Matthew Chapter Twenty-Seven
Jesus Brought to Pilate
[Text parallels Mark 15:1, Luke 22:66; 23:1 and John 18:28]
27:1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.
Since the Jewish leadership no longer had authority to put someone to death, they needed to make a case justifying putting Jesus to death before the Roman governor of the province of Judea. His name was Pontius Pilate.
Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea from A.D. 26-36, serving under Emperor Tiberius. He is most known for his involvement in condemning Jesus to death on a cross.
Outside of the four Gospels, Pontius Pilate is mentioned by Tacitus, Philo, and Josephus. In addition, the “Pilate Stone,” discovered in 1961 and dated c. A.D. 30, includes a description of Pontius Pilate and mentions him as “prefect” of Judea. Pilate is also mentioned in the apocryphal writings, but these were all written at much later dates.[1]
Judas Hangs Himself
[Text parallels Acts 1:18-19]
27:3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
After seeing that Jesus was sentenced to death, Judas no longer thought he did the right thing, so he brought back the money the chief priests and elders had given him to betray Jesus. When he arrived at the Temple, he tried to explain to them that he had sinned by betraying innocent blood. They essentially respond by saying, “So what!” They already knew Jesus was innocent, that is why it took the whole evening to find something they could accuse Him of. They asked Judas, “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.” (NLT) Probably deeply distraught from guilt before he arrived, their response undoubtedly pushed that distress to the point of being overwhelmed. He then left and hanged himself (see also Acts 1:18).
27:6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
There is some debate as to why the pieces of silver were considered unlawful to be placed in the treasury (Greek ‘korbanan’,[2] money that was offered in the Temple dedicated to God). It is likely that the priests considered Judas’ promise to betray Jesus as a vow to God and since he was unable to completely fulfill the vow (some point out that the text says Judas changed his mind as if there was more to his promise that he had not yet done). In the eyes of the priests the returned money was offered as restitution for not completing the vow, per the law this would be unacceptable, thus calling it blood-money.
The priests apparently solicited ideas on how to use the money and they came up with the idea to buy the “potter’s field” as a cemetery for those that were strangers (Greek ‘xenois’,[3] meaning not from one’s family, could also in context refer to non-Jews, essentially Gentile strangers). The way Matthew wrote about the “potter’s field,” without any explanation, implies that it was a well-known field. He also noted that it was still called the “Field of Blood” at the time he was writing his account.
Matthew then identifies this story as being in fulfillment of prophecy spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, but the quotation is found only in Zechariah 11:12-13. There are a number of theories that attempt to explain why Jeremiah is listed instead of Zechariah, including: 1) Matthew was confusing the quote with the text from Jeremiah 18:1-11; 2) A manuscript copying error as some manuscripts have the correct name while some have inserted Isaiah or no name is given; 3) Jeremiah is the better known prophet; 4) Jeremiah was the first of the books of the prophets; 5) Was listed in a lost writing of Jeremiah; etc. See below for further discussion regarding this prophecy.
Considerations
Vows to God[4]
We read in the Old Testament that making a vow was a very serious matter to God. It was a method to provide a personal interaction with God. One could pledge to serve God in many ways, a vow could contain a condition, such as, “God, I promise to do [what they are offering to do], if you allow me to have [some advantage, blessing, etc.]” Or perhaps to emphasize a thanksgiving or acknowledge something done for them already, such as, “God, I dedicate this [whatever they are offering] to your service [could include a timetable] for doing [whatever they are acknowledging].” The vow can even be a dedication of (something or themselves) as a pledge to do (something, typically unusual or perhaps dangerous in the service to God). There are several applications of vows in Scripture (for one example, see 1 Samuel 1:1-2:8).
The basic framework for Old Testament vows to God included: 1) They were not commanded (or required, see Deuteronomy 23:21-23); 2) When made, they were to be considered holy and every effort should be made to fulfill the vow (see Numbers 30:2; Ecclesiastes 5:4-6); 3) They could be made as a gift to God as a special thanksgiving (see Psalm 50:14; 61:8; 65:1; 66:13; 116:14-18; Jonah 2:9); 4) They could be substituted or redeemed (ended before fulfilling) with something of equal value plus twenty percent; and 5) They could be made by offering anything the person had rightful control over (including themselves, spouse, children, slaves, house, animals, or land).
In Leviticus 27:1-8 God lists for Moses the equivalent charges for redeeming vows, something they would need to give to God if they were unable to fulfill the vow. If a person’s vow was from a male between the ages of 20 and 60 years old, a payment of 50 shekels would be necessary. For a female of the same age, 30 shekels. Between the ages of five and twenty the fee would be 20 shekels for a male and 10 shekels for a female. Children from the age of one month to five years of age would require 5 shekels for a male and 3 shekels for a female to redeem. Then if the person was over 60 years old, the fee would be 15 shekels for a male and 10 shekels for a female. If a person could not afford these charges, they are to see a priest and they will determine the appropriate fee, one that they could afford. God, who does not require money or anything of physical value, set these values to demonstrate that if someone chooses to redeem a vow, they could without provoking any anger or resentment from Him, but at the same time validate the vow by giving it some value and consequence. Since the price for redeeming vows made by 20 to 60-year-old males was 50 shekels and Judas only had 30 pieces of silver (equivalent to a shekel),[5] if the priests were thinking the money was to redeem a vow, they would have rightfully called the insufficient money an abomination to God and therefore the money could not go into the Temple’s treasury.
Prophetic Text Overview No. 17
The prophecies found in Zechariah chapter eleven point to a time when God will stop being the Shepherd for the people of Israel, and how they will be scattered as a result of them not recognizing Jesus as the Messiah. It is interesting to note that a prophecy from Jeremiah can aid in understanding the prophecy of Zechariah 11:12-13 (see below). The text from Jeremiah reads: “The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the LORD, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’ “But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’” (Jeremiah 18:1-12) God is explaining that He is sovereign and will judge the people of Judah for turning away from Him.This prophecy introduces God as the Potter.
The prophecy of Zechariah chapter 11 technically begins with the first verse. However, for this overview we will only look at verses 10-13, which reads: “And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD. Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.” The covenant between God and “all the peoples” was broken, He was done being their Shepherd. Some of the sheep traders (introduced in verse seven, in context they would be the Jewish leadership) were watching and even though the Shepherd was doing as God told Him to do, they attempt to bribe the Shepherd with a meager 30 pieces of silver (in lieu of their obedience). The Lord told the Shepherd to throw the silver into the Temple, to God the Potter.
The people of Israel betrayed God by turning their backs on Him and paid more attention to their self-righteous leaders who were only interested in power and money. As a result, the covenant between them and God was broken and He was no longer going to be their Shepherd. One might say that Judas, as the betrayer, represents the people of Israel with Jesus as the Shepherd, and the “sheep traders,” being the greedy self-righteous leaders (the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, etc.) The bribe was rejected and the Shepherd was betrayed. The text here in Matthew states that this episode fulfills this Old Testament prophecy.
Jesus Before Pilate
[Text parallels Mark 15:2-5, Luke 23:3-5 and John 18:33-38]
27:11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.
Jesus is brought before Pilate, the governor of the Roman province of Judea. It is not likely that many ‘criminals’ were personally interviewed by a high-ranking official like Pilate. But since this was a high-profile case and of course hearing that Jesus was called the King the Jews, something that could affect him personally, Pilate probably desired to interview Jesus himself. As expected, Pilate begins with, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Some believe that Jesus’ answer was too cryptic and not a direct affirmative answer. The Greek “Sy Legeis”[6] is a statement of agreement, which would be considered just as affirmative as a ‘Yes’. But when He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He remained silent. Pilate asked Jesus if He could hear everything He was being accused of, but He still gave no answer. Jesus’ silence amazed Pilate (Greek ’thaumazein’,[7] to wonder, marvel, be struck with admiration).
For Prisoner Release the Crowd Chooses Barabbas
[Text parallels Mark 15:6-14, Luke 23:13-23 and John 18:39-19:15]
27:15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.
During the time of the spring feasts there was apparently a local custom to release one prisoner from jail. Many have attempted to connect this observance to a Jewish or Roman tradition, however, history does not support such a claim. The custom appears to have been a local practice, perhaps only in Judea or more narrowing, just in Jerusalem.
27:16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”
By selecting a notorious (Greek ‘episēmon’,[8] having a mark upon, in context one who made an impression, a well-known criminal) prisoner, Pilate may have thought that the public would never desire to release such a dangerous man (both Mark and Luke note that he was a murderer and an insurrectionist) compared to Jesus who harmed no one. Pilate knew that envy was the motivation of the Jewish leadership to have Jesus executed, and by offering Jesus as the alternative to Barabbas, he undoubtedly thought that the people would let Jesus go and there would be no execution.
While sitting on the judgment seat (Greek ‘bēmatos’,[9] an exterior elevated platform or seat, used for legal decisions, major announcements, acknowledging winners of races, etc.), Pilate’s wife sent word to him to that he should not get involved with Jesus since He is a righteous man, as she had experienced a dream where she “suffered much.” Even though Pilate’s wife and her dream are revered by some Christian churches (some list her as a saint), there is nothing more known about her in the Bible, nor in secular history.
27:20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Matthew’s account is the only gospel that notes that the chief priests and elders had persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and demand the death of Jesus. Nothing else is known about how they did that, especially without Pilate’s knowledge. Pilate addresses the crowd, which apparently was assembled for this custom, and asks which one of the two prisoners they want released. They responded, “Barabbas.” Pilate then asked an unusual question as prisoner punishment was not normally a public matter. He asked, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” The crowd loudly stated, “Let him be crucified!” This response likely surprised Pilate as he asks them why. Instead of answering, the crowd shouted even louder, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate Condemns Jesus to Death
[Text parallels Mark 15:15, Luke 23:24-25 and John 19:16]
27:24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
One tactic that aided in the perpetuation of the Roman Empire was to act quickly and brutally to any attempt of an insurrection. As a result, any hint of revolt or riot was feared by both the people and the leadership (if the situation escalated to a full-fledged insurrection they would be held responsible). Since the people began to riot, Pilate decided to give the crowd what they wanted. He publicly washed his hands in water to symbolize that he is absolving himself of any guilt or responsibly for Jesus’ death. Saying that he was innocent of Jesus’ blood and that they are to take on the responsibility themselves. The crowd hauntingly responded, “His blood be on us and our children!” Pilate then released Barabbas and after having Jesus scourged, Pilate had Jesus crucified.
Considerations
Many believe that the hardships the Jews endured in history are the direct result of the people responding to Pilate, saying that the blood of Jesus (the guilt of having put Jesus to death) will be on them and their children. Hardships such as the Temple and the city of Jerusalem destroyed, the dispersion of their people around the world leaving Israel abandoned, the Holocaust killing millions, and antisemitism in general. But is that how God does things or allow? Can someone actually curse themselves? There are many ‘curses’ in the Bible, beginning with the curses right after Adam and Eve introduced sin into the world to Jesus cursing the fig tree in the New Testament, in each of those cases God is always involved. In other words cursing (not referring to swearing or the use of profanity) requires supernatural abilities, as humans cannot on their own invoke some unknown power to inflict pain or suffering. The hardships the people of Israel have endured are not the result of their ancestors calling a curse on them and their children, but from their own disobedience to God as prophesied would happen in Scripture.
Through the years many have pondered why Pilate listened to the crowd instead of releasing Jesus since it is clear that he believed Jesus did nothing to deserve death. Perhaps the easiest answer would be he was ‘blackmailed’. In John’s account we read that the crowd once responded to Pilate’s unwillingness to execute Jesus with, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” (John 19:12) The ‘political’ pressure was now on Pilate, as the issue was more in response to Jesus saying He was a king than all the other accusations. Since Pilate could not allow someone to “threaten the Empire,” understanding that would be treason, truly a capital crime, he succumbed to the threats.
Christians Should Never Forget
Jesus came to die, He had to die. We are not to blame Pilate or the Jews for His execution. If we need to blame someone we should then look in a mirror as Jesus came to solve the problem of sin (see 1 Timothy 1:15). As sinners, no one can save themselves from eternal condemnation. Jesus came to live a sinless life, suffer, die, and rise to life again so that humanity could be saved. Death was always part of His plan, this was not an accident nor something unexpected. Jesus went through this willingly for all of us.
Jesus Is Mocked
[Text parallels Mark 15:16-20]
27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
The Roman soldiers escorted Jesus into the governor’s headquarters (in Latin this building is called ‘Praetorium’, a word used to describe a large house or palace). Where a whole battalion (Greek ‘speiran’,[10] technically refers to a cord or rope, metaphorically used to describe large numbers of soldiers, or in some cases a ‘cohort’, being a tenth of a Roman legion, or 400-600 men) gathered to mock Jesus.
To make fun of the “King of the Jews,” they stripped off His clothes, put a scarlet robe on Him, placed a crown of thorns on His head, and then put a reed, a long stalk for a scepter in His right hand. They kneeled before Him and continued to mock Him by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” followed by them spitting on Jesus and taking the reed and striking Him on the head with it. When they were through, they removed the robe and put His clothes back on and brought Him out to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
[Text parallels Mark 15:21-32, Luke 23:26-43 and John 19:17-27]
27:32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.
Matthew summarizes the trip from the Praetorium to the location where Jesus was crucified in these three verses. Much has been written about this journey, although very little is Scriptural. Since Jesus was nearly scourged to death (see verse 26, Mark 15:15; John 19:1) He apparently was unable to carry the heavy cross on His own (estimated to weigh approximately 100 pounds). The Roman soldiers surveyed the people around them, as a large crowd had come out to watch, and found a man that was capable of assisting Jesus with the cross. Matthew notes that they ‘compelled’ this man to help (Greek ‘ēngareusan’,[11] meaning to press into service). Whenever Roman soldiers wanted something they had the authority to take what they needed and to enlist anyone to serve the Empire. Both Mark and Luke note that Simon of Cyrene (a city in Libya, North Africa) had just arrived, undoubtedly for the festivals (see Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26). The cross was given to Simon to carry behind Jesus.
When they arrived to the location where the Romans publicly crucified those sentenced to death, they offered Jesus wine mixed with gall (the name implies intense bitterness), in Mark’s account he identifies it as ‘myrrh’ (see Mark 15:23) which would have a calming or sedative effect. Upon tasting the mixed drink, Jesus refused to drink it. Giving Jesus ’gall’ also fulfills the prophecy recorded in Psalm 69:21 (the Hebrew ‘rō(’)š’,[12] is most often translated as ‘gall’, but can also be translated as ‘poison’).[13]
The location is identified as Golgotha, a transliterated Aramaic word that means ’skull’ (also known as Calvary from the Latin ‘calva’). Matthew adds that it was the “Place of a skull,” alluding that it was probably a well-known location. There are several suppositions as to why the location was named Golgotha including the hill was in the shape of a skull, the image of a skull was used to represent crucifixion, and several odd lores (one of which claims that Adam was buried there and the blood of Jesus fell on Adam’s skull bringing him back to life).
27:35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.
The text is not implying Jesus was already crucified, the statement only infers that the soldiers were done placing Him on the cross. They then divided His garments amongst themselves by casting lots. A process that is typically done by obtaining a number of stones and marking one and then throwing them into an urn or someone’s lap where each participant takes one (similar to drawing straws). This also fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 22:18, “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” (See Considerations regarding Psalm 22 below)
27:36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”
The soldiers stayed near and kept watch. They placed a sign over His head with the charge the Roman government found Him guilty of, namely that He called Himself the King of the Jews. In John’s account we read, “Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’ ” Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” (John 19:19-22)
27:38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.
Jesus was placed between two robbers, Luke records a conversation between these three (see Luke 23:39-43). It is believed that Golgotha was located near a major passage leading to the city where the crucifixions could easily be seen (served to humiliate the criminals and to discourage anyone from committing a crime). Some derided Jesus as they passed by (the word ‘derided’ in Greek is ‘eblasphēmmoun’,[14] to reproach, blaspheme) while they were wagging their heads (similar to the modern-day practice of shaking one’s head, showing disagreement and disgust). Some taunted Jesus by saying, “Look at you now! You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” (NLT) Even the religious leaders couldn’t resist mocking Jesus: “The high priests, along with the religion scholars and leaders, were right there mixing it up with the rest of them, having a great time poking fun at him: “He saved others—he can’t save himself! King of Israel, is he? Then let him get down from that cross. We’ll all become believers then! He was so sure of God—well, let him rescue his ‘Son’ now—if he wants him! He did claim to be God’s Son, didn’t he?” Even the two criminals crucified next to him joined in the mockery.” (Verses 41-44, The Message) Matthew notes that both of the robbers began to insult and mock Him.
Considerations
The Old Testament contains several prophecies and models (types) that point to Jesus, but few are more sobering and detailed than Psalm 22. The Psalm, written by David, begins with the same words Jesus first cried out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (verse 46b, see also Mark 15:34). Was Jesus simply quoting the Psalm or was He truly calling out to His Father? It is important to note that this is the one and only time in Jesus’ ministry on earth that He called His Father as, “My God.” Why there on the cross would Jesus change how He addresses His Father? First, we need to remember what the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:21, that Jesus was “made to be sin,”[15] perhaps at that time He was calling out on our behalf. Secondly, the phrase directly connects the prophecy of Psalm 22 to Jesus’ crucifixion (see Appendix 4 - Psalm 22).
In many ways the twenty-second Psalm is the most amazing of all psalms. In it we have a picture of the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, painted by David the psalmist one thousand years before Jesus Christ was born. It constitutes one of the most astonishing predictions of all time.
At least nine specific events or aspects of the Crucifixion are described here in minute detail. All of them were fulfilled during the six hours in which Jesus hung upon the cross, from nine o’clock in the morning until three o’clock in afternoon. Moreover, the latter part of the psalm clearly depicts the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The probability that the predictions of these nine events would be fulfilled by chance in one person, on one afternoon, is inconceivably small. The chance that all this could occur by accident is beyond any realm of possibility our minds could imagine. Yet all was fulfilled as predicted in this psalm.[16]
It can be confusing when the Bible speaks of hours and watches. Here is a quick review of each term. The measure of time begins when the sun rises (essentially ‘zero’ hour). For Bible study purposes 6:00 AM is generally used as the average time of daybreak. The ’third hour’ would be 9:00 AM, the ’sixth hour’ at 12:00 PM Noon, the ’ninth hour’ at 3:00 PM and the ’twelfth hour’ at 6:00 PM being at or near sunset. During the night there were four periods referred to as ’watches’. The ‘first watch’ between the hours of 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, the ‘second watch’ between 9:00 PM and 12:00 AM (midnight), the ‘third watch’ between 12:00 AM and 3:00 AM and the ‘fourth watch’ between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM or daybreak.
Death of Jesus
[Text parallels Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49 and John 19:28-30]
27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
On the day Jesus was being crucified beginning at noon there was a supernatural darkness over all the land (Greek ‘gēn’,[17] can also refer to the entire world), which lasted until 3:00 PM. This was the first of several unnatural phenomenon that occurred during this day. The text does not offer any explanation except that these events connect Jesus to the supernatural, to God Himself.
At that time Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”[18] or in English, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”[19] Matthew included the Hebrew/Aramaic rendition to help connect the sound of ‘Eli’ to ‘Elijah’ in order to better understand the following bystander’s comment. Simply using the Greek would have been confusing as the Greek ‘mou’,[20] (translated into English as ‘My’) does not have any ‘el’ sound. When the people heard Jesus say, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” they thought He was calling Elijah. Perhaps they were not familiar with Aramaic or they may have connected the event to the prophecy regarding Elijah’s return (see Malachi 4:5).
One of the onlookers, upon hearing Jesus speak (John records that Jesus said, “I thirst, see John 23:29-30), took a sponge and soaked it with ‘sour wine’ (Greek ‘oxous’,[21] an inexpensive wine, often mixed with water, a common drink of the poorer classes and soldiers) and elevated it up to Jesus to drink.[22] Some of the spectators said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”
Matthew records that Jesus cried out in loud voice but does not state what He said just before dying. Luke records that He said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46) while John notes that Jesus’ final words were, “It is finished” (John 19:30).[23]
27:51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Several post-death supernatural events are recorded by Matthew. The text does not offer Matthew’s source of this information, likely collected from various sources after the fact and inserted here. In order to witness the curtain between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place being torn would have required access that only priests had authorization. The curtain was torn fully into two pieces from the top all the way down to the bottom (see Considerations below). Some commentators like to credit the earthquake with the curtain being torn, but that is unlikely due to no other Temple damage was mentioned, plus Matthew records the earth shaking afterwards (if Matthew thought it was the cause he would have undoubtedly noted that fact).
Other supernatural events that occurred included the aforementioned earthquake, rocks being split and tombs being opened with believers being resurrected who then appeared to many witnesses in Jerusalem. Even though little detail was offered or explanation given, it is clear that, like the darkness mentioned in verse 45, these events gave strong evidence to the presence of God.
One centurion and some of his men with him assigned to keep watch over Jesus, witnessed the earthquake and all of the ‘odd’ things that were taking place, they were filled with ‘awe’ (being terrified, from the Greek ‘ephobēthēsan’,[24] being frightened, fear and ’sphodra’,[25] vehemently). However, the centurion recognized the connection to God and truthfully proclaimed, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
27:55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Many of the women that followed Jesus and were involved in His ministry, had gathered to watch from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James (one of Jesus’ disciples, sometimes called James the younger or as the son of Alphaeus, see Mark 15:40 and Matthew 10:3) and Joseph (Mark uses a slight variation transliterated as ‘Joses’, see Mark 6:3; 15:40, 47), and Salome (identified by Mark, see Mark 15:40) the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. John places Mary, the mother of Jesus, near the cross (see John 19:25).
Considerations
Words Spoken While On the Cross
Often referred to as the “Seven Words of Jesus on the Cross,” are actually seven different phrases that require ‘gluing’ the four gospel accounts to acquire all of them. Some like to debate the order of events, that due to each gospel writer’s different perspective it can be difficult to create an absolute timeline. We need to understand that the order is not important, the fact that Jesus spoke them is.
Here are the phrases in the order of the four books of the Bible (the first one is recorded twice): 1) ”Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (Matthew 27:46); "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (Mark 15:34); 2) ”Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34); 3) ”Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43); 4) ”Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" (Luke 23:46); 5) ”Woman, behold, your son!” “Behold, your mother!” (John 19:26–27); 6) “I thirst." (John 19:28); and 7) “It is finished” (John 19:30).
The Aramaic language is an ancient (at least 3,000 years old) Semitic language that originated among the Arameans (descendants of Aram, see Genesis 10:22-23). It was the dominant language spoken in Judea during the time of Jesus’ ministry. It is believed that Jesus and His disciples regularly spoke Aramaic, although undoubtedly each were skilled in multiple languages (including possibly: Koine Greek being a wide-area common language for trade, Hebrew for religious learning, and Latin for interacting with the Romans). Besides the Aramaic phrase recorded here in Matthew and Mark, there are over twelve other Aramaic words, plus several Aramaic personal and location names in the New Testament. In addition, Aramaic also played a major role in the writing of the Old Testament and can be found as early as Genesis (see Genesis 31:47; Proverbs 31:2; Jeremiah 10:11; Daniel 2:4b-7:28; Ezra 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26)
The news of the curtain that separated the Most Holy Place and the Holy Place being torn into two pieces would have been more astonishing than a devastating earthquake to most Jews. News of that magnitude would have been difficult, if not impossible, to refrain from spreading. The Most Holy Place was forbidden to enter except by the High Priest once a year on the Day of Atonement (see Leviticus 23:26-32) to offer atonement for themselves and and for the people of Israel. Special preparation was required before the High Priest could enter the room. Plus, if something was done wrong the priest would be killed. The room was both feared and respected. To the Jews, this room was considered the most sacred place on earth, it was often called “The Holies of Holies.” The room contained the Ark of the Covenant (also known as the Ark of Testimony) and the Mercy Seat (the name of the Ark’s lid), it was the location that represented the presence of God. Since humans are sinners, they could not access or approach God without the shedding of innocent blood and an intermediary, that was the role of the priesthood. Having the curtain ripped demonstrates the removal of those restrictions. The fact that the curtain was torn from the top to the bottom illustrates that it was torn by God, not by human effort. With Jesus being victorious on the cross, mankind now has direct access to God through His Son. Priests are no longer required as intermediaries. The barrier between God and man is now bridged. Christians have direct access to Jesus. This is why most Protestant denominations prefer the clergy title of ‘pastor’ (meaning ’shepherd’) instead of ‘priest’. Jesus serves as our High Priest, now and forever.
Jesus Buried in Tomb
[Text parallels Mark 15:46-47, Luke 23:53-56 and John 19:39-42]
27:57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
Matthew introduces us to another disciple by the name of Joseph. Since Joseph[26] was a popular name (seven different people in the New Testament) he adds several unique ‘identifiers’ to separate him from the other men named Joseph. He was a wealthy man from the Judean town of Arimathea (exact location is unknown, however, the historian Eusebius connects it to Ramah). He was also a member of the Sanhedrin (see Mark 15:43; Luke 23:50) and evidently needed to keep the knowledge of his following Jesus a secret (see John 19:38). He was apparently influential enough to seek a private meeting with Pilate, he asked him for Jesus’ body. Pilate granted the request and Joseph took the body, wrapped it with clean linen and placed the body in his own recently carved-out tomb. He rolled a large stone in front of the tomb’s entrance and left. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the younger and Joses (identified in Mark 15:47) were there sitting across from the tomb’s opening and without a doubt in great agony and sorrow.
Tomb Sealed and Guard Posted
27:62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
The next day the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. They requested that he secure the opening of the tomb Jesus was buried in to prevent anyone, especially the disciples, from removing His body and spread rumors of His resurrection. Pilate agreed and ordered it to be made as secure as they could. The tomb was then sealed and guards were posted. It is interesting to note that these Jewish leaders recognized what Jesus was saying that He would rise after three days. Something that even Jesus’ own disciples had difficulty in understanding. It is also interesting to note Pilate’s peculiar response, “Go, make it as secure as you can.” It reads like he was actually expecting Jesus to rise!
Considerations
The day after the crucifixion is noted as being after the “day of Preparation.” The text here and in Mark 15:42; Luke 23:54; and John 19:31 all refer to a day called ‘Preparation’. There is a growing debate as to which day this is. Some of these verses state that this day is before the Sabbath, however, as discussed earlier[27] there are other days other than the last day of a week that are also called Sabbaths. Scripture does not offer an explanation or define any “Day of Preparation,” in fact the text here in verse 62 does not include the Greek word for ‘day’, it is only implied by the translator as Luke 23:54 does use the word ‘hēmera’[28] referring to a day (the word is not found in any of the other verses).
The Jews use the day before weekly Sabbaths and each of the ‘Sabbaths’ related to festivals to prepare so they can rest without doing any work. The Talmud has special tractates to guide Jews on how to prepare food (Tractate Besah) and to prepare for other duties such as watering the fields (Tractate Mo’ed Qatan) before the start of the festival Sabbaths. A separate tractate known as the Tractate Shabbat regulates preparation for the weekly Sabbaths. None of them refer to a ‘day’ of preparation.
⇐Previous Chapter (Introduction/Index) Next Chapter⇒
[1] GotQuestions.org. (2012, February 29). Home. GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/Pontius-Pilate.html.
[2] Root word ‘Korban’, Strong’s Greek 2878.
[3] Strong’s Greek 3581.
[4] Adapted from author’s book, “Everything a Christian Should Know About the Torah A Commentary on the First Five Books of the Bible”
[5] See commentary under Matthew 26:14-16.
[6] Strong’s Greek 4771 and 3004.
[7] Strong’s Greek 2296.
[8] Strong’s Greek 1978.
[9] Strong’s Greek 968.
[10] Strong’s Greek 4686.
[11] Strong’s Greek 29.
[12] Strong’s Hebrew 7219.
[13] See also Considerations under John 19:28-30.
[14] Strong’s Greek 987.
[15] See Considerations under Matthew 26:43-46 “Made Him to Be Sin.”
[16] Stedman, R. C. (1973). Folk Psalms of Faith (p. 65). Glendale, CA: Regal Books.
[17] Strong’s Greek 1093.
[18] Matthew's rendition of this phrase blends both Hebrew and Aramaic. The same phrase in Mark 15:34 is entirely Aramaic.
[19] See Considerations above regarding the parallels prophesied in Psalm 22.
[20] Strong’s Greek 3450.
[21] Strong’s Greek 3690.
[22] See Psalm 69:21, portions of Psalm 69 are considered Messianic in nature.
[23] See Appendix 6 "Medical Aspects of Crucifixion."
[24] Strong’s Greek 5399.
[25] Strong’s Greek 4970.
[26] Greek ‘Iōsēph’, Strong’s Greek 2501.
[27] See Considerations under Matthew 26:26-29 regarding “Timing.”
[28] Strong’s Greek 2250.