesus' physical suffering but also his profound humiliation. The soldiers' actions echo the prophecies found in Isaiah 53, which foretold that the Messiah would be despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. This prophecy highlights the depth of Jesus' sacrifice, encompassing both the physical agony and the emotional burden of being scorned and degraded by those He came to save.

Matthew 27:32-37 (NKJV)
32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross.
33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull,
34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.
35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.”
36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.
37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

As Jesus is led to Golgotha, Simon of Cyrene is compelled to carry His cross, symbolizing the shared burden of Christ’s suffering. At the site of crucifixion, the soldiers offer Him wine mixed with gall, a bitter drink that He refuses in order to stay fully conscious and endure the full extent of His suffering. This choice underscores His commitment to face every aspect of the crucifixion with complete awareness, emphasizing the depth of His sacrifice for humanity's redemption. The act of dividing His garments and casting lots for His clothing fulfills the prophecy from Psalm 22:18, highlighting the precise unfolding of events as foretold by scripture, which detail the mocking and mistreatment of the Messiah. This underscores that every aspect of Jesus’ suffering is part of God’s sovereign plan. The inscription over His head, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS," intended as mockery, ironically affirms His true kingship, emphasizing His royal identity even in the moment of His deepest humiliation.

Matthew 27:38-44 (NKJV)
38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads
40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said,
42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.
43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

Jesus is crucified between two robbers, reflecting the prophecy that He would be numbered with the transgressors. Initially, both robbers, along with the passersby, chief priests, scribes, and elders, join in mocking Jesus, hurling insults and challenging Him to save Himself and come down from the cross if He truly is the Son of God. This scene captures a moment of widespread scorn and derision aimed at Jesus during His crucifixion, highlighting the profound humiliation He endured. However, according to the Gospel of Luke, one of the robbers experiences a change of heart and rebukes the other robber, asking Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom, to which Jesus promises that the repentant thief will be with Him in Paradise. This shift underscores a moment of redemption and the profound impact of Jesus' mercy, even amidst the cruelty and mockery of the crucifixion.

Matthew 27:45-50 (NKJV)
45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!”
48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.
49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

The darkness that covers the land during Jesus’ crucifixion symbolizes the weight of sin and judgment. Jesus’ cry of abandonment reflects His feeling of separation from the Father as He bears humanity’s sin. This moment reveals the profound depth of His sacrifice, taking on the ultimate consequence of sin—separation from God. His final loud cry and yielding of His spirit show His willing submission to God’s plan, marking the completion of His mission to redeem humanity.

Matthew 27:51-54 (NKJV)
51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

The tearing of the temple veil signifies the end of separation between God and humanity, granting believers direct access to God through Jesus’ sacrifice. The earthquake and resurrection of saints emphasize the cosmic impact of Jesus’ death, affirming His power over death and the promise of resurrection. The centurion’s declaration, “Truly this was the Son of God,” marks a recognition of Jesus’ divine identity, underscoring that even those outside the Jewish faith can see the truth of who Jesus is.

Matthew 27:55-61 (NKJV)
55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar,
56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.
59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.
61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

The presence of the women at the crucifixion and burial demonstrates their devotion and courage in supporting Jesus even in His death. Joseph of Arimathea’s role in requesting Jesus’ body and placing it in his own tomb fulfills prophecy and reflects his commitment as a disciple. The careful burial preparations, with the large stone sealing the tomb, ensure that Jesus’ death is verified, setting the stage for the coming resurrection.

Matthew 27:62-66 (NKJV)
62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate,
63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’
64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.”
66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

This passage records how the chief priests and Pharisees, fearing that Jesus' disciples might steal His body and claim He had risen, sought Pilate’s permission to secure the tomb. Pilate allowed them to seal the stone and post a guard, ensuring the tomb was heavily protected. This act of sealing the tomb and stationing guards was intended to prevent deception, but it ultimately reinforced the truth of the resurrection. When Jesus rose, the guards and sealed tomb served as undeniable witnesses that no human intervention had occurred, highlighting the miraculous nature of His resurrection and fulfilling God's plan.