Mateus 27
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - A blind, unreasoning hate had taken possession of the people. They gave no answer to Pilate’s wondering inquiry, "Why, what evil has he done?" for he had done nothing amiss; they only repeated the brutal demand, "Let him be crucified! Let him be crucified!" The world’s hatred of Christ is shown in similar fashion today. He has done no evil, no one has suffered harm at his hands, all unite to pronounce him innocent; and yet they practically say, "Away with him! Crucify him!" QUESTION - Why did the crowds shout, “Crucify Him!” when Pilate wanted to release Jesus? ANSWER - When the Sanhedrin brought Jesus before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, Pilate could not find any fault in Jesus, and he said so three times (Luke 23:4, 14–15, 22). Late in the trial, Pilate sought a way to free Jesus (John 19:12). It was a Passover festival custom that the governor release a prisoner to the people, so, in a ploy to appease the crowd of Jewish leaders who had gathered and to secure Jesus’ release, Pilate allowed them to choose between a convicted criminal named Barabbas and Jesus. Instead of choosing Jesus, as Pilate had hoped, the crowd chose Barabbas for release. Shocked that they would free a hardened criminal, Pilate asked, “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:12). The crowd cried out, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15:13). It is well that Pilate was confused by the crowd’s reaction, for barely a week earlier the people of Jerusalem had welcomed Jesus into the city with the waving of palm branches and shouts of “Hosanna!” (Matthew 21:1–11). What Pilate may not have known was the extent to which the religious and political leaders hated and opposed Jesus. Over the course of Jesus’ ministry, His teachings had alienated and angered the Pharisees, the scribes, the Herodians, and the Sadducees. Not only did Jesus point out their extreme hypocrisy on many occasions (see Matthew 23; Mark 7:1–14; Luke 20:45–47), but He also claimed to be God, which was blasphemy to the unbelieving teachers of the law (see Mark 14:60–64). The religious leaders wanted to utterly destroy Jesus (Matthew 12:14; Mark 3:6). Only His death would satisfy them. In Jesus’ time, crucifixion was reserved for the worst of criminals. The torture a person endured on a cross would last for hours, and killing Jesus in this manner likely appealed to the religious leaders who hated Him so deeply. In an effort to hide their move against Jesus from His many supporters, the Jewish leaders arrested and tried Jesus in the middle of the night. When Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate—the only one with authority to order a crucifixion—it was still early in the morning (Matthew 27:1–2). When Pilate presented Jesus and Barabbas to the people, the chief priests whipped the crowd into a frenzy, encouraging them to call for Barabbas’s release (Mark 15:11). When Pilate asked what they wanted done to Jesus, the crowd, again influenced by the chief priests, shouted, “Crucify Him!” Pilate, the people-pleaser, gave them what they demanded. He had Jesus flogged and then turned Him over for crucifixion. At the beginning of the week, there was a crowd in Jerusalem celebrating Jesus as the Messiah; by Friday, there was a crowd crying, “Crucify Him!” The striking change of the city’s heart naturally causes some perplexity. It’s good to remember that not everyone at the Triumphal Entry was celebrating the Lord. Most of the city was puzzled: “When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’” (Matthew 21:10), and the Jewish leaders were indignant (verse 15). Some of the same crowd who shouted, “Hosanna!” may also have been part of the crowd shouting “Crucify Him!” but we can’t be sure. If some people did join both crowds, it may be because they had grown disillusioned with Jesus when they discovered He was not going to set up the kingdom immediately—or perhaps they disliked Jesus’ insistence that they repent. Also, it’s quite possible that the crowd gathered before Pilate at that early hour had been assembled and suborned by the Jewish leaders. In the end, it wasn’t the crowd’s cries of “Crucify Him!” that put Jesus on the cross. Our sin did that. From the very beginning, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, the Lord had promised to send a Savior who would crush the reign of sin and death (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the ages God wove His plan to send a Savior, and that plan culminated in the person of Jesus Christ: God’s own Son who became the perfect God-man so He could take upon Himself the punishment for sin. Although wicked men were involved in Jesus’ death on the cross, His sacrifice was ultimately the will of God (Isaiah 53:10; John 10:18). The shedding of Jesus’ blood fulfilled God’s promise to mankind to provide a Savior and sealed the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). Jesus would then defeat the power of death and the grave by rising again three days later and ascending to His Father’s right hand in heaven. Rejected He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. — John 1:11 Today's Scripture : Matthew 27:15-26 Rejection hurts. When candidate Adlai Stevenson conceded the US presidential election in 1952, he said he felt like a grown man who had just stubbed his toe. He added, “It hurts too much to laugh, but I’m too old to cry.” Little children feel the pain of rejection when one of their peers is chosen instead of them to recite a poem or sing a song. As they grow older, some of them are not going to be chosen for the varsity team. Some of them are going to be turned down by a girl they want to date. Some may marry and have their mate leave them for another person. They may wonder why the Lord allows them to be rejected. I have no easy answers for people who have been hurt like this. I can only suggest that they look to Jesus, remembering how He experienced rejection. He was scorned by His brothers and His countrymen. He heard the crowd demand His crucifixion (Matthew 27:23). On the cross, as our sin-bearer, He felt such abandonment by His Father that He cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt 27:46). I love to dwell upon the thought That Jesus cares for me; It matters not what life may bring— He loves me tenderly. —Adams Jesus cares—and that makes all the difference. Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” washed: De 21:6,7 Job 9:30,31 Ps 26:6 Jer 2:27,35 I am innocent of this Man’s blood: Mt 27:4,9,54 Jn 19:4 Ac 3:14 2Co 5:21 1Pe 3:18 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 27:4 (JUDAS ISCARIOT RIGHTLY STATED) “I have sinned by betraying innocent (athoos) blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” WASHED HIS HANDS BUT NOT HIS HEART! This passage is unique to Matthew's account. When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing (opheleo) (oudeis - absolutely) nothing - As we might say today "Pilate was getting no where" with the Jewish leaders. Their faces were "fixed like flint" on destroying their Messiah and if need be they would incite a riot! This was the last thing Pilate wanted to occur so he proceeded to move quickly to avert a riot. But - Term of contrast. What's the contrast? Clearly Pilate's failed attempts to release Jesus were fanning flames of a riot. Rather that a riot (thorubos) was starting - An uprising by the Jews was the last thing Pilate wanted, for he knew if word got back to Rome, he would lose his position and possibly even his life. He took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent (athoos) of this Man’s blood (haima) - Pilate passes the buck, but not the accountability for his actions. Pilate's words did not absolve him from being guilty of Jesus' blood! As Jesus had earlier declared to Pilate "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin." (Jn 19:11+) Caiaphas and the Jews would have the greater guilt (for they had greater light), but Pilate would also be guilty before God. It is ironic Pilate used the same verb innocent (athoos) used by another guilty man Judas Iscariot! Pilate should have sung the great hymn "What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus!" Spurgeon - The washing availed him nothing, the blood of Jesus lay at his door, for had he been just he would have released the innocent. See to that yourselves - "You take care of it yourselves!" In another ironic twist, this is the same thing the the chief priests and elders told Judas saying “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” (Mt 27:4) A T
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Spurgeon - The day was more advanced, but it was yet early, and a third time the Sanhedrin held a sitting, not to try the Lord Jesus, but to consider how to secure his destruction. The Romans had taken away from them the power of life and death, and, therefore, they were forced to carry their prisoner to the Roman governor. All (cf Mk 14:53+) the chief priests (archiereus) and the elders (presbuteros) of the people conferred together (sumboulion) against Jesus (Iesous) to put Him to death (thanatoo) - Note chief priests is plural which was a reference to the priestly family of Annas, who had purchased this office from the Romans. The elders of the people refers to the eminent laypeople who formed part of the Sanhedrin. This "trial" was truly a "kangaroo court" for the verdict had already been reached (Mt 26:65-66+) and they quickly "hopped" to Pilate's praetorium because, although they could pronounce a death sentence, they had no authority to carry it out (Jn 18:31+). Jesus' first trial was before Annas at night (Jn 18:12-14,19-24+) followed by the night trial before Caiaphas, (Mt 26:57-68+, Mk 14:53-65+, Lk 22:54, 63-65+) both of which broke Jewish laws requiring trials to occur during the day (See list of illegalities of the Jewish "trials"). Therefore the leaders were forces to conduct a trial at daybreak to appear "legal" and to reaffirm the findings of the night time trial. As Adam
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Spurgeon - Judas had been with our Lord in public and in private; and if he could have found a flaw in Christ’s character, this would have been the time to mention it; but even the traitor, in his dying speech, declared that Jesus was ‘innocent.'” Perhaps Judas either knew or recalled the words of Moses... Deuteronomy 27:25+ ‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to strike down an innocent person.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ But (term of contrast) they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” - These religious bigots disclaim responsibility with their callous reply! I like the NIV "That's your responsibility!" or the NLT "That's your problem!" "Look after your own guilt." The Jewish leaders in effect "wash their hands" of Judas' betrayal of Jesus. They could care less, for finally they had achieved the goal they had sought for so many months, that is, to put an end to Jesus' life. Leon
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Spurgeon - From the place whereon he hung him self he fell headlong and was dashed in pieces; thus every circumstance of horror attended his self-murder. Unhappy man! How short-lived was his profit! How eternal his loss! Will we give up Christ for gain or pleasure! O Lord, forbid it. Bob Utley on hanged himself - This was not a theological proof-text about suicide bringing damnation (i.e., Catholic theology). There are several suicides mentioned in the OT: Judges 9:54; 16:30; 1 Sam. 31:4,5; 2 Sam. 17:23; 1 Kgs. 16:18. Nothing negative is ever said about these acts. It was Judas' lack of true repentance that sealed his lostness, not his taking his own life. The account of Judas' death in Acts 1:18+ does not contradict Matthew's account but supplements it. Apparently Judas hanged himself over a cliff and later the rope broke and his body fell and broke open. Related Resources: What are some Bible verses about suicide? TOPIC: SUICIDE TOPIC: JUDAS ISCARIOT Daniel Doriani suggests "to remove such blood guilt, the guilty party must pay for his crime by his own death (Nu 35:33–34). Judas took his life “in an anguished attempt to atone for his guilt.” (Quoted by Paul Apple, p 1293) Craig Blomberg: Judas responds in anger and despair. He hurls the money to the floor, probably in the temple treasury room (korbanas, v. 6), and goes out and kills himself. Was he inspired by the gruesome model of Ahithophel (2 Sam 17:23)? It is not possible to conclude from Judas's actions that suicide automatically damns a person. There may be reasons why believers would take their lives when they are not fully in control of their senses (e.g., when there is a chemical imbalance in the body), but the Scriptures never commend suicide as do certain non-Christian religions. Suicide is always sinful, in violation of the Sixth Commandment (Exod 20:13), even if it can be forgiven. In Judas's case, however, there is no scriptural warrant for the sentimental notion that he was actually saved. For the Jews, a hanging would have confirmed God's curse (Deut 21:23). By emphasizing Judas's fate, Matthew provides a dire warning to his community about the possible result of apostasy. (SEE Matthew: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Charles Swindoll: In his fit of remorse, Judas cast the thirty pieces of silver onto the temple floor and then hanged himself in a remote field (27:3-8). There his body remained, dangling between tree limb and ground until it decayed, became bloated, and eventually fell from the noose. Having landed on the rocky ground, it burst open, and his organs spilled out onto the earth (Acts 1:18-19). Ancient people would have considered this gruesome event as the most shameful way to die and an unthinkable way for a body to decay. In the Jewish mind, a hanged man was “accursed of God,” and if the corpse was not buried the same day, the land was considered defiled (Deut. 21:22-23). Moreover, Jews avoided cadavers at all costs. This was cursed ground. . . In a twist of irony, the money that had been paid to Judas became the money used to buy the land where he hanged himself. What a tragic legacy for a tragic life! (See Insights on Matthew 16–28 - Page 275 - Google Books) Jeffrey Crabtree: Peter further described Judas’ death (Acts 1:18-19) as being gruesome and stated that everyone in Jerusalem became aware of his death and the horrific details. Some interpreters assume the structure (a tree limb growing out over a precipice?) from which Judas hung himself gave way and he fell as described by Peter. (Quoted by Paul Apple page 1293) NET NOTE - NET = "So Judas..." - Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the leaders’ response to Judas. J C
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Spurgeon comments: “He might have cleared himself of every accusation that was brought against him, but that would have left the load of guilt upon those whose place he came to take; so he answered never a word. Such silence was sublime.”. (The Gospel of the Kingdom) So the governor (hegemon) was quite amazed (thaumazo) - Pilate marveled at Jesus being hit with a barrage of accusations and not responding with rebuttal. And of course one reason Jesus did not defend Himself against their false accusations is that He knew His hour had come to die as the Lamb of God (Jn 1:29+). Spurgeon - He (PILATE) had seen in captured Jews the fierce courage of fanaticism; but there was no fanaticism in Christ. He had also seen in many prisoners the meanness which will do or say anything to escape from death; but he saw nothing of that about our Lord. He saw in him unusual gentleness and humility combined with majestic dignity. He beheld submission blended with innocence. As noted above, Jesus' silence was a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7+. Jesus’ commitment to accomplish the will and work of His Father (Jn 4:34+, Jn 17:4+) is firmly fixed like flint! Nothing superhuman and no one human, could deter Him from completing the mission for which the Father had sent Him. Amazed (2296) thaumazo from thauma [from thaomai = to wonder] = wonder, admiration) means to wonder, marvel, be struck with admiration or astonishment. To be surprised by the unexpected. Thaumazo describes the human response when confronted by divine revelation in some form (Mt 9.33). Be surprised (Gal 1:6). It denotes incredulous surprise. Thaumazo was a rhetorical device used in law courts and politics to attack things done by the opposition party. NIDNTT on Thaumazo in Classic Greek - The word-group associated with thauma is found in Gk. from the 8th and 7th centuries, to designate that which by its appearance arouses astonishment and amazement. The root is cognate with theaomai, to look at. TDNT on Classic Greek uses - The group has first the sense of astonishment, whether critical or inquisitive, then admiration, with a nuance of awe or fear at what is unusual or mysterious, e.g., miracles or oracles in religion, also magical acts or media, and certain phenomena (prior to their explanation) in philosophy. THAUMAZO - 43X/43V - am amazed(1), amazed(15), amazement(1), astonished(3), being amazed(1), flattering(1), marvel(4), marveled(5), marveling(2), surprised(2), wonder(2), wondered(4), wondering(2). Matt. 8:10; Matt. 8:27; Matt. 9:33; Matt. 15:31; Matt. 21:20; Matt. 22:22; Matt. 27:14; Mk. 5:20; Mk. 6:6; Mk. 15:5; Mk. 15:44; Lk. 1:21; Lk. 1:63; Lk. 2:18; Lk. 2:33; Lk. 4:22; Lk. 7:9; Lk. 8:25; Lk. 9:43; Lk. 11:14; Lk. 11:38; Lk. 20:26; Lk. 24:12; Lk. 24:41; Jn. 3:7; Jn. 4:27; Jn. 5:20; Jn. 5:28; Jn. 7:15; Jn. 7:21; Acts 2:7; Acts 3:12; Acts 4:13; Acts 7:31; Acts 13:41; Gal. 1:6; 2 Thess. 1:10; 1 Jn. 3:13; Jude 1:16; Rev. 13:3; Rev. 17:6; Rev. 17:7; Rev. 17:8 C H Spurgeon —Matthew 27:14 Morning and Evening He had never been slow of speech when he could bless the sons of men, but he would not say a single word for himself. “Never man spake like this man,” and never man was silent like him. Was this singular silence the index of his perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that he would not utter a word to stay the slaughter of his sacred person, which he had dedicated as an offering for us? Had he so entirely surrendered himself that he would not interfere in his own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be bound and slain an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim? Was this silence a type of the defencelessness of sin? Nothing can be said in palliation or excuse of human guilt; and, therefore, he who bore its whole weight stood speechless before his judge. Is not patient silence the best reply to a gainsaying world? Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to afford no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean, will ere long overthrow and confute themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet, and finds silence to be its wisdom. Evidently our Lord, by his silence, furnished a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy. A long defence of himself would have been contrary to Isaiah’s prediction. “He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” By his quiet he conclusively proved himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we salute him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart, let us hear the voice of thy love. Matthew 27:15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. Mt 26:5 Mk 15:6,8 Lu 23:16,17 Jn 18:38,39 Ac 24:27 25:9 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries CUSTOM PROVIDING FOR RELEASE ON PASSOVER Now at the feast (heorte = the Passover) the governor (hegemon) was accustomed (etho) to release (apoluo) for the people any one (heis) prisoner (desmios) whom they wanted (thelo) - There is no clear historical corroboration of the custom of Pilate to release one prisoner. John and Mark also make mention of this tradition... “But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release (apoluo) for you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:39+) Now at the feast (Passover) he used to release (apoluo) for them any one prisoner (desmios) whom they requested. (Mk 15:6+) Charles Swindoll: Finding himself in a precarious political situation, Pilate was seeking some way to free Jesus from the trumped-up charges of the Jewish leaders without breaking either their laws or those of Rome. He knew Jesus was innocent of everything except, perhaps, religious lunacy. Yet his experience with the stubborn rulers of the Jews in Jerusalem told Pilate that they would not be satisfied with a simple dismissal of all charges against Jesus. That could cause a riot or, worse, a report sent to Caesar saying that Pilate was providing a safe haven for treasonous claimants to the throne of Israel. In the midst of his personal turmoil, Pilate recalled an annual custom that might just provide a way of escape from that political quagmire. Each year at Passover, the governor of Judea would release one convicted prisoner back to the people – an act of unconditional clemency as a sign of benevolence and mercy (Mt 27:15). One of the men awaiting execution that morning was a man named Barabbas, described as a “notorious prisoner” (Mt 27:16), guilty of insurrection and murder (Luke 23:25). Surely, Pilate reasoned, if the crowd was presented with a choice between freeing Barabbas or freeing Jesus, their sense of justice would prevail and Jesus would go free. Pilate also seemed to be aware of Jesus’ popularity with the people, for “he knew that because of envy [the Jewish leaders] had handed Him over” (Mt 27:17-18). (See Insights on Matthew 16–28 - Page 278 - Google Book) Release (send away, divorce) (630) apoluo from apó = marker of dissociation, implying a rupture from a former association, separation + luo = loose) is used often of sending a person or a group away from someone (Mt 14:15, 22, 23, 32, etc). Apoluo frequently has the sense of to let loose from or to release (as from under arrest or from another's custody), as it is used here in Acts 17:9. To let go free or set at liberty. Apoluo is used in all four Gospels describing the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus (Jn 18:39, Mt 27:15, 17, 21, etc, cf Acts 16:35) Apoluo was used in secular Greco-Roman writings of discharge from the military, of release from jail or of setting a debtor free (these latter meanings also commonly found in the NT writings). To dismiss (as innocent) - As legal term, to grant acquittal, set free, release, pardon. APOLUO - 62V - dismissed(1), divorce(3), divorced(2), divorces(5), freed(1), leaving(1), let...go(2), pardon(1), pardoned(1), release(20), released(8), releasing...to depart(1), send...away(9), sending...away(1), sending away(1), sends...away(1), sent...away(6), sent away(2), set free(1). Matt. 1:19; Matt. 5:31; Matt. 5:32; Matt. 14:15; Matt. 14:22; Matt. 14:23; Matt. 15:23; Matt. 15:32; Matt. 15:39; Matt. 18:27; Matt. 19:3; Matt. 19:7; Matt. 19:8; Matt. 19:9; Matt. 27:15; Matt. 27:17; Matt. 27:21; Matt. 27:26; Mk. 6:36; Mk. 6:45; Mk. 8:3; Mk. 8:9; Mk. 10:2; Mk. 10:4; Mk. 10:11; Mk. 10:12; Mk. 15:6; Mk. 15:9; Mk. 15:11; Mk. 15:15; Lk. 2:29; Lk. 6:37; Lk. 8:38; Lk. 9:12; Lk. 13:12; Lk. 14:4; Lk. 16:18; Lk. 23:16; Lk. 23:17; Lk. 23:18; Lk. 23:20; Lk. 23:22; Lk. 23:25; Jn. 18:39; Jn. 19:10; Jn. 19:12; Acts 3:13; Acts 4:21; Acts 4:23; Acts 5:40; Acts 13:3; Acts 15:30; Acts 15:33; Acts 16:35; Acts 16:36; Acts 17:9; Acts 19:41; Acts 23:22; Acts 26:32; Acts 28:18; Acts 28:25; Heb. 13:23 Matthew 27:16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. a notorious prisoner: Mk 15:7 Lu 23:18,19,25 Jn 18:40 Ac 3:14 Ro 1:32 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:7+ The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. Luke 23:18-19+ But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) John 18:40+ So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber (lestes). BARABBAS INTRODUCED INTO THE REDEMPTIVE DRAMA At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner (desmios), called Barabbas - As noted in the cross references above, Barabbas was in prison because he was a robber, an insurrectionist and a murderer. He clearly was a vile, wicked person, who stood in dramatic contrast to the sinless,perfect Christ. There is a bit of irony here for the sinless One would die, while the sinful one would go free. THOUGHT - All of us were guilty like Barabbas and deserving of death (Ro 6:23), but Jesus died in our place that we might go free and escape the divine penalty of eternal punishment (see Substitutionary Atonement). Amazing grace indeed! Steven
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Spurgeon - This was a warning to him. Heathens paid much respect to dreams, and, therefore, this must have greatly moved him, yet he dared not oppose the priests. Leon Morris on Pilate's wife sending him a message - She gives as the reason that she had suffered many things in a dream because of him, but she gives no indication of the nature of her sufferings nor of why she felt that her husband should have no dealings with the man. But since people in antiquity took a good deal of notice of dreams, it is not surprising that Pilate’s wife felt that her dream was of some importance. And if it was important, she would believe that she should lose no time in communicating the fact to her husband. She would not have been able to enter the court, but she was able to send a message to the judge. We may well feel that it is astonishing that an aristocratic Roman lady should intercede on behalf of a Galilean peasant. She had clearly been deeply impressed by her dream, and she did what she could. (See The Gospel According to Matthew - Page 704 - Google Books or borrow Gospel According to Matthew) NET NOTE - The judgment seat (βῆμα, bema) was a raised platform mounted by steps and usually furnished with a seat. It was used by officials in addressing an assembly or making official pronouncements, often of a judicial nature. William
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Spurgeon - The dream of Pilate’s wife (Full sermon The Dream of Pilate's Wife) ‘When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.’ Matthew 27:19 Am I addressing any who are purposing to do some very sinful thing, but have lately received a warning from God? The warning is not put to you in some mysterious and obscure way, but it comes point blank to you in unmistakable terms. God has sent conscience to you, and he has enlightened that conscience, so that it speaks very plain English to you. This morning’s discourse stops you on the highway of sin, puts its pistol to your ear, and demands that you ‘Stand and deliver.’ Stir an inch, and it will be at your own soul’s peril. Do you hear me? Will you regard the heaven-sent expostulation? Oh, that you would stand still awhile and hear what God shall speak while he bids you yield yourself to Christ today. It may be now or never with you, as it was with Pilate that day. He had the evil thing which he was about to do fully described to him, and therefore if he ventured on it, his presumption would be great. His wife had not said, ‘Have nothing to do with that man’, but ‘with that just man’, and that word rang in his ears, and again and again repeated itself till he repeated it too. Read the twenty-fourth verse. When he was washing his wicked hands he said, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just person’, the very name his wife had given to our Lord. The arrows stuck in him! He could not shake them off! Like a wild beast, he had the javelin sticking in his side, and though he rushed into the forest of his sin, it was evidently rankling in him still—‘that just man’ haunted him. Sometimes God makes a man see sin as sin, and makes him see the blackness of it; and if he then perseveres in it, he becomes doubly guilty, and pulls down upon himself a doom intolerable beyond that of Sodom of old. John Butler - Pilate’s Wife (Matthew 27:19) (Daily Bible Reading) PILATE’S wife is mentioned only once in Scripture and what it says of her is a good report. Tradition says she became a convert. Our verse would support that. Here we note her advice, assessment, and affliction. Her advice. “Have thou nothing to do with that just man.” On the surface this translation looks like she is telling Pilate to have nothing to do with Jesus Christ. This is what a lot of people are doing. They want nothing to do with Christ. Our land is like that. They do not want to have anything to do with Christ. Our schools are this way, too. But what Pilate’s wife is saying is that Pilate should not have anything to do with the condemnation of Christ. Do not condemn Him. Do not reject Him. This is excellent advice. Christ is not to be rejected. The advice of Pilate’s wife is needed in our land. It is good advice; it is soul-saving advice. But most people are like her husband and do not take her advice to heart. Her assessment. “That just man.” Significantly, many testimonies of the righteous character of Christ were given during the crucifixion. Pilate twice said he found no fault in Christ (Luke 23:4, 14). Herod also is said to have found no fault in Christ (Luke 23:15). The centurion supervising the crucifixion said Christ was a “righteous man” (Luke 23:47). Here Pilate’s wife said Christ was a “just man.” Her assessment of Christ was right. He was absolutely sinless. Her affliction. “I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.” Pilate’s wife had a special dream from the Lord. The dream pained her soul. “Many things” indicates the extent of her suffering. It was great. Affliction is oftentimes sent by God to turn us to Him. Affliction can be very painful, but the purpose of affliction is to prevent greater pain. Affliction here prompted Pilate’s wife to intercede on behalf of Christ. Anything that causes us to boldly take a stand for Christ is worth the pain it may cause us. John MacArthur's sermon What Shall I Do with Jesus? gives some excellent background on Pilate's predicament: But what would Pilate do now? He knows He doesn’t deserve to die and yet he doesn’t want to irritate the crowd and create another incident. His life is on the line. His career is on the line. He’s got some real problems. You see, Pilate was in a very dangerous position. Let me tell you why. When he originally came to power, he made some big mistakes. The first thing he did to make a show of power when he was appointed governor was to ride into Jerusalem with a whole entourage of soldiers to show his power. And in came the soldiers and they had these banners, these flags. And on top of the flags in brass or some kind of metal was an eagle and on top of the eagle was a molded image of Caesar. Prior governors had had the sense to remove those kinds of things because the Jews believed them to be idols – any graven image. And the Jews had left idolatry since the Babylonian captivity, they didn’t tolerate it. And the other governors had been careful about that, but Pilate, wanting to show his power, came in with his whole group of soldiers, all with the image of Caesar, which of course the Romans believed to be a god. And so here was an idol in the city of Jerusalem, the holy city. The Jews rioted and protested and demanded that he take those off his banners. In a power play, he refused to do it. After accomplishing what he wanted to in his splendorous appearance in Jerusalem, he turned to return the 60 miles to the seacoast in Caesarea where his basic operation was headquartered, and they followed him for five days, screaming and rioting and demanding – sometimes patiently, sometimes impatiently – that he remove those graven images. He refused to do it. He called a meeting of all these rioting Jews. He put them in the amphitheater, surrounded them with his soldiers and said if they didn’t stop the demands, he would cut off their heads. At which point they bared their necks, pulled their heads to one side and told his soldiers to go ahead and cut off all their heads. And they called his bluff. There was no way he could do it. There was no way he could report back to Rome that he had massacred a whole bunch of defenseless Jews in an amphitheater with their necks bared. Furthermore, it could have led to a wholesale national revolution. He couldn’t have survived that situation because he was sent to keep the peace, not start a war. They called his bluff. He removed all of those images. And they were one up on him. They had him where they wanted him. A little later, he realized the need for a better water supply in Jerusalem. So he decided to build an aqueduct to bring water into the city of Jerusalem. And to do it, he took the money out of the temple treasury, money which was devoted to God. This so greatly irritated the Jews that it fomented another riot which he had to deal with by sending his soldiers into a huge crowd of people with clubs and spears and swords and at a given signal they clubbed and stabbed people to death to break up the riot. The third and really most devastating thing that happened to Pilate was when he established a residence in the city of Jerusalem and made some shields for his soldiers, and on the shields he had engraved “Tiberius, The Emperor.” Which to the Jewish people again was an emblem of a false god and they demanded that the shields be changed. And he refused to do that. And so they sent word to Tiberius. They reported him actually to Caesar that he was doing this. Caesar sent word down to get those shields changed immediately. So they have him right where they want him. He cannot afford another message sent to Tiberius. He cannot afford another riot. He cannot afford any kind of revolution. He is really in a difficult place. He has enough of a sense of justice as a Roman and as a judge, a governor, to do what’s right. But he’s a coward because if he does what’s right and releases Christ, he’s going to have a riot on his hands. And something’s going to happen and he knows that it could end up in his losing his job. And it wouldn’t be unlike Tiberius to remove a governor and then execute him for his unfaithfulness. J H Jowett - MYSTIC ALARM-BELLS Matthew 27:19-25. PILATE was warned. Pilate’s wife had a dream, and in the dream she had glimpses of reality, and when she awoke her soul was troubled. “Have thou nothing to do with that just man!” And I, too, have mysterious warnings when I am treading perilous ways. Sometimes the warning comes from a friend. Sometimes “the angel of the Lord stands in the way for an adversary.” My conscience rings loudly like an alarm-bell in the dead of night. Yes, the warnings are clear and pertinent, but...! Pilate ignored the warning, and handed the Lord to the revengeful will of the priests. Pilate defiled his heart, and then he washed his hands! What a petty attempt to escape the certain issues! And yet we have shared in the small evasion. We have crucified the Lord, and then we wear a crucifix. We violate the spirit, and then we do reverence to the letter. We hand the Lord over to be crucified, and then we practise the postures and gait of the saints. Yes, we have all sought an escape in outer ceremony from the nemesis of our shameful deeds. My soul, attend thou to the mystic warnings, and “play the man”! Matthew 27:20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. persuaded: Mk 15:11 Ac 14:18-19 Acts 19:23-29 ask for: Lu 23:18-20 Jn 18:40 Jn 19:15-16 Ac 3:14,15 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:11+ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. Luke 23:18-19+ But they cried out all together, saying, “Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19 He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.) Acts 14:18-19+ Even saying these things, with difficulty they restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. 19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. PILATE'S MISCALCULATION But the chief priests (archiereus) and the elders (presbuteros) persuaded (peitho) the crowds to ask (aiteo) for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death (apollumi) - Pilate presumably underestimated the influence that the Jewish religious leaders would be able to exert on the laity. As Mark says these "brood of vipers" in effect "stirred up (anaseio) (and poisoned) the crowd" (Mk 15:11+). Leon
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - Ah, Pilate, you cannot rid yourself of responsibility by that farce! He who has power to prevent a wrong is guilty of the act if he permits others to do it, even though be does not actually commit it himself. If you are placed in positions of power and responsibility, do not dream that you can escape from guilt by merely allowing other people to do what you would not do yourself. Henry
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - Pilate and ourselves guilty of the Saviour’s death (Full sermon Pilate and Ourselves Guilty of the Savior's Death) ‘When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.’ Matthew 27:24–25 Some of us have sincerely and intelligently pleaded guilty of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. We know that he not only suffered for our transgressions, but by our iniquities. This is not clear to a great many; and I would not have them pretend that it is. They cannot see that they have anything to do with the matter of Jesus’ death, and therefore they are not moved to repentance by hearing thereof; indeed, they imitate the example of Pilate in our text, when he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, and said, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just person.’ We aim to arouse slumbering consciences. Without going into any questions as to whether such a man did or did not actually have a share in the particular action by which Jesus died, I maintain that in many ways men practically commit a like crime, and so prove that they have similar dispositions to those ancient Kill-Christs. Though they repudiate the crucifixion, they repeat it, if not in form, yet in spirit. Though Jesus is not here in flesh and blood, yet the cause of holiness and truth and his divine Spirit are still among us, and men act towards the kingdom of Christ, which is set up among them, in the same way as the Jews and Romans acted towards the incarnate God. True, all men are not alike inveterate against him, for the Lord spoke of some who have ‘the greater sin’; and few are as guilty as the traitor Judas, that son of perdition; but in every form of it the rejection of Christ is a great sin, and it will be a great gospel blessing if it be repented of after the fashion of the prophet when he said, ‘they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.’ Matthew 27:25 And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” His: Mt 21:44 Mt 23:30-37 Nu 35:33 De 19:10,13 Jos 2:19 2Sa 1:16 3:28,29 1Ki 2:32 2Ki 24:3,4 Ps 109:12-19 Eze 22:2-4 24:7-9 Ac 5:28 Ac 7:52 1Th 2:15,16 Heb 10:28-30 and: Ex 20:5 Eze 18:14-32 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 21:44 “And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.” THE JEW'S TRAGIC INVOCATION! A COSTLY MISTAKE! And all the people said - All would signify the consent of not just the Jewish leaders but the Jewish laity. “His blood (haima) shall be on us and on our children!” - In an act of foolishness the Jews made this declaration which would prove in a sense to be a national prophetic curse, that would be partially fulfilled some 40 years later in 70AD when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and shed the blood of Jews (some say over a million). And over the past 2000 years millions of Jews have shed their blood in Nazi concentration camps, pogroms, exterminations, etc. But their "prophecy" will finally be fulfilled at the end of the Great Tribulation when the blood of 2/3's of the nation of Israel will be spilled, while 1/3 will be saved. Zechariah describes this fulfillment... “It will come about in all the land,” Declares the LORD, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it (THE RIGHTEOUS REMNANT WHO LOOK UPON AND RECEIVE THEIR MESSIAH - Zech 12:10+, cf Ro 11:26+). (Zechariah 13:8) Bob Utley on His blood (haima) shall be on us and on our children (teknon) - This was a grave oath, especially in light of the OT view of corporate guilt (cf. Ex 20:5-6; 2Sa 3:29). This was a self-curse! It was fulfilled in A.D. 70. (ED: ONLY PARTIALLY AS DESCRIBED ABOVE!) The blood of Jesus will either be upon us to cleanse, or on us to condemn. Which will it be? Spurgeon - A terrible imprecation, which has doomed Israel to her long sorrows. The blood of Jesus will either be upon us to cleanse, or on us to condemn. Which will it be? Sinclair Ferguson says it beautifully, “without knowing it, the religious leaders and Pilate and Barabbas were all part of a tapestry of grace which God was weaving for sinners. Their actions spoke louder than their words, louder than the cries of the crowds for Jesus’ blood. Jesus was not dying for His own crimes, but for the crimes of others; not for His own sins, but the sins of others. He did not die for Himself, He died for us!” Have you ever seen what they were all too blind to notice?” (Let’s Study Mark, 257). A T Robertson on His blood shall be on us and on our children - These solemn words do show a consciousness that the Jewish people recognized their guilt and were even proud of it. But Pilate could not wash away his own guilt that easily. The water did not wash away the blood of Jesus from his hands any more than Lady Macbeth could wash away the blood-stains from her lily-white hands. One legend tells that in storms on Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland his ghost comes out and still washes his hands in the storm-clouds. There was guilt enough for Judas, for Caiaphas and for all the Sanhedrin both Sadducees and Pharisees, for the Jewish people as a whole (pas ho laos), and for Pilate. At bottom the sins of all of us nailed Jesus to the Cross. This language is no excuse for race hatred today, but it helps explain the sensitiveness between Jew and Christians on this subject. And Jews today approach the subject of the Cross with a certain amount of prejudice. Spurgeon - All the people willingly took upon themselves the guilt of the murder of our dear Lord: "His blood be on us, and on our children." This fearful imprecation must have been remembered by many when the soldiers of Titus spared neither age nor gender, and the Jewish capital became the veritable Aceldama, the field of blood. QUESTION - Are the Jews cursed because they killed Christ and asked for “His blood to be on us,” according to Matthew 27:25? ANSWER - Some people believe that the Jews are cursed because they killed the Son of God. This belief is sometimes used to justify anti-Semitism and feelings of prejudice against the Jewish people. This is not a biblical idea. The Jews’ rejection of their Messiah did have its consequences, but the Bible does not speak of a continuing curse upon God’s chosen people. In Matthew 27:22, during Jesus’ so-called trial, Pilate asks the crowd, “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” The crowd answers, “Crucify him!” Pilate publicly proclaims Jesus’ innocence, but “they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’” (verse 23). Pilate then famously washes his hands, declaring himself to be “innocent” (verse 24) and telling the crowd that Jesus’ death “is your responsibility!” It is a responsibility that the mob accepts, shouting the chilling words, “His blood is on us and on our children!” (Mt 27:25). It is important to remember who was speaking these words. Matthew 27:20 says, “The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd.” Yes, the mob at Jesus’ trial was comprised of Jews gathered in Jerusalem for Passover, but they were incited by religious leaders who had rejected Jesus years earlier (Matthew 12:14). The mob’s ringleaders bear the most responsibility, as does Pilate, who presided over such a travesty of justice. Also, the mob’s self-indictment was spoken by some Jews, not all of them. Jesus was a Jew, as were all His disciples, and they certainly did not call a curse upon themselves. The Jewish nation did indeed suffer for their rejection of their Messiah. On His way to the cross, Jesus hints at a coming judgment (Luke 23:31). Within one generation of the crucifixion of Christ, Jerusalem was totally destroyed by the Romans. The Jews were scattered, and for almost 1,900 years (until 1948), they had no homeland. There were spiritual ramifications, as well, as the gospel was brought to the more receptive Gentiles (see Acts 18:6). The apostle Paul likens the Gentiles’ inclusion in salvation to wild branches being grafted into a cultivated olive tree. The Jews (the natural branches) are not completely forsaken: “If they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again” (Romans 11:23). In rejecting Christ, the Jews “stumbled over the stumbling stone” (Romans 9:32; cf. Isaiah 8:14). But they are not cursed by God. Paul asks the rhetorical question: “Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew” (Romans 11:1–2). In fact, there is coming a time when “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). How can the Jews be “cursed” when God had made an unconditional covenant with Abraham? “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:2–3). God also promised the Jews a large extent of land in Genesis 15. Israel has never had full possession of the land God promised, so the prophecy still awaits fulfillment during the Millennial Kingdom. People reap what they sow (Galatians 6:7), and disobedience brings sorrow. When the people of Israel fell into gross, unrepentant idolatry, they lost their land for the 70 years of the Babylonian exile (Jeremiah 29:10). When they rejected their Messiah, they lost their land for even longer. Jesus “came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (John 1:11). But God’s promise still stands: “The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: ‘Say to Daughter Zion, “See, your Savior comes!”’ . . . They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted” (Isaiah 62:11–12). Ian Paisley- Five Characteristics of the Blood of Christ (A Text A Day Keeps the Devil Away) "Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us, see thou to that... And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood... Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day... When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed bis hands before the multitude, saying I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it... Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children." Matthew 27:4, 6, 8, 24, 25 I. The Purity of the Blood of Christ—"the Innocent Blood" Verse 4 Note the testimony. Judas, possessed by the devil himself, forced to confess that Christ's blood is not only innocent but the innocent blood—that is the purity of the blood. II. The Price of the Blood of Christ—"the Price of Blood" Christ's blood was bartered for 30 pieces of silver but who can measure up its value or conceive its wealth? III. The Purchase of the Blood of Christ—"the Potter's Field to Bury Strangers—the Field of Blood" (Verse 7-8) We were strangers to God. But by His blood, Christ buried forever our estrangement from God and in the potter's field He made us again. IV. The Person of the Blood of Christ—"the Blood of This Just Person" Who Said This? It Was Pilate, Christ's Judge That Day The Just for the unjust has died on the tree. That is my way to God and it is God's way to me. The value of the blood equals the value of the Person who shed it. V. The Penalty of the Blood of Christ "His blood be on us and on our children" (verse 25) "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith be was sanctified, an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people." Hebrews 10:29-30 Matthew 27:26 Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. released: Mk 15:15 Lu 23:25 scourged: Mt 20:19 Isa 50:6 53:5 Mk 10:34 Lu 18:32,33 Lk 23:16,24,25 Jn 19:1,16 1Pe 2:24 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:15+ Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified. Luke 23:16; 24; 25+ “Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”....24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. 25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will (IT IS INTERESTING THAT LUKE IS THE ONLY GOSPEL WRITER WHO DOES NOT DESCRIBE THE FLOGGING). John 19:1,16+ Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him.....16 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified. (JOHN GIVES CONSIDERABLE DETAIL ASSOCIATED WITH THE SCOURGING IN John 19:2-15, WITH John 19:4-15 FOUND ONLY IN JOHN'S ACCOUNT) PILATE HAS JESUS FLOGGED Then - When? When the Jews gave the oath for His blood to be on them and their children. He released (apoluo - set free, pardoned) Barabbas for them - Pilate was in a no win situation with Barabbas and so he caved in to the angry mob's desire for Jesus' blood! This is the ultimate (tragic) irony, for the very blood the Jews desired to see spilled, was the only precious blood that could redeem them from their sins and eternal punishment (cf 1Pe 1:18-19) God's sovereign plan of redemption is intimately interwoven with the volitional decisions of men, who will be held responsible for their sinful choices! But after having Jesus scourged (phragelloo) - This was flogging by Romans not Jews and there was apparently no limit to the number of lashes given by the Roman soldiers. Jewish floggings were restricted to 39 (Dt 25:1-3; 2Co 11:24). Whatever the number, it was limited in some way because prisoners were known to die from scourging but Jesus had to die on the Cross. As a pathologist, it seems quite clear that the wounds on Jesus' back went beneath the skin, the subcutaneous tissue and likely into the muscular layer. Not only would there be blood loss, but the exposed sensory nerves would have predisposed Jesus to considerable pain. This pain would be accentuated on the cross because to breathe He would need to pull up (or push up with His legs) and this would have created friction between the old rugged cross and the exposed nerve endings. The upshot is that His crucifixion would have brought about pain on the scale of 10 out of 10. Carl Schneider in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT Volume 4, page 519) has the following note on Jesus' scourging: The scourging of Jesus in Jn 19:1 and in the prophecies of the passion in Mt. 20:19 == Mk. 10:34 == Lk. 18:33 is not the synagogue punishment but the Roman verberatio. Mt. 27:26 = Mk. 15:15 have the Lat. loan word φραγελλόω (phragelloo)instead of μαστιγόω (mastigoo). Lk. 23:16 has the weaker παιδεύσας (paideuo) and says nothing about its execution (ED: THAT IS LUKE DOES NOT DESCRIBE THE CARRYING OUT OF THE SCOURGING). Here is one of the many instances of Luke’s softening of the passion story. John seems to think in terms of a compromise between true verberatio and a separate whipping. The aim of Pilate is to awaken pity by the scourging. It seems as though he wants to impose only a scourging without crucifixion. (This would be a kind of examination, cf. 3. and Schl. J. on 19:1.) According to Roman law the verberatio always accompanied a capital sentence, condemnatio ad metalla, and other degrading punishments with the loss of freedom or civil rights.17 In many cases it was itself fatal. It usually preceded crucifixion.18 It was so terrible that even Domitian was horrified by it.19 Women were exempted.20 We know little about the details. The number of strokes was not prescribed. It continued until the flesh hung down in bloody shreds. Slaves administered it, and the condemned person was tied to a pillar.21 The scourging, crucifixion and resurrection fulfilled Jesus' prophecy in the Gospels: Mark 10:33-34+ “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles.“They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.” Matthew 20:18-19+ “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, 19 and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.” Luke 18:32-33+ For He will be handed over to the Gentiles (ROMAN SOLDIERS), and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, 33 and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again.” Isaiah prophesied our Lord would be scourged... But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening (LXX = paideia) for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging (KJV = STRIPES; LXX = molops = MARKS LEFT BY A BLOW) we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5+) William L Lane details for us the horrific beating and punishment scourging entailed: “A Roman scourging was a terrifying punishment. The delinquent was stripped, bound to a post or a pillar, or sometimes simply thrown to [the] ground, and was beaten by a number of guards until his flesh hung in bleeding shreds. The instrument indicated by the Marcan text, the dreaded flagellum, was a scourge consisting of leather thongs plaited with several pieces of bone or lead so as to form a chain. No maximum number of strokes was prescribed by Roman law, and men condemned to flagellation frequently collapsed and died from the flogging. Josephus records that he himself had some of his opponents in Galilee scourged until their entrails were visible (War II.xxi.5), while the procurator Albinus had the prophet Jesus bar Hanan scourged until his bones lay visible (War VI. v. 3).” (The Gospel According to Mark: The English Text - Page 557). Spurgeon - Why scourge Him before delivering Him up to be crucified? Surely this was a superfluity of cruelty. The Roman scourging was something which I scarcely care to describe, one of the most terrible punishments to which anyone could be subjected; yet Pilate first scourged Jesus, and then gave him up to die by crucifixion. Gilbrant notes that "Evidently the scourging had been inflicted outside publicly—perhaps intended by Pilate to evoke some sense of compassion and soften the Jews' attitude toward Jesus. From Thursday night to Friday noon, Jesus was "led" at least 10 times, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy (Isaiah 53:7). (Complete Biblical Library) He handed Him over (paradidomi) to be crucified (stauroo) - Pilate gave Jesus into the hands of the Romans soldiers who would carry out the crucifixion. The verb translated handed over (paradidomi) is also translated betrayed (often used to describe Judas - Mk 14:10+), which is in a sense what Pilate did to Jesus, especially after his wife had warned Him that this Man was righteous! Scourging was preparation for crucifixion under Roman practice. After the soldiers had scourged Jesus, they stripped Him, put a purple or scarlet robe on Him, crowned Him with thorns, placed a reed in His right hand, knelt and bowed before Him, mocking Him as King of the Jews, all the while spitting on Him and beating Him on the head with a reed. Unbelievable! This malicious treatment is described in Mt 27:27-30 with parallel passages in Mk 15:16-19+ and Jn 19:2-3+. Matthew Henry's Concise - Mt 27:26-30. Crucifixion was a death used only among the Romans; it was very terrible and miserable. A cross was laid on the ground, to which the hands and feet were nailed, it was then lifted up and fixed upright, so that the weight of the body hung on the nails, till the sufferer died in agony. Christ thus answered the type of the brazen serpent raised on a pole. Christ underwent all the misery and shame here related, that he might purchase for us everlasting life, and joy, and glory. Guards standing on either side of the victim would incessantly beat him with a whip NET NOTE - The Greek term φραγελλόω (phragelloo) refers to flogging. BDAG 1064 s.v. states, “flog, scourge, a punishment inflicted on slaves and provincials after a sentence of death had been pronounced on them. So in the case of Jesus before the crucifixion … Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15.” A Roman flogging (traditionally, “scourging”) was an excruciating punishment. The victim was stripped of his clothes and bound to a post with his hands fastened above him (or sometimes he was thrown to the ground). Guards standing on either side of the victim would incessantly beat him with a whip (flagellum) made out of leather with pieces of lead and bone inserted into its ends. While the Jews only allowed 39 lashes, the Romans had no such limit; many people who received such a beating died as a result. See C. Schneider, TDNT, Volume 2 - p 515–19. Scourged (5417)(phragelloo via Latin flagellum (flagello) means to flog, scourge and used only 2x - Mt 27:26; Mk 15:15 (no uses in Septuagint). See the related word phagellion. The flogging was an infliction of punishment after the pronouncement of a death sentence and prior to execution, in Jesus' case, crucifixion. Gilbrant - The word phragelloō is borrowed from the Latin flagellare, to “flog” or “scourge.” Among the several Greek words for beat, whip, flog, or scourge, phragelloō more specifically indicates the Roman type of punishment usually inflicted on slaves and provincials after a sentence of death had been pronounced (Bauer). According to Vine, the scourging of Roman citizens was prohibited by the Porcian law of 197 B.C. (Vine's Expository Dictionary, “Scourge”). The word does not occur in the Septuagint. Vine describes the method of scourging as follows: “The person was stripped and tied in a bending position to a pillar, or stretched on a frame. The scourge was made of leathern thongs, weighted with sharp pieces of bone or lead, which tore the flesh of both the back and the breast” (Vine's Expository Dictionary). Schneider says further: “The number of strokes was not prescribed. It continued until the flesh hung down in bloody shreds” (Schneider, “mastigoō,” Kittel, 4:517). New Testament Usage - Phragelloō occurs only twice in the New Testament. Both references are to the scourging that Pilate ordered immediately prior to the crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15). In foretelling His own scourging Jesus used the word mastigoō (3118) (Matthew 20:19; Mark 10:34; Luke 18:33), as did John in describing the event (John 19:1). Apparently this word covered either the Roman or Jewish type of scourging and did not indicate who would do the deed. Luke used the same word in referring to the intent of the chief captain to examine Paul by scourging, until he learned of Paul’s Roman citizenship (Acts 22:25). Jewish scourging had more humanitarian restraint according to the Mishnah. According to Vine, it “was by the use of three thongs of leather. The offender received thirteen stripes on the bare breast and thirteen on each shoulder, ‘the forty stripes save one,’ as administered to Paul five times (2 Corinthians 11:24)” (Vine's Expository Dictionary “Scourge”). (Complete Biblical Library) Bob
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - Some old soldier’s coat, that they found lying about, they cast upon Christ in imitation of the royal robes of Caesar or Herod. NET NOTE - The scarlet robe probably refers to a military garment which had the color of royal purple, and thus resembled a king’s robe. The soldiers did this to Jesus as a form of mockery in view of the charges that he was a king. Bob
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - Surely, mockery could have gone no further; we marvel at the boldness and ingenuity of their scorn. Oh, that we were half as earnest in seeking to honor him, — as careful to think of everything that might make our homage perfect. But we, alas! too often fail to give him due honor and glory, even when others are all aflame with zeal to insult him. Spurgeon - Ridicule is very painful to bear at any time, and soldiers have been masters of that cruel are when they have been encouraged in it by their leaders. Remember, brethren and sisters, who it was that bore all this shameful treatment from these brutal men, — your Lord and the angels’ Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth, who had designed, for a while, to veil his Deity in human flesh. And there he stood, to be "set at nothing," — to be made nothing of, — by those rough Roman legionaries, the creatures of his own hand, whom he could have destroyed in a moment by a word or a wish. What matchless condescension our gracious redeemer displayed even in his own deepest degradation and agony! NET NOTE - The crown may have been made from palm spines or some other thorny plant common in Israel. In placing the crown of thorns on his head, the soldiers were unwittingly symbolizing God’s curse on humanity (cf. Gen 3:18) being placed on Jesus. Their purpose would have been to mock Jesus’ claim to be a king; the crown of thorns would have represented the “radiant corona” portrayed on the heads of rulers on coins and other artifacts in the 1st century. Or “a reed.” The Greek term can mean either “staff” or “reed.” See BDAG 502 s.v. κάλαμος 2. “Hail, King of the Jews Or “Long live the King of the Jews!” The statement “Hail, King of the Jews! is a mockery patterned after the Romans’ cry of Ave, Caesar (“Hail, Caesar!”). Bob
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - The crown of thorns (Full sermon The Crown of Thorns) ‘And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head.’ Matthew 27:29 The coronation of Christ with thorns was symbolical and had great meaning in it, for, first, it was to him a triumphal crown. Christ had fought with sin from the day when he first stood foot to foot with it in the wilderness up to the time when he entered Pilate’s hall, and he had conquered it. As a witness that he had gained the victory, behold sin’s crown seized as a trophy! What was the crown of sin? Thorns. These sprang from the curse; ‘thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee’ was the coronation of sin, and now Christ has taken away its crown and put it on his own head. He has spoiled sin of its richest regalia and he wears it himself. Glorious champion, all hail! What if I say that the thorns constituted a mural crown? Paradise was set round with a hedge of thorns so sharp that none could enter it, but our champion leaped first upon the bristling rampart and bore the blood-red banner of his cross into the heart of that better new Eden, which thus he won for us never to be lost again. Jesus wears the mural chaplet which denotes that he has opened Paradise. It was a wrestler’s crown he wore, for he wrestled ‘not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers’, and he overthrew his foe. It was a racer’s crown he wore, for he had run with the mighty and outstripped them in the race. He had well-nigh finished his course, and had but a step or two more to take to reach the goal. Here is a marvellous field for enlargement. It was a crown rich with glory, despite the shame which was intended by it. We see in Jesus the monarch of the realms of misery, the chief among ten thousand sufferers C H Spurgeon - My Sermon Notes - Matthew 27:29—“And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon 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!” The shameful spectacle! What element of scorn is lacking! Roman soldiers mocking a supposed rival of Cæsar are sure to go to the utmost lengths in their derision. Jesus himself is a victim so novel in his gentle weakness that they set no bounds to their scorn. The spectacle is as cruel as it is derisive. Thorns and rough blows accentuate mockeries and scoffs. Roman legionaries were the brutalized instruments of a race noted for its ignorance of all tenderness; they wrought cruelties with a singular zest, being most at home in amusements of the most cruel kind. Let us go into the Hall of the Prætorian guard, and watch with our Lord in the hour of his mockery. I. HERE LEARN A LESSON FOR YOUR HEART. In the Lord of glory thus made the centre of cruel scorn— 1. See what sin deserved. It is all laid on him. Ridicule for its folly. It should be despised for its mad rebellion against the omnipotent will of the great King. Scorn for its pretensions. How dared it propose to usurp dominion over hearts and lives which belonged alone to God? Shame for its audacity. It dared defy the Eternal to battle. Oh, wretched, braggart sin! 2. See how low your Saviour stooped for your sake. He is made the Substitute for foolish, sinful man; and is treated as such. He is scoffed at by soldiers of the meanest grade. He is made a puppet for men who play the fool. 3. See how your Redeemer loved you. He bears immeasurable contempt, bears in silence, bears to the bitter end; and all for love of his people. 4. See the grand facts behind the scorn. He is a King in very surety. They said, “Hail, King!” and he is indeed the King whom all shall hail. He is glorified by conquering earth’s sorrow: he is crowned with thorns. What a glorious diadem! No other coronet ever betokened such a conquest. He rules by weakness: a reed is his sceptre. What a glory to be able to reign, not by force of arms, but by patience and gentleness! He makes men bow the knee: real homage is his; he reigns, whether men will have it so or not. He is the true Monarch of the Jews. In him the dynasty of David endures for ever, and Israel has hope of glory. 5. See that you honour and love him in proportion to this shame and mockery. Bernard used to say, ‘The more vile Christ hath made himself for us, the more dear he ought to be to us.” Can you ever reach so great a height? II. HERE LEARN A LESSON FOR YOUR CONSCIENCE. 1. Jesus may still be mocked. By deriding his people. “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” Men mock the Master in the servant. By contemning his doctrine. Many do this who affect to admire his character. This is the peculiar sin of the present age. By resolves never fulfilled. Sinners vow, but never pay; confess faults, and cling to them. This is to insult the Lord. By beliefs never obeyed. It is common to pretend to a belief which never affects the life, mocking great truths by acting contrary to them. By professions never justified. May not many a church-member be guilty of putting the Lord to an open shame in this fashion? 2. If guilty of mocking him, what shall you do? Do not despair, but confess and lament your sin. Do not give all up for lost. Believe and live. Do not repeat the sad offence. Repent, and quit the crime. Do not abide in sullen silence. Honour him whom you once despised. 3. What shall you do in any case? Crown him with love. Sceptre him with obedience. Bow the knee of worship. Proclaim him King by your personal testimony. Ye sinners, destroy the sins which grieved your Saviour! Ye saints, defy all the contempt of the world for his sake! LAMENTS AND HONOURS Whither, O whither, dost thou stoop, O thou co-eternal Son of thine eternal Father? Whither dost thou abase thyself for me? I have sinned, and thou art punished; I have exalted myself, and thou art dejected; I have clad myself with shame, and thou art stripped; I have made myself naked, and thou art clothed with robes of dishonour; my head hath devised evil, and thine is pierced with thorns; I have smitten thee, and thou art smitten for me; I have dishonoured thee, and thou, for my sake, art scorned; thou art made the sport of men, for me that have deserved to be insulted by devils!—Bishop Hall. Christ’s head hath sanctified all thorns; his back, all furrows; his hands, all nails; his side, all spears; his heart, all sorrows that can ever come to any of his children.—Samuel Clark, in “The Saint’s Nosegay.” Here we see our King receiving the best homage the world would give him. His robe was some old cloak of purple. Behold his crown, platted of thorns! His coronation is performed by a ribald soldiery. His sceptre is a reed; his homage is given by the knee of scorn; his proclamation by the mouth of ridicule. How then can we expect honour for ourselves? Let us never despise the weak, or scoff at brethren who may appear singular, or oppress any man of woman born. Haply we may be following the act of these Prætorians, and may be insulting saints more like to Jesus than we are ourselves. To be ridiculed may give us communion with the Lord Jesus, but to ridicule others will place us in fellowship with his persecutors.—C. H. S. During the last moments of a gracious lady, speech had left her; but she managed to articulate the word “Bring.” Her friends, in ignorance of her meaning, offered her food, but she shook her head, and again repeated the word “Bring.” They then offered her grapes, which she also declined, and, for the third time uttered the word “Bring.” Thinking she desired to see some absent friends, they brought them to her: but again she shook her head; and then, by a great effort, she succeeded in completing the sentence— “Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all;” and then passed away to be with Jesus.—Newman Hall. Spurgeon - Mocked of the Soldiers (full sermon) Excerpt - IT is a shameful spectacle where cruelty uses its keenest instrument to cut, not into the flesh, but into the very spirit, for scorn, contempt, insult, and ridicule, are as painful to the mind and heart as a scourge is to the body, and they cut like the sharpest lance. These Roman soldiers were a rough body of men,—fierce, courageous, terrible in fight, uncouth, untaught, uncivilized, little better than barbarians; and when they had this unique King in their power, they made the most of their opportunity to torment him. Oh, how they laughed to think that he should call himself a King,—this poor, emaciated creature, who looked as if he would faint and die in their hands, whose blessed visage was marred more than that of any of the sons of men! It must have seemed to them a sorry jest that he should be a rival to imperial Cæsar, so they said, “If he is a King, let us clothe him with royal purple,” so they flung over his shoulders a soldier’s tunic. “As he is a King, let us plait him a crown;” and they made it of thorns. Then they bowed the knee in mock homage to the man whom his own people despised, whom even the mob rejected, and whom the chief men of the nation abhorred. It seemed to them that he was such a poor, miserable, dejected creature that all they could do was to make scorn of him, and treat him as the butt for their utmost ridicule. These Roman soldiers had in them, as men, a spirit which I sometimes grieve to see in boys at this present day. That same cruel spirit that will torture a bird or a cockchafer, or hunt a dog or cat simply because it looks miserable, and because it is in their power, that was the sort of spirit that was in these soldiers. They had never been taught to avoid cruelty; nay, cruelty was the element in which they lived. It was worked into their very being; it was their recreation. Their grandest holiday was to go and sit in those tiers of seats at the Coliseum, or at some provincial amphitheatre, and see lions contending with men, or wild beasts tearing one another in pieces. They were trained and inured to cruelty; they seemed to have been suckled upon blood, and to have been fed on such food as made them capable of the utmost cruelty; and, therefore, when Christ was in their hands, he was in a sorry case indeed. They called together the whole band, and put upon him a purple robe, and a crown of thorns upon 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!” Then they spat upon him, and took the reed from his hand, and smote him on the head. Kenneth Osbeck - O SACRED HEAD, NOW WOUNDED Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091–1153 Translated into German by Paul Gerhardt, 1607–1676 Translated into English by James W. Alexander, 1804–1859 And when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon 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!” And they spit upon Him, and took the reed, and smote Him on the head. (Matthew 27:29, 30 KJV) It is difficult to join our fellow believers each Lenten season in the singing of this passion hymn without being moved almost to tears. For more than 800 years these worshipful lines from the heart of a devoted medieval monk have portrayed for parishioners a memorable view of the suffering Savior. This remarkable text has been generally attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, the very admirable abbot of a monastery in France. Forsaking the wealth and ease of a noble family for a life of simplicity, holiness, prayer, and ministering to the physical and spiritual needs of others, Bernard was one of the most influential church leaders of his day. Martin Luther wrote of him, “He was the best monk that ever lived, whom I admire beyond all the rest put together.” “O Sacred Head, Now Wounded” was part of the final portion of a lengthy poem that addressed the various parts of Christ’s body as He suffered on the cross. The seven sections of the poem considered His feet, knees, hands, side, breast, heart, and face. The stanzas of the hymn were translated into German in the 17th century and from German into English in the 19th century. God has preserved this exceptional hymn, which has led Christians through the centuries to more ardent worship of His Son. O sacred Head, now wounded, with grief and shame weighed down, now scornfully surrounded with thorns Thy only crown; how art Thou pale with anguish, with sore abuse and scorn! How does that visage languish which once was bright as morn! What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners’ gain: Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place; look on me with Thy favor; vouch-safe to me Thy grace. What language shall I borrow to thank Thee, dearest Friend, for this Thy dying sorrow, Thy pity without end? O make me Thine forever! And, should I fainting be, Lord, let me never, never outlive my love to Thee! For Today: Isaiah 53; Matthew 27:39–43; Philippians 2:8; 1 Peter 3:18 Ponder anew your suffering Savior; then commit your life more fully to Him. Allow these musical truths to help you in your meditation— (BORROW Amazing Grace) The King’s Crown They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Matthew 27:29 TODAY’S BIBLE READING Matthew 27:27–31 We sat around the table, each person adding a toothpick to the foam disc before us. At our evening meal in the weeks leading up to Easter, we created a crown of thorns—with each toothpick signifying something we had done that day for which we were sorry and for which Christ had paid the penalty. The exercise brought home to us, night after night, how through our wrongdoing we were guilty and how we needed a Savior. And how Jesus freed us through His death on the cross. The crown of thorns that Jesus was made to wear was part of a cruel game the Roman soldiers played before He was crucified. They also dressed Him in a royal robe and gave Him a staff as a king’s scepter, which they then used to beat Him. They mocked Him, calling Him “King of the Jews” (matthew 27:29), not realizing that their actions would be remembered thousands of years later. This was no ordinary king. He was the King of Kings whose death, followed by His resurrection, gives us eternal life. The crown of thorns has become a crown of life. Matthew 27:30 They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. Mt 26:67 Job 30:8-10 Isa 49:7 50:6 52:14 53:3,7 Mic 5:1 Mk 15:19 Lu 18:32,33 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 26:67 (SECOND MOCK RELIGIOUS TRIAL BEFORE CAIAPHAS) Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, THE SOLDIERS SPIT AND REPEATEDLY BEAT JESUS They spat on (emptuo) Him, and took the reed (kalamos) and began to beat (tupto/typto - imperfect = again and again) Him on the head (kephale) - Note that the reed (kalamos) was first used to mock Jesus as representative of a scepter and now it is taken and used like a rod to repeatedly beat (imperfect tense - over and over) Him on the head. WOE! We should be aware that kalamos is not just a flimsy "reed" (like in Mt 11:7) for this Greek word was also used of a fishing rod and a rod or shaft for an arrow. These uses give us some idea of the force of the blows from the strong Roman soldiers. While they were not blows from a club, they were also not blows from a flimsy reed. If they were like a fishing pole in size and tensile strength, they would have been of sufficient thickness to cause significant pain, bruising and welt formation on our Lord's holy head! (cf Isaiah 53:4-5+) Remember that while they were beating Jesus on the head, there was a crown of thorns, the points of which were undoubtedly being driven deep into the relatively thin skin covering His calvarium forcing the points of the thorns to pierce down to the nerve (think pain!) and vessel rich periosteum (pix, pix2) covering the bones of His skull! THOUGHT - Envision our Lord's holy face with sweat intermingled with blood, bruises and red welts! And He did it for YOU and for ME! (cf Isaiah 53:6, 12). We all need to ponder this picture of our Lord's suffering for us the next time we are tempted to sin against Him! It might (or should) cause us to pause and pass on that sin! Hallelujah, what a Savior! Hallelujah, what a Friend. Amen. Oh, how He loves you and me (pause, play, pray, praise Him)! (cf 1 Jn 4:19) Spurgeon - Surely, mockery could have gone no further; we marvel at the boldness and ingenuity of their scorn. Oh, that we were half as earnest in seeking to honor him, — as careful to think of everything that might make our homage perfect. But we, alas! too often fail to give him due honor and glory, even when others are all aflame with zeal to insult him. Spat on (1716) emptuo spit on or at, as in one's face (Mt 26.67, Mt 27:30; Lxx - Nu 12:14); passive be spit on (Lk 18.32), to be understood as a gesture of extreme contempt (Lxx - Dt 25:9) Emptuo - 8v in NT Twice in Lxx = Num. 12:14; Deut. 25:9; Matthew 26:67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, Matthew 27:30 They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. Mark 10:34 “They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.” Mark 14:65 Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, “Prophesy!” And the officers received Him with slaps in the face. Mark 15:19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. Luke 18:32 “For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, Reed (rod)(2563) kalamos refers to a flexible stalk or stem of a plant. It refers to the plant itself which is easily shaken (bent or broken) and which sways in the wind (Mt. 11:7; 12:20 from Isa. 42:3; Lk 7:24; 1 Ki 14:15; Job 40:21). Kalamos can refer to the stalk which is cut for use, e.g., as a mock scepter in mocking Jesus, a "scepter" the soldiers then took and began to beat our Lord on the head (Mt. 27:29, 30). Kalamos describes a measuring reed (rod) in the Revelation and Ezekiel (Rev. 11:1; 21:15, 16; Ezek. 40:3, 5, 6 - see below for all uses in Ezekiel). Kalamos was used of reed for writing, (3 John 1:13; Ps. 44:1) which was used on papyrus. Used in medicine for insufflation, etc. Gilbrant - Kalamos was a very common reed grown in water but used extensively for many ordinary purposes. In classical Greek the reed is used as thatch, a flute, a fishing rod, a shaft for an arrow, a pen, a measure, and a measuring rod, a tube for physicians, and a stake for vines (cf. Liddell-Scott). In the Septuagint there are several references to the reeds and water (including a reference to a sweet-smelling reed [Exodus 30:23]) along with two other basic uses both already found in classical usage. Psalm 45:1 refers to the tongue as a reed of a rapid writer and Ezekiel 40–42 has 18 references to the reed meaning both a “measuring rod” and a “particular length of measure.” (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) Mattoon - A "reed" is the cane-like grass that grows on the banks of the Jordan River. It grew twelve feet high with beautiful blossoms at the top. It was so slender that it yielded to a gust of wind by laying flat and then would stand upright again when the wind ceased. To compare a person to a reed was to say that the person was without moral fiber or courage, easily tossed about by various opinions, never taking a stand on anything. In addition, reeds were everywhere; they were commonplace. Obviously, the people did not flock into the wilderness to see something commonplace, nor did they go to see a weak and fearful person. Instead, the people were attracted by John's fiery preaching and willingness to speak out against sin. John was a man that stood firm and straight, no matter what way the winds of society were blowing. He was like a majestic oak tree that was unmoved by the gale winds of turbulent circumstances. John stood for the truth no matter where others stood or how much pressure was exerted upon him. He refused to compromise with evil, even if it meant he would lose his freedom. The hammer of Hell pounded him on the anvil of conformity, yet the sparks of his life revealed his hardness and unwillingness to compromise or conform to heathen molds and evil expectations.(Treasures from the Scriptures) Beat (strike, hit) (5180) tupto/typto from root "tup--" = a blow, cf tupos = a figure or print and English "type") means literally to smite, strike, beat or otherwise inflict a blow as when Paul was beaten in Acts (Acts 21:32+, Acts 23:2+). In Lk 18:13 the tax collected was beating his chest mourning over his sinful state, in stark contrast to the self-righteous Pharisee (Lk 18:10-12). Figuratively of wounding one's conscience (1 Cor 8:12). To strike, smite with the hand, stick, club, or the fist in enmity (Matt. 24:49; Luke 12:45; Acts 18:17; 21:32; 23:3; Sept.: Ex. 2:11, 13; 21:15); on the cheek (Luke 6:29); on the head (Matt. 27:30; Mark 15:19); the face (Luke 22:64); the mouth (Acts 23:2). TUPTO - 13X/12V - beat(3), beating(5), hits(1), strike(2), struck(1), wounding(1). Matt. 24:49; Matt. 27:30; Mk. 15:19; Lk. 6:29; Lk. 12:45; Lk. 18:13; Lk. 23:48; Acts 18:17; Acts 21:32; Acts 23:2; Acts 23:3; 1 Co. 8:12 C H Spurgeon - A GROSS INDIGNITY—Matt 27:30. (Full sermon) The very idea that Jesus Christ should ever have been spit upon by one in human shape appalls me. Excerpt - THE night before he had “sweat, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground,” that fair visage, which was “fairer than that of any of the sons of men,” had been marred by agony and grief without a parallel. During that night he had no rest; he was dragged away from one tribunal to another. First, he was brought before a council of priests; anon he stood before Pilate, and now, after the mockery of a trial, he is given up to the soldiers, that they may mock him before his execution. ’Tis he—the world’s Redeemer, the long expected Messiah; he is led out as a condemned criminal—condemned as a traitor, and given up for blasphemy, that he may die the death! Do you see him? They bring forth an old stool; they call that a throne; the Monarch who sways the sceptre of the universe, is placed thereon. They thrust into his hand a reed to mock that golden sceptre, the touch of which has so often given mercy to rebels: and now they play the worshipper before him. But what is their worship? It consists of ribaldry and jeer. Having made sport of his kingship, they must need turn to ridicule his character as a prophet. They blindfold him, and smite him in the face, some on one cheek, and some on the other, buffeting him with the palms of their hands; they pluck his hair; and then they say, making fools of themselves, rather than of him they thought to make a fool of, “Prophesy, who is he that smote thee?” “Who is this that just now plucked thine hair?” “Who is it that smote thee on the cheek?” Not content with this, they loose the bandage, and he sees. What a sight is before him! Faces in every conceivable shape mocking him—thrusting out the tongue, or screwing it into the cheek, calling him all the names that their low-lived dictionary could summon up; not content with heaping common scorn upon him, but counting him to be “the very offscouring of all things.” Names with which they would not degrade a dog, they use to defile him. Then, to consummate all, they spit into his face. Those eyes, which make heaven glad, and cause the angels to rejoice, are covered with the spittle of these varlet soldiers. Down his cheek it trickles. That awful brow, the nod or shake of which reveals the everlasting decrees of God, is stained with spittle from the lips of wretches whom his own hands had made, whom he could have dashed into eternal destruction had be willed! When I muse on this, my soul is filled with sorrow. The very idea that Jesus Christ should ever have been spit upon by one in human shape appalls me. Matthew 27:31 After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. and led: Mt 20:19 21:39 Nu 15:35 1Ki 21:10,13 Isa 53:7 Jn 19:16,27 Ac 7:58 Heb 13:12 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:20+ After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him. MOCKING THE KING OF KINGS After they had mocked (empaizo) Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him - Once again we see the divine providence interacting with men's volitional choices in mysterious perfection. The soldiers did not know Scripture and yet they put His own garments back on Him because it would be those very garments that soldiers would gamble over and divide fulfilling another OT prophecy "They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots." (Ps 22:18) and quoted in all four Gospels (Mt. 27:35; Mk 15:24; Lk 23:34; Jn 19:23, 24). Spurgeon - Perhaps they were afraid that he would die from sheer exhaustion and so, with a cruel mercy, they would keep him alive for the infliction of further tortures. And led Him away (apago) to crucify (stauroo) Him - (See Via Dolorosa) - Note that they did not drive Him like cattle are driven, but they led Him like one does when leading sheep to slaughter. And He willingly went, in perfect agreement with the Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 53:7+ which declared "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth (cf Mt 26:63, Mt 27:14, Mk 14:61; Mk 15:5; Lk 23:9; Jn 19:9); Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth." Mark 15:20+ and John 19:17+ both emphasize the fact that they led Jesus outside of the city. You might ask why is that significant? It is significant because this practice was in keeping with how the OT sin offering "leftovers" were discarded, which was always outside the camp (See Exodus 29:14+, Leviticus 4:21+, Leviticus 16:27+) In Colossians 2:17+ Paul tells us these OT pictures were "a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ." In Hebrews 13:11-13+ we read that "the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. (See the diagram of Jerusalem with Golgotha in foreground, outside the city) So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach." Spurgeon - Perhaps they were afraid that he would die from sheer exhaustion and so, with a cruel mercy, they would keep him alive for the infliction of further tortures....By that fact, though they did not intend it, our Lord was recognized in the street as the same person who had been taken into the Praetorium by the soldiers. Had Jesus been brought forth in the scarlet robe, persons looking at him might not have known him to be the same man who wore the garment woven from the top throughout; but in his own seamless clothing, they readily recognized the Nazarene. Matthew Henry's Concise - Mt 27:31-34. Christ was led as a Lamb to the slaughter, as a Sacrifice to the altar. Even the mercies of the wicked are really cruel. Taking the cross from him, they compelled one Simon to bear it. Make us ready, O Lord, to bear the cross thou hast appointed us, and daily to take it up with cheerfulness, following thee. Was ever sorrow like unto his sorrow? And when we behold what manner of death he died, let us in that behold with what manner of love he loved us. As if death, so painful a death, were not enough, they added to its bitterness and terror in several ways. Mocked (1702) empaizo (en = in + paizo = to play or to sport with or against someone. Paizo is from pais, the word for child, and thus paizo means to act like a child, to sport or jest). Empaizo most often means to deride, mock, scoff, ridicule, make fun of, to treat outrageously, to treat someone contemptuously in an insolent and arrogant way, to treat abusively or to to play a game with. One use in Mt 2:16+ has a slightly different sense meaning to deceive, to trick, to taunt, to delude. All 13 uses are in the Gospels and most describe the mocking of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make fun of Him by pretending that He is not Who He claimed to be or to imitate Him in a distorted manner. It is therefore little surprise that if evil men mocked Him at His first coming, they would mock the sure promise of His Second Coming (2Pe 3:3 = mockers = empaiktes)! These individuals "trifle" with the things of God dealing with them as if they are of no temporal or eternal import. They show their contempt for Christ at His first coming and at His return, mocking the latter by ridiculing and deriding the certainty of His return, their derision motivated by their insolence, disrespect, incredulity and desire to justify their ungodly behavior (if there is no God they reason they cannot sin without fear). As an aside if you are not looking for Him, you will hardly be motivated to be living for Him! Mocking implies an underlying unyielding pride and a hardness toward God and His holy word. The scoffer refuses to submit to God's Word and stirs up trouble wherever he goes. Secular Greek writers understood empaizō to mean “to mock, to ridicule, to scorn.” Homer uses the group for games and dancing. Lack of seriousness is sometimes meant, e.g., when it is asked whether Socrates is speaking in jest. Ships are seen to be playthings of the winds, and humans of fate or the gods. Mockery may be suggested, or the thought of what is frivolous or futile. Vine - empaizo - a compound of paizo, "to play like a child" (pais), "to sport, jest," prefixed by en, "in" or "at," is used only in the Synoptists, and, in every instance, of the "mockery" of Christ, except in Matthew 2:16 (there in the sense of deluding, or deceiving, of Herod by the wise men) and in Luke 14:29 , of ridicule cast upon the one who after laying a foundation of a tower is unable to finish it. The word is used (a) prophetically by the Lord, of His impending sufferings, Matthew 20:19 ; Mark 10:34 ; Luke 18:32 ; (b) of the actual insults inflicted upon Him by the men who had taken Him from Gethsemane, Luke 22:63 ; by Herod and his soldiers, Luke 23:11 ; by the soldiers of the governor, Matthew 27:29,31 ; Mark 15:20 ; Luke 23:36 ; by the chief priests, Matthew 27:41 ; Mark 15:31 . EMPAIZO - 13X/13V - mock(2), mocked(5), mocking(4), ridicule(1), tricked(1). Matt. 2:16; Matt. 20:19; Matt. 27:29; Matt. 27:31; Matt. 27:41; Mk. 10:34; Mk. 15:20; Mk. 15:31; Lk. 14:29; Lk. 18:32; Lk. 22:63; Lk. 23:11; Lk. 23:36 EMPAIZO - 19v in non-apocryphal Septuagint - Ge 39:14, 17 (= make sport); Ex 10:2 (Use of God mocking the Egyptians); Nu 22:29; Jdg 19:25; 1Sa 6:6; 31:4; 1Chr 10:4; 2Chr 36:16; Ps 104:26; Pr 23:35; 27:7; Isa 33:4; Jer 10:15; Ezek 22:5; Nah 2:3; Hab 1:10; Zech 12:3 1 Samuel 31:4 (1Chr 10:4) Then Saul said to his armor bearer, "Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of (Lxx = empaizo) me." But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. 2 Chronicles 36:16 but they continually mocked the messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, until there was no remedy. Led...away (520) apago from apó = from + ágō = to carry, lead) means to carry or lead away, leading from one place to another. Leading an ox or donkey to water (Lk 13:15). In the figurative sense (passive voice) it meant to be deceived or be influenced "by mute idols" before they became believers (1 Cor 12:2) Apago was used as a legal term meaning to lead one from one point to another in legal proceedings (to trial, punishment, prison or execution), just as Jesus was "led...away to Caiaphas, the high priest." (Mt 26:57), "to Pilate" (Mt 27:2) and finally to be crucified (Mt 27:31, cf prison guards who were led away [to execution] Acts 12:19). Apago meant to lead away a prisoner or condemned man (Mk 14:44; 15:16; Rev 13:10). Apago (intransitively) is used by Jesus to refer to a way which leads either to eternal punishment or eternal life (Mt 7:13-14-note). Apago was used in Mk 15:16 to describe Jesus being led to the scourging and mocking by the Roman soldiers, before He was led away to be crucified. The frequent use of ago in several of the events of the unjust trial of Jesus leading to His murder is a bit ironic for all those who led Him to one place or another will themselves be led to eternal death ( "the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it." Mt 7:13+) unless they believe in Him for eternal life ("the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Mt 7:14) Apago - 16X/16V - bringing(1), lead(1), lead...away(2), leads(2), led astray(1), led away(1), led...away(6), took(1), took...away(1). Matt. 7:13; Matt. 7:14; Matt. 26:57; Matt. 27:2; Matt. 27:31; Mk. 14:44; Mk. 14:53; Mk. 15:16; Lk. 13:15; Lk. 21:12; Lk. 22:66; Lk. 23:26; Acts 12:19; Acts 23:17; Acts 24:7; 1 Co. 12:2 THE FOUR EPISODES OF MOCKING THE KING OF KINGS TRIAL REFERENCE MOCKING/ABUSIVE ACTIONS Second Religious Trial Before Caiaphas Mt 26:57,67-68+ Lk 22:54, 63-65+ Spat in face, beat, slapped, told to prophesy who hit Him Beating, blindfolded and told to prophesy, blaspheming Second Civil Trial Before Herod Lk 23:8-12+ Treated with contempt Mocking Him Dressed in gorgeous robe Third Civil Trial Before Pilate Mt 27:27-31+ Mk 15:16-20+ Jn 19:1-3+ Stripped, put scarlet/purple robe Wove crown of thorns & put on His head Reed in right hand Beating head with reed Spitting on Him Kneeling and bowing down Acclaiming "Hail, King of the Jews" Slaps to face On the Cross Mt 27:39-44+ Mk 15:29-32+ Luke 23:35-37+ Lk 23:39+ Mt 27:49+ Hurling abuse, wagging their heads If you are the Son of God come down from the cross Religious leaders mocking and sneering - cannot save Himself King come down from the cross & we will believe He trusts in God, let God deliver Him Soldiers mocked Him “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” Robbers casting same insult - Are you the Christ? Save Yourself and us “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” QUESTION - What is the Via Dolorosa? (SEE ALSO ZONDERVAN DICTIONARY ARTICLE) ANSWER - The Via Dolorosa, literally “the sorrowful way,” is the traditional route in Jerusalem which our Lord traveled on the day of His crucifixion from the judgment seat of Pilate, also called the Praetorium (Matthew 27:2-26), to the place of His crucifixion on Mount Calvary. After his judgment by Pontius Pilate, the Lord Jesus was beaten, mocked and spit upon by the Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:26-31). Then he was forced to carry His own cross through the streets of Jerusalem to Golgotha, where He was crucified (Matthew 27:32-50). The Via Dolorosa is now marked with fourteen "stations of the cross" commemorating fourteen incidents that took place along the way. At least five of these incidents are not recorded in the Bible, springing instead from Roman Catholic tradition. Of the ones that are mentioned in Scripture, the actual place of the events along the way, such as the scourging (John 19:1-3) and the carrying of the cross by Simon of Cyrene (Matthew 27:32), are not known. The Bible does not specifically mention the Via Dolorosa. All we know from Scripture is that Jesus carried His cross from the Praetorium to the site on Mount Calvary where He was crucified. The locations of these two sites are not known for certain, but wherever they were, the route between them was truly a sorrowful way. The scourging and physical pain the Lord Jesus suffered was minor in comparison to the pain caused by the real burden He was bearing—the burden of the sins of all believers. He bore our sins to the cross where He paid the penalty for them all. As Easter approaches and Christians contemplate this holiest of seasons, we are reminded what a precious gift our salvation is and the price paid for it by the Lord Jesus. “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). As we think about the pain and humiliation He suffered for us, paying a price that we could never pay ourselves, we can’t help but praise and thank Him and commit ourselves to a life of obedience to Him. Play song Via Dolorosa Related Resources: What is Good Friday / Holy Friday? What is Palm Sunday? What is Maundy Thursday / Holy Thursday? Matthew 27:32 As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross. As they were coming out,: Lev 4:3,12,21 Nu 15:35,36 1Ki 21:10,13 Ac 7:58 Heb 13:11,12 they found: Mt 16:24 Mk 15:21 Lu 23:26 Cyrene: Ac 2:10 6:9 11:20 13:1 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SIMON OF CYRENE CONSCRIPTED TO CARRY THE CROSS D. A. Carson: Crucifixion was unspeakably painful and degrading. Whether tied or nailed to the cross, the victim endured countless paroxysms as he pulled with his arms and pushed with his legs to keep his chest cavity open for breathing and then collapsed in exhaustion until the demand for oxygen demanded renewed paroxysms. The scourging, the loss of blood, the shock from the pain all produced agony that could go on for days, ending at last by suffocation, cardiac arrest, or loss of blood. When there was reason to hasten death, the execution squad would smash the victim’s legs. Death followed almost immediately, either from shock or from collapse that cut off breathing. (BORROW The Expositor's Bible Commentary page 128) As they were coming out - This directional phrase supports that the crucifixion of Christ was outside of Jerusalem (see note above) they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service (aggareuo) (conscripted) to bear (airo) His cross (stauros) - The Romans had the legal right to requisition a civilian into their service. Most writers (and depictions) feel Simon bore the entire weight himself rather than assisting Jesus with the load. In the providence of God Simon was immortalized forever. Some think that his name Cyrene suggests he was a Gentile but we cannot be dogmatic. Given the fact that this was the Passover and one of the 3 required feasts for Jewish males to attend, it is more likely that Simon was a Jew who made a pilgrimage from Cyrene. Alternatively, Simon may have been a resident of Jerusalem at this time, and Cyrene was his original country. Charles Swindoll points out that "The traditional route from the Antonia Fortress to Golgotha is known today as the Via Dolorosa. It winds through a noisy, bustling public marketplace along narrow stone streets sometimes barely wide enough for a donkey pulling a cart. If men and women lined the path two or three deep on both sides, it would be just possible for a person to slip through the center. It’s quite likely that in the first century this road was similarly congested and chaotic, especially during the busy time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (See Insights on Matthew 16--28 - Page 286 - Google Books) There is a cross for every one who is a follower of the Crucified; may we have grace to carry it after him! Spurgeon - Any one of us might well have wished to have been Simon, yet we need not envy him. There is a cross for every one who is a follower of the Crucified; may we have grace to carry it after him! I wonder if he was a black man. There was a Simon in the early Church; and it certainly was the lot of the Ethiopian to bear the cross for many and many an age. This Simon was a stranger, anyhow, and a foreigner; truly honored was he to be compelled to bear the cross after Christ. And methinks that he must have been a glad man to have such an honor thrust upon him, yet you need not envy him, for there is a cross for you also to carry. Bear it cheerfully. If anything happens to you, by way of ridicule, for Christ’s sake and the gospel’s, bow your shoulder willingly to the burden, and as knights are made by a stroke from a sword held in their sovereign’s hand, so shall you be made princes of the realm of Christ by bearing the cross after him.....Perhaps they were afraid that Christ would die from exhaustion; so they compelled Simon to bear his cross. Any one of Christ’s followers might have wished to have been this man of Cyrene; but we need not envy him, for there is a cross for each of us to carry. Oh! that we were as willing to bear Christ’s cross as Christ was to bear our sins on his cross! If anything happens to us by way of persecution or ridicule for our Lord’s sake, and the gospel’s, let us cheerfully endure it. As knights are made by a stroke from the sovereign’s sword, so shall we become princes in Christ’s realm as he lays his cross on our shoulders. John
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - He wholly abstained from that which might have lessened his pain. He came to suffer, and he intended to go through with all that he had undertaken. He would do nothing that would blunt the edge of the sacrificial knife. He forbids not the soothing draught to other sufferers who are in pain; but, as for himself, he will not partake of it. Bob Utley on unwilling to drink - This has nothing to do with the modern denominational issue of total abstinence. Jesus does later accept the cheap wine of the soldiers (cf. Matt. 27:48). He is refusing to take anything to dull either the pain or His senses. Note that Mark's record says the wine was mixed not with gall but with myrrh -- "They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh (Gk - smurnizo - only in Mk 15:23+ in NT; see dictionary entry); but He did not take it." (Mark 15:23+) Following comments are from Mark 15:23+. Akin - They offered Jesus “wine mixed with myrrh” (v.23, cf. Ps 69:21), a primitive drug that would dull the pain of the crucified victim. Jesus said no. He would face the agony to come with full control of his mental faculties Gilbrant - A Jewish tradition says that honorable women of Jerusalem provided a narcotic drink to victims of capital punishment, for the purpose of deadening their nerves to the excruciating pain. When Jesus was offered the wine mixed with myrrh, He refused it. He chose to drink the cup of suffering, which He had accepted totally in Gethsemane, to its last bitter dregs.
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Spurgeon - He wholly abstained from that which might have lessened his pain. He came to suffer, and he intended to go through with all that he had undertaken. He would do nothing that would blunt the edge of the sacrificial knife. He forbids not the soothing draught to other sufferers who are in pain; but, as for himself, he will not partake of it.....A stupefying draught was given to the condemned that is the only mercy that there was about the whole thing. The Romans did give to the crucified a draught of myrrh to take away something of the agony of crucifixion; but our Lord came not to be stupefied, he came to suffer, therefore he would not take anything that would at all impair his faculties. He drank even to the dregs the bitter cup of grief and woe......He came to earth that he might suffer, and he would retain all his faculties while suffering, he would have every nerve made into a straight road for the hot feet of pain to travel over, for he would drink, even to the last dregs, every drop that was in the cup of suffering for his people’s sin.....This was a stupefying draught, which was usually given to prisoners about to die in order to mitigate their pain, and therefore Christ would not drink it, for he was determined to suffer even to the bitter end. He had no mitigation of his agony when he was offering his atonement for us; and so, "when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink." NET NOTE - It is difficult to say for certain who gave Jesus this drink of wine mixed with gall (e.g., the executioner, or perhaps women from Jerusalem). In any case, whoever gave it to him most likely did so in order to relieve his pain, but Jesus was unwilling to take it. Gall (5521) chole from cheo = to pour or from chole = yellow; English - cholecystectomy) means literal gall offered to Jesus on the Cross (Mt 27:34, cf Messianic passage Ps 69:21). Gall was a bitter, yellow-brown or greenish fluid, also called bile and secreted by the liver of an animal and stored in the gall bladder. Cholē can be found in classical Greek from the Eighth Century B.C. meaning “gall, bile.” Metaphorically it had the meaning of “giving one a disgust for a thing.” For example, it was the custom of mothers to put gall on their nipples in order to wean a child (Liddell-Scott). Gall, Papaver somniferum ( gol, Heb. ro’sh), the juice of the opium poppy. Opium is the dried juice that exudes from the incised capsules of the opium poppy. It induces a sleep so heavy that the person becomes insensible. (borrow Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p.663) It was customary to mix wine with cholē to form a sedative. This opium mixed with wine caused a deep sleep, a sustained state of unconsciousness. The recipient became oblivious to his surroundings, and his pain was quickly numbed. Figuratively in the only other NT use of chole in Acts 8:23+ Vine says "gall of bitterness stands for extreme wickedness, productive of evil fruit." Friberg on chole - (1) as a bitter digestive fluid stored in the gall bladder in the body gall, bile; (2) as a bitter substance made from wormwood, a plant yielding a bitter-tasting dark-green oil that is alcoholic in its effect (Mt 27.34); (3) idiomatically, of a person be full of bitter poison, i.e. be very jealous, be bitterly envious (Acts 8.23+) (BORROW Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament ) Vine - In the OT chole is used (a) of a plant characterized by bitterness (probably wormwood), Deut. 29:18; Hos. 10:4; Amos 6:12; (b) as the translation of the word mererah, "bitterness," Job. 13:26, e.g.; (c) as the translation of rosh, "venom;" in Dt. 32:32 "(grapes) of gall." In Job 20:25, the gall bladder is referred to (the receptacle of bile). The ancients supposed that the poison of serpents lay in the gall (see Job 20:14). (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) QUESTION - What is gall in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - In the Bible, the word gall most often refers to a bitter-tasting substance made of a plant such as wormwood or myrrh. The most famous biblical use of the word gall is in reference to a drink given to Jesus on the cross. Matthew 27:34 says that, as Jesus was being crucified, the Roman soldiers offered “wine to drink, mixed with gall.” Mark 15:23 specifies that the bitterness in the wine was due to the presence of myrrh. Wine mixed with bitter herbs or myrrh created a potion that dulled the sense of pain. The mixture of sour wine and gall was often given to the suffering to ease their pain in death. Jesus refused this gall-laced concoction after He tasted it and realized what it was (Mark 15:23; John 19:29). In a supernatural display of courage, the Son of Man rejected anything that would numb the suffering He endured for our salvation. Sin against a holy God required extreme punishment, and, in order to completely fulfill His position as our substitute, Jesus wanted nothing that took away from that punishment. On the cross, Jesus became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). To accept wine with gall would lessen sin’s punishment, and Jesus had come to bear the full brunt of God’s wrath against sin, not to take an easier way out (Isaiah 53:10). The fact that Jesus was offered gall was prophesied thousands of years before Jesus was born. Psalm 69:21 records these prophetic words: “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.” This prophetic mention of gall is only one of the dozens of messianic prophecies in the Old Testament that were fulfilled in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Peter uses the term gall in rebuking Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8:23. This sorcerer had witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit and saw it as a means to financial gain. Simon viewed God’s Spirit as a super power he could use for his own purposes. In response to Simon’s request for the Holy Spirit, Peter told him to repent before God’s judgment came upon him and concluded with these words: “I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity” (ESV). Here, gall is used figuratively to denote a severe moral defect in Simon that was producing bitterness in his heart. The Law of the Old Testament also mentions gall, associating it with idolatry. As Moses confirms the covenant with the new generation of Israelites about to enter the Promised Land, he reminds them that they had seen the abominations of the surrounding nations—their idols of wood and stone and silver and gold. Then he warns the people to guard against idolatry, “lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood” (Deuteronomy 29:18, KJV). In other words, whatever attraction idolatry may hold, it will have bitter, unsavory consequences. Jeremiah used the term gall in describing his life as a persecuted prophet and someone who had witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem. In Lamentations 3:15 he writes, “He has filled me with bitter herbs and given me gall to drink.” Many chapters in the Bible demonstrate that God’s people often questioned His goodness when they were suffering. Life tasted bitter, and they cried out to God about it. Jeremiah continues in Lamentations 3:19–20, “I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.” However, Jeremiah does not end there. Through the rest of chapter 3, the author reminds us that, even in times when we feel we’ve been given gall to drink, there is reason for hope in God: “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him’” (Lamentations 3:21–24). Matthew 27:35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. crucified: Ps 22:16 Jn 20:20,25,27 Ac 4:10 divided up: Mk 15:24-32 Lu 23:34 Jn 19:23,24 Ps 22:18 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Psalms 22:18+ They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. And when they had crucified (stauroo) Him - They is the Romans soldiers which consisted for 4 men (as deduced from "four parts" in John 19:23-24+) in addition to a centurion (Mt 27:54+). They had crucified seems to refer not to when the crucifixion terminated but when it began (see Spurgeon below). The idea seems to be that by this time they had removed Jesus' garments and had Him firmly fixed to the Cross and were ready to divide His clothes among themselves. Having removed His garments, Jesus is now hanging naked which would add to the shame of being crucified. I am reminded of Hebrews 12:2+ which says that "for the joy set before Him (He) endured the cross, despising the shame." They divided up (diamerizo) His garments (himation) among themselves by casting (ballo) lots (kleros) - This is an allusion to and fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy in Ps 22:18+ "They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots." Once again we see the mysterious (to humans) juxtaposition of God's sovereignty and human responsibility. In other words, the soldiers did not know Ps 22:18 and yet their volitional actions fulfilled it! The clothing of the condemned was like "spoils" or extra pay for the soldiers assigned to perform the crucifixion. The piece of clothing they cast lots for was the seamless tunic, as recorded by John: John 19:23-24+ Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts (PROBABLY - headgear, sandals, belt, and outer garment), a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. 24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be”; this was to fulfill the Scripture: “THEY DIVIDED MY OUTER GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS.” The soldiers took from Jesus His garments, but He laid aside the robe of flesh of His own will. -- D L Moody Spurgeon - Horrible scene, to see those blessed hands and feet pierced with nails, and fastened to the cross! Rattling the dice-box at the foot of the cross! Gambling is the most hardening of all vices. I believe that crimes have been committed by persons, under the influence of gambling, which never could have been committed by them in any other condition of mind: "They parted his garments, casting lots." See here, you gamblers! With Christ’s blood bespattering them, these soldiers dared still to raffle for his robe.....Some of them gloating their cruel eyes with the sight of his suffering others watching him out of mere curiosity, but there were some, hard by the cross, who stood there to weep in sympathy with him, — a sword piercing through their own hearts while the Son of man was being put to death Spurgeon - There is a world of meaning in that short sentence, "and they crucified him," driving their bolts of iron through his blessed hands and feet, fastening him to the cross, and lifting him up to hang there upon a gibbet reserved for felons. We can scarcely realize all that the crucifixion meant to our dear Lord; but we can join in Faber’s prayer: — "Lord Jesus! may we love and weep, Since you for us are crucified." Then was fulfilled all that our Lord had foretold in Mt 20:17-19, except his resurrection, the time for which had not arrived. The criminals clothes were the executioners’ perquisite. The Roman soldiers who crucified Christ had no thought of fulfilling the Scriptures when they parted his garments, casting lots; yet their action was exactly that which had been foretold in Psalm 22:18. The seamless robe would have been spoiled if it had been rent, so the soldiers raffled for the vesture, while they shared the other garments of our Lord. The dice would be almost stained with the blood of Christ, yet the gamblers played on beneath the shadow of his cross. Gambling is the most hardening of all vices. Beware of it in any form! No games of chance should be played by Christians, for the blood of Christ seems to have bespattered them all. Spurgeon Bob
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - His enemies gloating their cruel eyes with the sight of his sufferings; his friends with many tears watching his amazing griefs. It is for us, tonight, with humble faith and grateful love, to mark the incidents connected with his painful death....Some watched him from curiosity, some to make sure that he really did die, some even delighted their cruel eyes with his sufferings; and there were some, hard by the cross, who wept and bewailed, a sword passing through their own hearts while the Son of man was agonizing even unto death. Matthew 27:37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” his accusation: Mk 15:26 Lu 23:38 Jn 19:19-22 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:26+ The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 27 They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. Luke 23:38+ Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” John 19:18-22+ There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” 20 Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; (ONLY JOHN MENTIONS THE THREE LANGUAGES) and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.” (Aramaic) דנא ישויע מלכא דיהודיא (Latin) REX IVDAEORVM HIC (Greek) ΙΗΣΟΥΣ Ο ΝΑΖΩΡΑΙΟΣ Ο ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΕΣ ΤΩΝ ΙΟΥΔΑΙΩΝ. JESUS KING OF THE JEWS Note that in Mt 27:35-44 Jesus is ridiculed and verbally abused by one group after another, all of them trying heap shame upon Him. Of course this had been prophesied in Ps 22:7 which predicted "All who see me sneer at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head." Although mentioned earlier, it is worth repeating that this heaping of shame recalls Hebrews 12:2+ that says believers are to be "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, (NOTE THIS NEXT PHRASE) despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” - John 19:20+ adds "many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek." The title Pilate wrote was tantamount to the Jews of calling Jesus the Messiah. This is why "the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; but that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’ (John 19:21) Pilate did not vacillate declaring “What I have written I have written.” (Jn 19:22) The charge against Jesus is stated differently in the four Gospels: Matthew: ‒ "This is Jesus the King of the Jews" Mark: ‒ "The King of the Jews" (Mark 15:26+) Luke: ‒ "This is the King of the Jews" (Luke 23:38+) John: ‒ "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews" (John 19:19+) Spurgeon - And so he is, and so he shall be, — King of the Jews even on that cross, and never so royal as when he had surrendered everything for love of those whom he came to redeem. Charles Swindoll: In crucifixion, a sign called a titulus indicating the name of the criminal and the crime was hung above the victim’s head so everybody passing by on the road below could see the price that was paid for serious infractions of Roman law. Signs such as MURDER, PIRACY, INSURRECTION, TREASON, and ROBBERY would have been common. But when passersby saw the sign hanging above Jesus’ head, written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, it undoubtedly would have caught their attention. Combining the information from all four Gospel accounts, Jesus’ sign read: THIS IS JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS (Mt 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38; John 19:19). The chief priests were so troubled by this public statement labeling Jesus as King of the Jews that the asked Pilate to clarify that Jesus had claimed that He was King of the Jews. To this request, Pilate simply responded, “What I have written I have written” (John 19:21-22). (See Insights on Matthew 16–28 - Page 288 - Google Book) Henry
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - By their own confession, he died for being a King, and he died for being too greatly good, too royal in his love. He, being King of kings, died that you and I might live forever, and be kings and priests unto God, And so he is, and so he shall be, — King of the Jews even on that cross, and never so royal as when he had surrendered everything for love of those whom he came to redeem. King of the Jews - And so he is. When will the Jews own him as their King? They will do so one day, perhaps they will do so when Christians begin to think and speak more kindly of them than they usually do. When the hardness of heart on our part towards them shall pass away, it may be that their hardness of heart towards Christ will also pass away. Long have they been despised, and oppressed, and persecuted in many lands, so that, by some means, they might be brought to look, in penitence, upon him whom they crucified, and to own him as their Lord and Savior! Spurgeon - What a marvelous providence it was that moved Pilate’s pen! The representative of the Roman Emperor was little likely to concede kingship to any man; yet he deliberately wrote, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews," and nothing would induce him to alter what he had written. Even on his cross, Christ was proclaimed King, in the sacerdotal Hebrew, the classical Greek, and the common Latin, so that everybody in the crowd could read the inscription. When will the Jews own Jesus as their King? They will do so one day, looking on him whom they pierced. Perhaps they will think more of Christ when Christians think more of them; when our hardness of heart towards them has gone, possibly their hardness of heart towards Christ may also disappear. Norman Geisler - Mt 27:37 (cf. Mk 15:26; Lk 23:38; Jn 19:19)—Why are all the Gospel accounts of the inscription on the cross different? PROBLEM: The wording of the accusation above Christ’s head on the cross is rendered differently in each Gospel account. Matthew: “This is Jesus the king of the Jews” (27:37). Mark: “The king of the Jews” (15:26). Luke: “This is the king of the Jews” (23:38). John: “Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews” (19:19). SOLUTION: While there is a difference in what is omitted, the important phrase, “the king of the Jews,” is identical in all four Gospels. The differences can be accounted for in different ways. First, John 19:20 says, “Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.” So then, there are at least three different languages in which the sign above Christ’s head was written. Some of the differences may come from it being rendered in different languages. Further, it is possible that each Gospel only gives part of the complete statement as follows: Matthew: “This is Jesus [of Nazareth] the king of the Jews.” Mark: “[This is Jesus of Nazareth] the king of the Jews.” Luke: “This is [Jesus of Nazareth] the king of the Jews.” John: “[This is] Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews.” Thus, the whole statement may have read “This is Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews.” In this case, each Gospel is giving the essential part (“the king of the Jews”), but no Gospel is giving the whole inscription. But neither is any Gospel contradicting what the other Gospels say. The accounts are divergent and mutually complementary, not contradictory. (When Critics Ask page 307) See also Dr Gleason Archer - see page 351 - What was the exact wording of the inscription on the cross? Matthew 27:36. Twelve views of the cross. Luke 23:48. The soldiers saw in Christ a criminal, with cruelty. The women saw in Christ a benefactor, with sorrow. His mother saw in Christ a son, with anguish. The disciples saw in Christ blighted hopes, with perplexity. The first thief saw in Christ a malefactor, with hardness. The second thief saw in Christ a King, with penitence. The centurion saw in Christ divinity, with conviction. The priests saw in Christ an impostor, with mockery. Angels saw in Christ love, with wonder. Devils saw in Christ the seed of woman, with dismay. Jehovah saw in Christ obedience, with affection. The passers-by saw in Christ nothing, with indifference. The cross cannot be explained. To nail our poor theories on that tree but shows how our love has cooled and stiffened and expired. D L Moody QUESTION - What does it mean that Jesus is the King of the Jews? ANSWER - Jesus is referred to as the King of the Jews two times in His earthly life: at His birth by the wise men (Matthew 2:2) and at His trial and subsequent crucifixion (Mark 15:2). All four gospels record the words “King of the Jews” as part of Pilate’s instructions to the angry mob (Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:9; Luke 23:38; John 19:3) and Pilate’s direct address to Jesus (Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3; John 18:33). It is interesting that only non-Jews used this specific title to describe Jesus, underscoring the truth of John 1:11, which says, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” The title King of the Jews had both messianic and political implications. Kings in Israel were anointed with oil as a sign of God’s choosing (see 1 Kings 1:39), and the meaning of Messiah is “Anointed One.” As the Son of David, the Messiah was chosen by God to fulfill the Davidic Covenant and rule on the throne in Jerusalem. When the magi came to Jerusalem seeking the King of the Jews, they most likely had in mind a future political leader, much to King Herod’s chagrin. But the Jews in Jerusalem, hearing the magi’s question, would have thought of the long-awaited Messiah. In Mark 15:32 some mockingly call Jesus the “King of Israel” and associate the title with “Christ” (“Messiah”). What they meant as jeering scorn—what kind of king would be hanging on a cross?—was, ironically, the exact truth. Jesus was the King of Israel, and He was on the cross to save them from their sins. The sign that Pilate posted over Jesus on the cross identified the “criminal” in three languages: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19). The Jewish leaders objected to the application of a Messianic title to Jesus: “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews” (John 19:21). For reasons he kept to himself, Pilate refused to alter the sign (John 19:22), which was another ironic statement of truth. During the trial of Jesus, Pilate had asked Him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15:2). Jesus answered, “It is as you say” (NASB). Later, Jesus expanded on the idea of His being a king: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36). The King of the Jews was rejected by Israel, but there is a broader spiritual kingdom that He still ruled. After the conversation about Jesus’ kingship, Pilate turns to the crowd and asks, “Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” (John 18:39). In no uncertain terms, the crowd shouts their answer: “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” (verse 40). Pilate then allows the soldiers to give Jesus a beating, during which they clothe Jesus as a king, mock Him with cries of “Hail, king of the Jews!” and repeatedly slap Him in the face (John 19:3). After the mockery, Pilate again presents Jesus to the crowd as the King of the Jews: “Here is your king,” he says (verse 14). In response they shout, “‘Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!’ ‘Shall I crucify your king?’ Pilate asked. ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the chief priests answered” (verse 15). Their choice had been made, and Jesus, their true king, was led away to be crucified (verse 16). Some people during Jesus’ ministry recognized Jesus as the King of the Jews. As Jesus neared Jerusalem the final time, the crowd with Him “thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once” (Luke 19:11). In other words, they believed Jesus was the King of the Jews, and they were ready to help Him set up the earthly kingdom. Jesus told a parable indicating that the kingdom would be delayed (verses 12–27), but the crowd’s enthusiasm did not wane. As He entered Jerusalem, Jesus was greeted with shouts of welcome for the King of the Jews: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (verse 38). God’s people had been expecting a deliverer since God first promised one in Genesis 3:15. God Himself unified the Hebrews under Moses and told them that, as long as they followed and obeyed Him, He would bless and guide them (Deuteronomy 11:8–9; 27:9–10). But the children of Israel rejected the Lord as their leader and demanded an earthly king (1 Samuel 8:7, 19). God gave them what they wanted and appointed Saul as the first king over Israel (1 Samuel 9:17). When Saul disobeyed the Lord, he was then rejected by God, and his sons were not allowed to succeed him on the throne (1 Samuel 15:9–11, 23, 28). Instead, God chose David to be the next king of the Jews (1 Samuel 16:1). God promised David that his name would be forever associated with the throne of Israel (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David penned the prophetic Psalm 22, which gave Israel hints about what their future Messiah and Deliverer would endure. But, in their desperation for an earthly king and an earthly kingdom, most of the Jews disregarded those prophetic words as well as the ones in Isaiah 53. When Jesus came, He fulfilled those prophecies. Importantly, He was from the royal line of David (Matthew 1:1; John 7:42) and could rightly take the title King of the Jews, but because Jesus was not what they wanted, “his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11, ESV). A king is a supreme ruler. When the Jews clamored for a king in Samuel’s day, they were rejecting God as their Supreme Ruler (1 Samuel 8:7). Because of their hard hearts, He allowed them temporary kings. But this led to bondage and their destruction as a nation, highlighting the reality that what they wanted was not what they needed. The kingdom was divided after King Solomon’s rule, and both parts of the divided kingdom eventually fell to foreign enemies. Jerusalem was destroyed at least twice, once by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:8–10) and again by the Romans under Titus in AD 70. The Jews who rejected their true King were scattered among the nations for centuries until 1948. Isaiah 11 announced that one day a “shoot from the stem of Jesse” (verse 1) would come and set the world to rights. The Jews have long interpreted such prophecies as foretelling an earthly king for Israel. We understand Jesus to be that King; however, God had bigger plans than just an earthly kingdom. He never resigned Himself to Israel’s rejection of His kingship, but rather used their rejection of Him as an opportunity to demonstrate His love for the whole world (John 3:16). The Son of God took on human flesh, came in the form of a servant, and showed His people what a real Deliverer was like (Philippians 2:5–11; Mark 10:44). Because this King of the Jews did not fit the ideas they had cherished for thousands of years, the Jews again rejected the One they needed. Many Jews are still waiting for the wrong kind of king. Revelation 19:16 describes the day when Jesus will return to rule over the earth. At that time, the ancient prophecies of an earthly kingdom of God will be fulfilled, and no one will doubt that Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. Every nation, tribe, and tongue will bow to the King of the Jews (1 Timothy 6:14–16; Romans 14:11; Philippians 2:10; Revelation 5:9). Matthew 27:38 At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. Mt 27:44 Isa 53:12 Mk 15:27,28 Lu 22:37 Lk 23:32,33,39-43 Jn 19:18 Jn 19:31-35 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Luke 23:32-33+ Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him (ED: ONLY LUKE HAS THIS DETAIL THAT THE TWO CRIMINALS ALSO DID THE "DEATH MARCH"). 33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. Luke 23:39-43+ (ED: THIS SECTION ONLY IN LUKE) One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Matthew 26:55+ At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber (lestes)? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. THE RIGHTEOUS ONE BETWEEN TWO UNRIGHTEOUS ONES At that time two robbers (lestes) *were crucified (stauroo) with Him, one on the right and one on the left - There is an allusion to the prophecy in Isaiah 53:12+ "And was numbered with the transgressors." Josephus' uses this term robbers (lestes) in a way that suggests these two may have been "zealots," like Barabbas. There is an ironic echo of the request of the mother of James and John "that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left" (Mt 20:20-23+) The righteous one in the middle of two unrighteous men, one of who would soon be declared righteous by faith. Even in His dying moments, He gave eternal life to one sinner, previewing His gift of life to all sinners of all time who like the thief would place their faith in Him. Spurgeon - Giving him the place of honor, which means in this case the place of dishonor. He was the apex of that terrible triangle....As if to show that they regarded Christ as the worst of the three criminals, they put him between the two thieves, giving him the place of dishonor. Thus was the prophecy fulfilled, "He was numbered with the transgressors." The two malefactors deserved to die, as one of them admitted (Luke 23:40-41); but a greater load of guilt vested upon Christ, for "he bare the sin of many," and, therefore, he was rightly distinguished as the King of sufferers, who could truly ask: — "Was ever grief like mine?" Robbers (3027) lestes from lizoma = to plunder, seize) means one who steals openly and by violence in contrast to kleptes which denotes one who steals by stealth. A robber, highwayman, bandit, revolutionary, insurrectionist, one who favors the use of force (cfJn 18:40). Lestes does not describe those who rob by stealth but those who are fierce bandits that plundered and stole, leaving a trail of abuse and desolation in their wake. Figuratively lestes speaks of unscrupulous, greedy, or overambitious leaders (Jn 10.8) LESTES - 15X/V - robber(5), robbers(6), robbers'(4). Matt. 21:13; Matt. 26:55; Matt. 27:38; Matt. 27:44; Mk. 11:17; Mk. 14:48; Mk. 15:27; Lk. 10:30; Lk. 10:36; Lk. 19:46; Lk. 22:52; Jn. 10:1; Jn. 10:8; Jn. 18:40; 2 Co. 11:26 Crucify (4717) stauroo from stauros = cross, in turn from histemi = to stand) means literally to nail or fasten to a cross and so to crucify -- literal death by nailing to and hanging from a cross (a stake). To impale on the cross; figurative to extinguish (subdue) passion or selfishness. In Galatians Paul uses stauroo in a metaphorical sense to refer to crucifixion of the flesh (as a result of the literal crucifixion) "Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Gal 5:24+) STAUROO - 46X/42V - crucified(29), crucifixion(1), crucify(16). Matt. 20:19; Matt. 23:34; Matt. 26:2; Matt. 27:22; Matt. 27:23; Matt. 27:26; Matt. 27:31; Matt. 27:35; Matt. 27:38; Matt. 28:5; Mk. 15:13; Mk. 15:14; Mk. 15:15; Mk. 15:20; Mk. 15:24; Mk. 15:25; Mk. 15:27; Mk. 16:6; Lk. 23:21; Lk. 23:23; Lk. 23:33; Lk. 24:7; Lk. 24:20; Jn. 19:6; Jn. 19:10; Jn. 19:15; Jn. 19:16; Jn. 19:18; Jn. 19:20; Jn. 19:23; Jn. 19:41; Acts 2:36; Acts 4:10; 1 Co. 1:13; 1 Co. 1:23; 1 Co. 2:2; 1 Co. 2:8; 2 Co. 13:4; Gal. 3:1; Gal. 5:24; Gal. 6:14; Rev. 11:8. In the Septuagint only in Esther 7:9 and Esther 8:12. Classical Greek and Septuagint Usage - Stauroō is a common verb in Greek literature. The noun form stauros (4567) was used to denote a “cross” as an instrument of torture or crucifixion, and the verb form stauroō was used to mean “to crucify,” (ca. Second Century B.C.). In the Septuagint the noun is found once (Esther 7:9) where it refers to a pale (stake) on which an individual was impaled. That was a common means of torture and execution in the Persian Empire. (Complete Biblical Library) New Testament Usage - In the New Testament the verb is used in both literally and figuratively. Matthew 20:19 employs the term literally to mean “to crucify on a cross” or “to put to death on a cross.” The verb’s occurrence in the other Gospels is translated in the same way. In Galatians 5:24 and 6:14 Paul employed stauroō as a picture of his high standard of personal holiness: “My desire for the things of the world has been crucified,” or “The power of such has been destroyed, put to death” (author’s translations). In 6:14 Paul made an appeal to those who would futilely try to “glory” in the Law, to embrace “the cross of . . . Christ,” as he had done (verse 14), and to glory in the victory of the Cross by means of which the power of the world has been destroyed. (Complete Biblical Library) See the 14 page NIDNTT article on the Cross and Crucify beginning on page 390, - Excerpt - σταυρός G5089 (stauros), stake, cross; σταυρόω G5090 (stauroō), hang upon a cross, crucify; ἀνασταυρόω G416 (anastauroō), crucify; συσταυρόω G5365 (systauroō), crucify with; κρεμάννυμι G3203 (kremannymi), hang. Friberg says this metaphorical sense of stauroo in Gal 5:24 speaks of "of a believer's renouncing his old sinful way of living to be united to his Lord - crucify, put to death, i.e. be done with. (BORROW Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) BDAG says that in Gal 5:24 stauroo means "to destroy through connection with the crucifixion of Christ, crucify, a transcendent sense (and in Gal 6:14 refers to) the believer who is inseparably united to the Lord has died on the cross to the kind of life that belongs to this world (BORROW A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament, and other early Christian literature) Related Resource: What is the history of crucifixion? Matthew 27:39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads Hurling abuse: Ps 22:6,7,17 31:11-13 35:15-21 69:7-12,20 109:2,25 La 1:12 La 2:15-17 Mk 15:29,30 Lu 23:35-39 1Pe 2:22-24 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:29+ Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” Psalm 109:25 I also have become a reproach to them; When they see me, they wag their head. Psalm 22:7 All who see me sneer (cf Lk 23:35+) at me; They separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying Spurgeon - Read the evangelistic narrative of the ridicule endured by the Crucified One, and then consider, in the light of this expression, how it grieved him. The iron entered into his soul. Mockery has for its distinctive description "cruel mockings;" those endured by our Lord were of the most cruel kind. The scornful ridicule of our Lord was universal; all sorts of men were unanimous in the derisive laughter, and vied with each other in insulting him. Priests and people, Jews and Gentiles, soldiers and civilians, all united in the general scoff, and that at the time when he was prostrate in weakness and ready to die. Which shall we wonder at the most, the cruelty of man or the love of the bleeding Saviour? How can we ever complain of ridicule after this? "They shoot out the lip, they shake the head." These were gestures of contempt. Pouting, grinning, shaking of the head, thrusting out of the tongue, and other modes of derision were endured by our patient Lord; men made faces at him before whom angels vail their faces and adore. The basest signs of disgrace which disdain could devise were maliciously cast at him. They punned upon his prayers, they made matter for laughter of his sufferings, and set him utterly at nought. Herbert sings of our Lord as saying,— "Shame tears my soul, my body many a wound; Sharp nails pierce this, but sharper that confound; Reproaches which are free, while I am bound. Was ever grief like mine?" PASSERS BY SCORN JESUS And those passing (present tense - continually passing) by were hurling abuse (blasphemeo - imperfect - blaspheming over and over) at Him, wagging (kineo in present tense - continually shaking) their heads - This is the first group of mockers of Jesus on the Cross. Surely some of these passing by were those who at His Triumphal entry cried "Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord." (Mk 11:8) We would call them fickle (and faithless)! Presumably Golgotha was next to one of the major roads so that all coming into Jerusalem had to pass by, so that the horror of seeing a body crucified would serve as a deterrent to crime and revolt. One is reminded of the wild wild west in America when hangings took place in a public location. This verse is an allusion to the prophecy in Ps 22:7+ "All who see me sneer at me (cf Lk 23:35+); They separate with the lip, they wag the head." (SEE CHART OF MOCKING OF JESUS) Hurling abuse at Him reminds me of our modern ugly idiom "in your face!" Wagging their heads (Mk 15:29+) was commonly used as a gesture of derision (Ps 22:7; Ps 109:25; Jer 18:16; Lam 2:15). Walter Wilson on three groups of mockers - The three segments of the unit (Mt 27:39–40, 41–43, 44) are distinguished by three different groups (those passing by, the chief priests and elders, and the two brigands), to which are assigned three different verbs of insult: βλασφημέω (“to blaspheme”), ἐμπαίζω (“to mock”), and ὀνειδίζω (“to taunt”). Nothing torments a man when in pain more than mockery. Spurgeon - Nothing torments a man when in pain more than mockery. When Jesus Christ most wanted words of pity and looks of kindness, they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads. Perhaps the most painful part of ridicule is to have one’s most solemn sayings turned to scorn, as were our Lord’s words about the temple of his body: "You that destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself." He might have saved himself; he might have "come down from the cross"; but if he had done so, we could never have become the sons of God. It was because he was the Son of God that he did not come down from the cross, but hung there until he had completed the sacrifice for his people’s sin. Christ’s cross is the Jacob’s ladder by which we mount up to Heaven. This is the cry of the Socinians today, "Come down from the cross. Give up the atoning sacrifice, and we will be Christians." Many are willing to believe in Christ, but not in Christ crucified. They admit that he was a good man and a great teacher; but by rejecting his vicarious atonement, they practically un-Christ the Christ, as these mockers at Golgotha did. Spurgeon adds that in according to Matthew 27:39-44 "there were five forms of taunt hurled at the Lord Jesus." Matthew 27:40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” saying: Ge 37:19,20 Rev 11:10 destroy: Mt 26:61 Lu 14:29,30 Jn 2:19-22 If You are the Son of God: Mt 27:54 4:3,6 26:63,64 If You are the Son of God: Mt 16:4 Lu 16:31 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 4:3+ And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” Matthew 26:61+ and said, “This man stated, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.’” MOCKERS CRY FOR JESUS TO SAVE SELF and saying, “You who are going to destroy (kataluo) the temple (naos) and rebuild it in three days - This accusation was made at Jesus' trial in Mt 26:61+ (cf Mk 14:58+, Jn 2:19+). (SEE CHART OF MOCKING OF JESUS) Their point is that if Jesus could rebuild the temple like He had claimed, then surely He could save Himself. Save (sozo - aorist imperative) Yourself! - Their warped logic is that if He has the power to rebuild the Temple in three days, surely He has the power to come down from the Cross. Their tempting taunts recall the devil's temptation in Mt 4:6+ “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.’” If You are the Son of God, come down (aorist imperative) from the cross (stauros) - Praise the Name of Jesus (which means essentially "He will save His people from their sins.” - Mt 1:21+) for being steadfastly obedient to His Father's voice and not to the taunting, sarcastic voices of men. Had He listened to men, no man could ever be saved! The Jews had no clue what they were calling on Him to do! They are thoroughly blinded to the point that they actually call Him Who He actually is, the Son of God! If You are the Son of God, come down (katabaino - Mt 27:40) from the cross - The "IF" here introduces a first class conditional statement, so that they were affirming the truth that Jesus was the Son of God (SINCE you are the Son of God)! The point is that the religious leaders had no doubt as to Who Jesus claimed to be! Amazing hardness of hearts! (cf Acts 7:51+). Spurgeon - This is the cry of the Socinians (What is Socinianism?) today, "Come down from the cross. Give up the atoning sacrifice, and we will be Christians." But, by rejecting his vicarious atonement, they practically un-Christ the Christ, as those mockers at Golgotha did......That is the devil’s old doctrine: "Save yourself; look out for yourselves; live for yourselves; be selfish." But Christ could never act like that; he came to live and die for others. "Save yourself," was not the doctrine that he either preached or practiced. And this is another old taunt of Satan and those who follow him: "If you be the Son of God, come down from the cross, and we will believe in you." There are plenty who would be willing to believe in Christ, but not in Christ crucified. "He was a good man," say they, "a great prophet, no doubt, far in advance of his times," and so on. But, if you talk like that, you are not on safe ground, for if Christ was not the Son of God, at any rate he professed to be, and he made people think he was; and if he was not, he was an impostor, and not a good man at all. You must either repudiate Christ altogether, or take him with his cross; it must be Christ crucified, or no Christ at all. NET NOTE - There is rich irony in the statements of those who were passing by, “save yourself!” and “come down from the cross!” In summary, they wanted Jesus to come down from the cross and save his physical life, but it was indeed his staying on the cross and giving his physical life that led to the fact that they could experience a resurrection from death to life. Save (heal, make well or whole) (4982) sozo has the basic meaning of rescuing one from great peril. Additional nuances include to protect, keep alive, preserve life, deliver, heal, be made whole. Sozo is sometimes used of physical deliverance from danger of perishing (see Mt 8:25; Mt 14:30; Lk 23:35; Acts 27:20, 27:31), physical healing from sickness (Mt 9:21, 22; Mk 5:23, Acts 4:9), and deliverance from demonic possession (Lk 8:36). More often sozo refers to salvation in a spiritual sense to rescue or preserve from eternal death, from judgment, sin, bring salvation, bring to salvation (active sense = Mt 18:11; Lk 7:50; Jn 12:47; Ro 11:14; 1 Cor 1:21; 7:16; Titus 3:5; Hb 7:25; Jas 4:12; 5:20; 1 Pet 3:21 or passive sense = be rescued or saved, attain salvation = Mt 24:13; Mk 10:26; Lk 13:23; 18:26; Jn 3:17; Jn 5:34; Acts 11:14; 15:1, 11; Ro 8:24; 11:26; 1 Cor. 3:15; 5:5; Eph 2:5, 8; 1 Ti 2:4). Jesus' very Name speaks of His primary purpose to save men from their sin - "She (Mary) will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save (sozo) His people from their sins." (Mt 1:21+) In Mt 1:21 sozo is equated with deliverance from sins (guilt and power of) with Jesus' Name being a transliteration of Joshua meaning "Jehovah is salvation". SOZO IN JOHN -Jn. 3:17; Jn. 5:34; Jn. 10:9; Jn. 11:12; Jn. 12:27; Jn. 12:47 QUESTION - What does it mean that Jesus is the Son of God? | GotQuestions.org WATCH VIDEO Son of God - 43v - Matt. 4:3; Matt. 4:6; Matt. 8:29; Matt. 26:63; Matt. 27:40; Matt. 27:43; Matt. 27:54; Mk. 1:1; Mk. 3:11; Mk. 15:39; Lk. 1:35; Lk. 3:38; Lk. 4:3; Lk. 4:9; Lk. 4:41; Lk. 22:70; Jn. 1:34; Jn. 1:49; Jn. 3:18; Jn. 5:25; Jn. 10:36; Jn. 11:4; Jn. 11:27; Jn. 19:7; Jn. 20:31; Acts 8:37; Acts 9:20; Rom. 1:4; 2 Co. 1:19; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 4:13; Heb. 4:14; Heb. 6:6; Heb. 7:3; Heb. 10:29; 1 Jn. 3:8; 1 Jn. 4:15; 1 Jn. 5:5; 1 Jn. 5:10; 1 Jn. 5:12; 1 Jn. 5:13; 1 Jn. 5:20; Rev. 2:18 ANSWER - Jesus is not God’s Son in the sense of a human father and a son. God did not get married and have a son. God did not mate with Mary and, together with her, produce a son. Jesus is God’s Son in the sense that He is God made manifest in human form (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is God’s Son in that He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit. Luke 1:35 declares, “The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’” During His trial before the Jewish leaders, the High Priest demanded of Jesus, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” (Matthew 26:63). “‘Yes, it is as you say,’ Jesus replied. ‘But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (Matthew 26:64). The Jewish leaders responded by accusing Jesus of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65-66). Later, before Pontius Pilate, “The Jews insisted, ‘We have a law, and according to that law He must die, because He claimed to be the Son of God’” (John 19:7). Why would His claiming to be the Son of God be considered blasphemy and be worthy of a death sentence? The Jewish leaders understood exactly what Jesus meant by the phrase “Son of God.” To be the Son of God is to be of the same nature as God. The Son of God is “of God.” The claim to be of the same nature as God—to in fact be God—was blasphemy to the Jewish leaders; therefore, they demanded Jesus’ death, in keeping with Leviticus 24:15. Hebrews 1:3 expresses this very clearly, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.” Another example can be found in John 17:12 where Judas is described as the “son of perdition.” John 6:71 tells us that Judas was the son of Simon. What does John 17:12 mean by describing Judas as the “son of perdition”? The word perdition means “destruction, ruin, waste.” Judas was not the literal son of “ruin, destruction, and waste,” but those things were the identity of Judas' life. Judas was a manifestation of perdition. In this same way, Jesus is the Son of God. The Son of God is God. Jesus is God made manifest (John 1:1, 14). Related Resources: Who is God the Son? What does it mean that Jesus is the Son of Man? What does it mean that Jesus is the son of David? What does it mean that Jesus is God’s only begotten son?Is Jesus God? Why should I believe that Jesus is God? Bob
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - The mighty ones in the crowd are here marked by the tearful eye of their victim. The priests, elders, scribes, Pharisees, rulers, and captains bellowed round the cross like wild cattle, fed in the fat and solitary pastures of Bashan, full of strength and fury; they stamped and foamed around the innocent One, and longed to gore him to death with their cruelties. Conceive of the Lord Jesus as a helpless, unarmed, naked man, cast into the midst of a herd of infuriated wild bulls. They were brutal as bulls, many, and strong, and the Rejected One was all alone, and bound naked to the tree. His position throws great force into the earnest entreaty, "Be not far from me." (v13) Like hungry cannibals they opened their blasphemous mouths as if they were about to swallow the man whom they abhorred. They could not vomit forth their anger fast enough through the ordinary aperture of their mouths, and therefore set the doors of their lips wide open like those who gape. Like roaring lions they howled out their fury, and longed to tear the Saviour in pieces, as wild beasts raven over their prey. Our Lord's faith must have passed through a most severe conflict while he found Himself abandoned to the tender mercies of the wicked, but He came off victorious by prayer; the very dangers to which He was exposed being used to add prevalence to His entreaties. Mark 15:31-32+ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. 32 “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. Luke 23:35+ And even the rulers were sneering (ekmukterizo imperf tense - over and over, - over and over, literally lifting up their nose in disdain) at Him (Ps 22:7), saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” John - No Parallel Passages SPIRITUALLY DEAD SPIRITUAL LEADERS MOCK THE LIVING SON OF GOD In the same way - What way? The same way as the first group of mockers, those passing by the cross. The chief priests (archiereus) also, along with the scribes (grammateus) and elders (presbuteros), were mocking (empaizo - present tense- continually ridiculing, verbally deriding, making fun of) Him and saying - This is the second group of mockers of Jesus on the Cross. These three religious designations demonstrate the comprehensive nature of Jesus' rejection and would be equivalent to the representatives of the SANHEDRIN, the very ones who should have recognized and embraced Jesus as their Messiah (SEE CHART OF MOCKING OF JESUS). It was the religious crowd that verbally mocked, derided, ridiculed and made fun of the Messiah! Jeremiah 17:9 was right “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick!" Matthew 27:42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. saved: Jn 9:24 Jn 12:47 Ac 4:14 the King: Mt 27:37 2:2 Lu 19:38 Jn 1:49 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:31-32+ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. 32 “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. Luke 23:35+ And even the rulers were sneering (ekmukterizo imperf tense - over and over, literally lifting up their nose in disdain) at Him (Ps 22:7), saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” John - No Parallel Passages THE SAVIOR REFUSES TO SAVE SELF THAT HE MIGHT SAVE US! He saved (sozo) others; He cannot (ou - absolutely not + dunamai - inherently able or capable to) save (sozo) Himself - They are mocking His claim to be the Savior with cruel sarcasm. This is the second mention of self salvation (cf Mt 27:40). There is such irony in this verse. They say He saved others but have no clue what they are saying, for to the Jews the cross is the stumbling block (Gal 5:11+). Their idea of saving others was in the realm of physical salvation (healing, making whole) and saving Himself would be by coming down from the Cross. They are saying if He cannot save Himself, He surely cannot save anyone else! But their foolish logic is wrong, for they did not understand the true nature of salvation (and their need for it!) The real King (Jesus) would not flee death but would defeat death (1Co 15:55-57+) As God Almighty He could have easily saved Himself from the suffering on the Cross. But He was bound to that old rugged cross by His perfect obedience to the will of His Father and the bonds of His eternal, infinite love for those He came to save! (Mk 10:45+, Luke 19:10+, Jn 12:47+) Hallelujah! What a Savior! (SEE CHART OF MOCKING OF JESUS) The taunting words of these religious hypocrites has been turned into a hymn of praise... Himself He could not save, He on the cross must die, Or mercy cannot come To ruined sinners nigh; Yes, Christ the Son of God must bleed, That sinners might from sin be freed. —Albert Midlane He is the King (basileus) of Israel - (Lk 23:35+ has "the Christ of God, His Chosen One") - They replace Pilate's "King of the Jews" with "King of Israel." Their warped logic was if Jesus is King, then He should come down and set up His kingdom now. The words they spoke in mockery were in fact words of truth! One day they will fully understand that they spoke the truth, for "BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen." (Revelation 1:7+) Let Him now come down (katabaino - Mt 27:40 - aorist imperative - Do it now!) from the cross (stauros), and we will believe (pisteuo) in Him - They challenge Jesus to prove His messianic claims by descending from the cross. They are liars and self-deceived. Even compelling evidence would not convince them. They would not believe in Him, for Jesus told the rich man in Hades "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'" (Lk 16:31+) The man born blind who was healed by Jesus also gives us insight into the fact that they would never believe in Him when he declared to the Jewish religious leaders “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?” They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.(John 9:27-28+) The Pharisees reveal their heart in John 7:48+ when they ask a question (expecting a negative response) "“No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?" William Lane (See The Gospel of Mark - Page 569) - The contemptuous challenge for Jesus to rescue himself and come down from the cross is intelligible in the light of an early Jewish dictum preserved in Midrash Tannaim III. 23: "Before a man puts his trust in flesh and blood, (i.e. another man) and asks him to save him, let him (i.e. the other) save himself from death first." Spurgeon - What pain this taunt must have caused to the Savior! Because he is so pure, and never yields to temptation, we are very apt to forget that temptation was really temptation even to him, and that it grieved his pure and holy Soul thus to be tempted to turn aside from the path of perfect trust in his Father, and complete obedience to him. No doubt the pain of temptation is in inverse ratio to our willingness to yield to it. When we yield to temptation, we feel a pleasure in it; but when we are horrified at it, and start back from it, then we feel the pain of it. Oh, for a mind and heart, so perfectly subject to the will of God, that we should feel such a temptation as this to be the very agony of grief to us, as it was to our Lord! Spurgeon - Just so. Get rid of a crucified Savior, then they will believe in Him. Atonement, substitution, vicarious sacrifice, this staggers them. They will have Christ if they can have him without his cross.....That is the cry of the mockers today. If we will but give up the Atonement, men say that they will believe in Christ. His character is so excellent that they will accept him as an example, (no they say,) but they will not have his Godhead, nor his precious blood. This proves that they are enemies, for they use the same language as his bitterest foes did when he hung upon the cross. As for the scribes, they were learned in the Psalms, and therefore they quoted what we have already read. Spurgeon - The chief priests, with the scribes and elders, forgetting their high station and rank, joined the ribald crew in mocking Jesus in his death pangs. Every word, was emphatic; every syllable cut and pierced our Lord to the heart. They mocked him as a Savior; "He saved others; himself he cannot save." They mocked him as a King; "If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him." They mocked him as a believer; "He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him." They mocked him as the Son of God; "For he said, I am the Son of God." Those who say that Christ was a good man virtually admit his deity, for he claimed to be the Son of God. If he was not what he professed to be, he was an impostor. Notice the testimony that Christ’s bitterest enemies bore even as they reviled him: "He saved others"; "He is the King of Israel" (R.V.); "He trusted in God." NET NOTE - Here the aorist imperative καταβάτω (katabatō) has been translated as a conditional imperative. This fits the pattern of other conditional imperatives (imperative + καί + future indicative) outlined by ExSyn 489. He Died For Me! If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. — Matthew 27:42 Today's Scripture : Isaiah 53 William and Mary Tanner were crossing the railroad tracks when it happened. Mary’s foot slipped and wedged itself between the rail and the wooden crosswalk. She tried frantically to pull her foot free as the sound of an approaching train was heard. There were but seconds left as the express came rushing toward her around a curve. Will Tanner pulled on her foot, desperately trying to free her. As the train came closer and its whistle screamed and brakes shrieked, Will held her in his arms. While people shuddered in horror, the train thundered over them. One witness said that just before the engine hit them, he heard the brave man cry, “I’ll stay with you, Mary!” That is great love! This story reminds me of our Savior, who loved us with a love that can save us (John 3:16). Death came hurtling at Him as He hung on a cross and took the full penalty we deserved. He heard people cry out to Him to save Himself and come down from the cross (Matthew 27:40). But to save others He chose not to save Himself (v.42). Oh, can it be, upon a tree The Savior died for me? My soul is thrilled, my heart is filled, To think He died for me! —Newton Nails could not have kept Jesus on the cross if His love for us had not held Him there. He Cannot Save Himself He saved others; Himself He cannot save. — Matthew 27:42 Today's Scripture : Matthew 27:33-44 A minister rented a room at the home of a farmer who was not a Christian. The pastor waited for an appropriate time to talk to him about Jesus. Finally, early one morning the opportunity came when the farmer asked him to accompany him to the chicken house. There, on one of the nests, sat a hen with a brood of little ones peeking out from under her wings. “Touch her, Pastor,” the farmer said. As the minister put his hand on the hen, he found that she was cold and dead. “Look at that wound on her head,” the farmer continued. “A weasel has sucked all the blood from her body, and she never once moved for fear the animal would harm her chicks.” “Oh,” said the minister, “that was just like Christ. He endured all the suffering on the cross. He could have saved His own life but He would not, because if He had moved we would have been lost!” The Holy Spirit applied the simple words to the farmer’s heart, and soon he put his faith in the One who on Calvary chose to save us, rather than to spare Himself! "He others saved but cannot save Himself" Was heard when Christ our Lord was crucified; But He was sheltering us from death and hell— It was for us the Savior bled and died. —Hess The symbol of our Christian faith is a cross, not an easy chair. What's Good About It? We were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. — Romans 5:10 Today's Scripture : Matthew 27:41-54 When faced with an ugly, unrelenting problem, we often cry, “I need a miracle!” A miracle may come, but if it doesn’t, does that mean God’s goodness isn’t at work? Let me ask another question: Why is Good Friday, the day Jesus hung on a cross, called “good”? If ever a miracle seemed appropriate, it was then. Even the mockers demanded, “If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him” (Mt. 27:42). But Jesus didn’t come down. Author Philip Yancey describes it as “a time of No Miracle.” Jesus certainly wasn’t deserving of crucifixion. But God, in keeping with His loving purposes, used the evil that Jesus had to endure to accomplish the good that we so desperately needed—to be “reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (Rom. 5:10). That’s why that awful day can be called “good.” While Jesus hung on Calvary's cross, The devil and his demons smiled; Disciples grieved and mourned the loss, But God and man were reconciled. —Sper God uses life's reverses to move us forward. Matthew 27:43 “HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” trusts: Ps 3:2 14:6 22:8 42:10 71:11 Isa 36:15,18 37:10 I am: Mt 27:40 Jn 3:16,17 5:17-25 10:30,36 19:7 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Psalm 22:8+ “Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him.” Spurgeon - Here the taunt is cruelly aimed at the sufferer's faith in God, which is the tenderest point in a good man's soul, the very apple of his eye. They must have learned the diabolical art from Satan himself, for they made rare proficiency in it. According to Matthew 27:39-44, there were five forms of taunt hurled at the Lord Jesus; this special piece of mockery is probably mentioned in this psalm because it is the most bitter of the whole; it has a biting, sarcastic irony in it, which gives it a peculiar venom; it must have stung the Man of Sorrows to the quick. When we are tormented in the same manner, let us remember him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, and we shall be comforted. On reading these verses one is ready, with Trapp, to ask, Is this a prophecy or a history? for the description is so accurate. We must not lose sight of the truth which was unwittingly uttered by the Jewish scoffers. They themselves are witnesses that Jesus of Nazareth trusted in God: why then was he permitted to perish? Jehovah had aforetime delivered those who rolled their burdens upon him: why was this man deserted? Oh that they had understood the answer! Note further, that their ironical jest, "seeing he delighted in him," was true. The Lord did delight in his dear Son, and when he was found in fashion as a man, and became obedient unto death, he still was well pleased with him. Strange mixture! Jehovah delights in him, and yet bruises him; is well pleased, and yet slays him. Psalm 41:11 By this I know that You are pleased with me, Because my enemy does not shout in triumph over me. MOCKING CALL TO LET GOD RESCUE JESUS HE TRUSTS (peitho - perfect tense) IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE (rhuomai - deliver) Him now (from the cross), IF HE DELIGHTS (thelo) IN HIM (allusion to Ps 22:8+ in the Septuagint) - Only found in Matthew's Gospel. This Messianic prophecy is clearly fulfilled with the utterances of the crowd. (SEE CHART OF MOCKING OF JESUS) For (gar) He said, ‘I am the Son of God - They explain their exhortation to let the Father deliver Him, which (deliverance) one (thinking naturally, not spiritually) would expect if He was truly the Son of God. David Thompson paraphrases their mocking chant - "You are always saying you are the Son of God. Let’s see God your Father get you out of this dilemma. The truth is it was God the Father who orchestrated this dilemma. In all reality, the fact that He stayed on that cross proves His Sonship." Peter gives us a good commentary on this verse writing that "while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23+) Henry
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - ‘Let him deliver him now’ (Full Sermon Let Him Deliver Him Now) ‘He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.’ Matthew 27:43 That which appears in many a psalm to relate to David is found in the Gospels to refer to Jesus, our Lord. Often the student of the Psalm will say to himself, ‘of whom speaketh the prophet this?’ He will have to disentangle the threads sometimes and mark off that which belongs to David and that which relates to the Son of God; frequently he will not be able to disentangle the threads at all, because they are one and may relate both to David and to David’s Lord. This is meant to show us that the life of Christ is an epitome of the life of his people. He not only suffers for us as our substitute, but he suffers before us as our pattern. In him we see what we have in our measure to endure. ‘As he is, so are we in this world.’ We also must be crucified to the world and we may look for somewhat of those tests of faith and taunts of derision which go with such a crucifixion. ‘Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.’ You, too, must suffer ‘without the gate.’ Not for the world’s redemption, but for the accomplishment of divine purposes in you and through you to the sons of men, you must be made to know the cross and its shame. Christ is the mirror of the church. What the head endured every member of the body will also have to endure in its measure. Let us read the text in this light and come to it saying to ourselves, ‘Here we see what Jesus suffered in our stead and we learn hereby to love him with all our souls. Here, too, we see, as in a prophecy, how great things we are to suffer for his sake at the hands of men.’ May the Holy Spirit help us in our meditation. Matthew 27:44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. Mt 27:38 Job 30:7-9 Ps 35:15 Mk 15:32 Lu 23:39,40 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:32+ “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him. Luke 23:39-43+ One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” JESUS INSULTED BY THE CRUCIFIED CRIMINALS The robbers (lestes) who had been crucified with (sustauroo) Him were also insulting (oneidizo - imperfect = over and over) Him with the same words (SEE CHART OF MOCKING OF JESUS) This is the third group of mockers of Jesus on the Cross. Luke 23:36+ describes the Roman soldiers as the fourth group that mocked Jesus on the Cross. Robbers (lestes) speaks of violent robbers and is the same term used to describe Barabbas (Jn 18:40+). It is fitting that the religious leaders joined ranks with these robbers, for the leaders were themselves robbing their fellow Jews of the truth that could lead to salvation. That is a far greater theft, eternally speaking! With the same words indicates the robbers were mimicking the taunts and insults of the religious leaders. This would indicate that they were able to hear them and clearly Jesus also was able to hear the venomous, blasphemous words. Insulting (oneidizo - imperfect = over and over) refers to especially strong verbal abuse which is interesting because the Jewish culture at that time considered verbal abuse to be extremely vicious. The Jewish rabbis even considered reviling to be as evil as idolatry, fornication, and bloodshed all combined! Why so serious? Because by the defamation of one's character the victim would lose his or her place in the community and, according to the circumstance of that day, almost the possibility of continuing their life. The insulting word itself was believed to have a power of its own. Bob
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - Nobody seemed to look upon him with any desire to help him, but even the lowest of the low would contribute their portion of mockery to increase his misery....The sharers of his misery, the abjects who were crucified with him, joined in reviling Jesus. Nothing was wanting to fill up his cup of suffering and shame. The conversion of the penitent thief was all the more remarkable because he had but a little while before been among the mockers of his Savior. What a trophy of divine grace he became! NET NOTE - Matthew’s wording suggests that both of the criminals spoke abusively to him. If so, one of them quickly changed his attitude toward Jesus (see commentary Luke 23:40–43). Insulting (casting insults, reviling, reproaching) (3679) oneidizo from óneidos = disgrace, abuse, or object of disgrace or shame) means to assail with abusive words, upbraid, slander, revile, falsely accuse or to speak disparagingly of a person in manner not justified, to find fault in a way that demeans the other, to mock, to heap insults upon as a way of shaming. The idea is to to find fault in a way that demeans the one being reproached. It means to upbraid, which in turn means to criticize severely, find fault with, reproach severely or scold vehemently. Oneidizo “to cast into the teeth,” as in “hurling an insult.” In the Psalms (see Lxx uses of oneidizo below) enemies revile God, Israel, the righteous, etc. ONEIDIZO - 9V - denounce(1), insult(2), insulting(2), reproach(1), reproached(2), reviled(1). Matt. 5:11; Matt. 11:20; Matt. 27:44; Mk. 15:32; Mk. 16:14; Lk. 6:22; Rom. 15:3; Jas. 1:5; 1 Pet. 4:14 Norman Geisler - Mt 27:44—Did both robbers revile Christ, or did only one do this? PROBLEM: Matthew says here, “even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him.” However, according to Luke, only one reviled Him (Luke 23:39) while the other one believed in Him, asking, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). SOLUTION: This difficulty is easily resolved on the supposition that at first both reviled the Lord, but that later one repented. Perhaps, he was so impressed hearing Jesus forgive those who crucified Him (Luke 23:34) that he was convinced that Jesus was the Savior and asked to be part of His coming kingdom (Lk 23: 42). (When Critics Ask page 308) QUESTION - What can we learn from the thief on the cross? ANSWER - When seeking what we can learn from the thief on the cross, it should be remembered that at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, two thieves were crucified beside Him (Luke 23:33–43), and both began their time on the cross by mocking and blaspheming Him (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32), as did many of the spectators. One of the thieves responded in faith to the message of salvation and was taken to paradise that very day. He is the one usually referred to as the thief on the cross. The man on the cross on the other side of Jesus never repented, as far as we know. So, at Calvary we have a picture of the two possible responses people can have to the Savior. It is remarkable that, while in the excruciating and mind-numbing torment of the cross, the Son of Man had the heart, mind, and will to pray for others. Yet it is a miracle that one thief, while in agony himself, heard the Spirit of God call him to repentance and acceptance of the forgiveness God was just about to provide through the death of Christ. While the disciples were abandoning the Lord, this man answered the call, and his sins were forgiven, including his blasphemy against the Son of God (Luke 5:31-32, 12:8–10). That the other thief rejected Jesus is remarkable in its own right. While being tortured on the cross he literally joined his torturers in insulting the Savior of the world, and he most likely did so because he wanted his torturers to think he was just like them, joined to the world and with no love for God (Matthew 27:44). Not only was this man next to the Savior, he heard Him pray, he witnessed the salvation of the other thief, he saw the world go dark, and he heard the testimony of the Son. But his pride kept him from submitting to the only One who could save him, and when he one day bows to the Name he mocked, he will be doing so reluctantly and while in torment (Philippians 2:10). What we learn from the saved thief on the cross is that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and no matter the number of our sins and no matter if we, or the world, think our sins are minor or extreme, it is never too late to repent and accept the free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8–9; Revelation 22:17). Moreover, as long as someone still has a mind and the will to choose life over death (Hebrews 9:27), it is not too late to proclaim the gospel, which hopefully will open a heart to a miracle by the Holy Spirit. Related Resources: What did Jesus mean when He said, "Today you will be with me in paradise"? THE FOUR EPISODES OF MOCKING THE KING OF KINGS TRIAL REFERENCE MOCKING/ABUSIVE ACTIONS Second Religious Trial Before Caiaphas Mt 26:57,67-68+ Lk 22:54, 63-65+ Spat in face, beat, slapped, told to prophesy who hit Him Beating, blindfolded and told to prophesy, blaspheming Second Civil Trial Before Herod Lk 23:8-12+ Treated with contempt Mocking Him Dressed in gorgeous robe Third Civil Trial Before Pilate Mt 27:27-31+ Mk 15:16-20+ Jn 19:1-3+ Stripped, put scarlet/purple robe Wove crown of thorns & put on His head Reed in right hand Beating head with reed Spitting on Him Kneeling and bowing down Acclaiming "Hail, King of the Jews" Slaps to face On the Cross Mt 27:39-44+ Mk 15:29-32+ Luke 23:35-37+ Lk 23:39+ Mt 27:49+ Four groups - those passing by, religious leaders, two criminals, soldiers Hurling abuse, wagging their heads If you are the Son of God come down from the cross Religious leaders mocking and sneering - cannot save Himself King come down from the cross & we will believe He trusts in God, let God deliver Him Soldiers mocked Him “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” Robbers casting same insult - Are you the Christ? Save Yourself and us “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. from: Mk 15:25,33,34 Lu 23:44,45 darkness: Isa 50:3 Am 8:9 Rev 8:12 9:2 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:33+ When the sixth hour came (NOON), darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. Lk 23:44-45+ It was now about the sixth hour (noon), and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour (3PM), 45 because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. No parallel passages in John's Gospel. THREE HOURS OF SUPERNATURAL DARKNESS Now from the sixth hour (12 noon) darkness (skotos) fell upon all the land (ge) until the ninth hour (3 pm) - (See also Discussion of Timing) Matthew's time reference here is to Roman time. To be sure it is often difficult to know (especially in John's Gospel) whether the time designations are Roman time, which begins at dawn, or Jewish time which begins at evening. There is no debate in this passage. Darkness indicates a form of divine intervention in human affairs. Some associate the 3 hours of gloom in the darkness with His 3 days in the tomb. Others see it as related to the darkness in Ex 10:21-23+ where the darkness was clearly a sign of divine judgment. It is interesting that there is nothing else recorded during this 3 hours of darkness. All the land could be local but the Greek word ge just as easily could signify the entire earth. The scriptures do not really tell us. Lk 23:45 does say "the sun was obscured" which might suggest global darkness (but I am speculating). The main point is that Jesus bore the WHOLE sin debt for the WHOLE world so "that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (Jn 3:16). And that's NOT speculation!. Regarding darkness although Satan has dominion over darkness, this is spiritual darkness, not physical darkness (cf Acts 26:18+), he did not cause this darkness. Likewise an eclipse did not cause this darkness, for this lasted 3 hours, far longer than any eclipse. God caused this darkness. I would add that our sin caused this darkness in the sense that our sins were placed on our Savior and He experienced God's wrath on His Son for our sins. One might even consider this sin associated darkness as a preview of hell which is characterized by eternal darkness! (cf outer darkness in Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30) As John
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Spurgeon - Some have thought that this darkness covered the whole world, and so caused even a heathen to exclaim, "Either the world is about to expire, or the God who made the world is in anguish." This darkness was supernatural; it was not an eclipse. The sun could no longer look upon his Maker surrounded by these who mocked him. He covered his face, and traveled on in tenfold night, in very shame that the great Sun of righteousness should himself be in such terrible darkness. R. T. France notes that "alongside the human drama at the cross Matthew records a series of physical events, the darkness, the tearing of the temple curtain, the earthquake and the resurrection of dead people, which add a powerful sense of the far-reaching significance of the death of Jesus, and contribute to the climactic exclamation of the soldiers in Mt 27:54." (See The Gospel of Matthew - Google Book) Bob
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Spurgeon - The three hours’ darkness (Full sermon The Three Hours' Darkness) ‘Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.’ Matthew 27:45 This darkness tells us all that the Passion is a great mystery, into which we cannot pry. I try to explain it as substitution and I feel that where the language of Scripture is explicit, I may and must be explicit too. But yet I feel that the idea of substitution does not cover the whole of the matter and that no human conception can completely grasp the whole of the dread mystery. It was wrought in darkness, because the full, far-reaching meaning and result cannot be beheld by finite minds. Tell me the death of the Lord Jesus was a grand example of self-sacrifice—I can see that and much more. Tell me it was a wondrous obedience to the will of God—I can see that and much more. Tell me it was the bearing of what ought to have been borne by myriads of sinners of the human race, as the chastisement of their sin—I can see that and found my best hope upon it. But do not tell me that this is all that is in the cross. No, great as this would be, there is much more in our Redeemer’s death. God only knows the love of God: Christ only knows all that he accomplished when he bowed his head and gave up the ghost. There are common mysteries of nature into which it would be irreverence to pry, but this is a divine mystery, before which we put our shoes from off our feet, for the place called Calvary is holy ground. God veiled the cross in darkness and in darkness much of its deeper meaning lies, not because God would not reveal it, but because we have not capacity enough to discern it all. God was manifest in the flesh, and in that human flesh he put away sin by his own sacrifice: this we all know, but ‘without controversy great is the mystery of godliness’. My God, My God, Why? MATTHEW 27:45–46 INTRODUCTION: The biggest little word in the dictionary is “Why?” We are tempted a thousand times to ask “Why?” when heartache and disaster strike. But just as the seven lean cattle in Pharaoh’s dream swallowed up the seven fat cows, so the “Why?” of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross swallows up all our other whys. 1 The Curtain of Darkness (v. 45). It was a real darkness, but it also represented sin, judgment, sadness, and hell. 2 The Cry of Distress (v. 46). Martin Luther once set himself to study this profound saying of Jesus. For a long time, he continued in deepest meditation, then finally exclaimed in amazement, “God forsaken of God! Who can understand it!” CONCLUSION: All our whys are going to be answered in heaven. Until then, we live by promises, not by explanations; but one day our question marks will be straightened into exclamation points, and our “alas” will turn into “Hallelujah!” Matthew 27:46 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?” Jesus: Mk 15:34 Lu 23:46 Jn 19:28-30 Heb 5:7 Eli: Ps 22:1 71:11 Isa 53:10 La 1:12 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Psalm 22:1 For the choir director; upon >Aijeleth Hashshahar. A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning. Mark 15:34+ At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” About the ninth hour (3 pm) Jesus cried out with a loud voice (megas phone), saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” (Ps 22:1 - see Utley's comments on Ps 22) - It is interesting that the ninth hour (3 pm) was "the hour of prayer" for the Jews (Acts 3:1+). Note Jesus words "MY GOD, MY GOD" not "God, God" but repetition of the personal possessive pronoun "MY" pointing to continued relationship and reflecting His trust in His Father, even in the face of experiencing abandonment as Sin Bearer. Jesus is clearly experiencing separation from His Father during the 3 hours of darkness as He bore the sin of the world (1Pe 2:24+). Paul writes... He (THE FATHER) made Him (THE SON) Who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf (DESCRIPTIVE OF SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT), so that (PURPOSE) we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21+) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”–(Gal. 3:13+) John MacArthur on the thought of separation of Father and Son - With intense agony, the Son of God experienced that which He had never known before, the abandonment of His Father. That separation was not one of nature or essence; the Lord Jesus never ceased to be the second member of the Trinity. Rather, it was a separation of the loving communion He had eternally known with the Father (cf. John 17:21-24). Spurgeon has a wonderful suggestion - A cry in which every word is emphatic. Read it over as many times as there are words, and see a new force of meaning each time. Jesus cried in this manner, that none of his saints might ever need to do so. Bob
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Spurgeon - Every word in this terrible cry from the cross is emphatic; every syllable cuts and pierces to the heart. This was the climax of his grief, — not merely to suffer intense agony of body, not only to be mocked alike by priests and people, but to be forsaken of his God. Yet this was needful as a part of the penalty that was due to sin. God must turn away from anyone who has sin upon him, so, as sin was laid upon Christ, God had to turn away his face even from his well beloved Son because he was bearing his people’s sins upon the accursed tree.....In order that the sacrifice of Christ might be complete, it pleased the Father to forsake his well-beloved Son. Sin was laid on Christ, so God must turn away his face from the Sin-bearer. To be deserted of his God was the climax of Christ’s grief, the quintessence of his sorrow. See here the distinction between the martyrs and their Lord; in their dying agonies they have been divinely sustained; but Jesus, suffering as the Substitute for sinners, was forsaken of God. The saints who have known what it is to have their Father’s face hidden from them, even for a brief space, can scarcely imagine the suffering that wrung from our Savior the agonizing cry, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Henry
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Spurgeon - THE SADDEST CRY FROM THE CROSS (Full Sermon The Saddest Cry from the Cross) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”—Matthew 27:46. Excerpt - I think I can understand the words, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” as they are written by David in the 22nd Psalm; but the same words, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” when uttered by Jesus on the cross, I cannot comprehend, so I shall not pretend to be able to explain them. There is no plummet that can fathom this deep; there is no eagle’s eye that can penetrate the mystery that surrounds this strange question. I have read that, once upon a time, Martin Luther sat him down in his study to consider this text. Hour after hour, that mighty man of God sat still; and those who waited on him came into the room, again and again, and he was so absorbed in his meditation that they almost thought he was a corpse. He moved neither hand nor foot, and neither ate nor drank; but sat with his eyes wide open, like one in a trance, thinking over these wondrous words, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” And when, after many long hours, in which he seemed to be utterly lost to everything that went on around him, he rose from his chair, someone heard him say, “God forsaking God! No man can understand that;” and so he went his way. C H Spurgeon - ‘Lama sabachthani?’ (Full Sermon Lama Sabachthani?) ‘And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ Matthew 27:46 The soldier at the gate of Pompeii, remaining at his post as sentry when the shower of burning ashes is falling, was not more true to his trust than he who adheres to a forsaking God with loyalty of hope. Our Lord’s suffering in this particular form was appropriate and necessary. It would not have sufficed for our Lord merely to have been pained in body, nor even to have been grieved in mind in other ways: he must suffer in this particular way. He must feel forsaken of God, because this is the necessary consequence of sin. For a man to be forsaken of God is the penalty which naturally and inevitably follows upon his breaking his relation with God. What is death? What was the death that was threatened to Adam? ‘In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.’ Is death annihilation? Was Adam annihilated that day? Assuredly not: he lived many a year afterwards. But in the day in which he ate of the forbidden fruit he died by being separated from God. The separation of the soul from God is spiritual death, just as the separation of the soul from the body is natural death. The sacrifice for sin must be put in the place of separation and must bow to the penalty of death. By this placing of the Great Sacrifice under forsaking and death it would be seen by all creatures throughout the universe that God could not have fellowship with sin. If even the Holy One, who stood ‘the just for the unjust,’ found God forsaking him, what must the doom of the actual sinner be! Sin is evidently always in every case a dividing influence, putting even the Christ himself, as a sin bearer, in the place of distance. Our Suffering Savior My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? — Psalm 22:1 Today's Scripture : Luke 22:39-46 It was late on the Thursday evening of Passover week. Jesus was with His disciples at one of His favorite retreats—the Garden of Gethsemane. In great emotional distress, He admonished the disciples to pray for strength to remain loyal to Him. He removed Himself a short distance from them and prayed, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). The “cup” from which Jesus asked to be delivered was not death. He came to die for us. I think the cup represents the frightful alienation from His Father that would lead to His cry on the cross: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). In the garden, He must have been anticipating that time when His Father would turn His back on Him. The coming of the angel assured Him that He was not alone. Yet the reality of the Father’s imminent withdrawal from Him was foremost in His thoughts. He would be taking our sin on Himself and enduring the awesome aloneness of the cross. This realization drove Jesus to pray with so much intensity that “His sweat became like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44). Thinking It Over Nothing deserves more quiet reflection than the time of Jesus’ suffering just before His crucifixion. Read The Passion Of Christ The death of Christ is the measure of God’s love for you. Is He Listening? My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? — Matthew 27:46 Today's Scripture : Matthew 26:39-42; 27:45-46 Sometimes it feels as if God isn’t listening to me.” Those words, from a woman who tried to stay strong in her walk with God while coping with an alcoholic husband, echo the heartcry of many believers. For 18 years, she asked God to change her husband. Yet it never happened. What are we to think when we repeatedly ask God for something good—something that could easily glorify Him—but the answer doesn’t come? Is He listening or not? Let’s look at the life of the Savior. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He agonized for hours in prayer, pouring out His heart and pleading, “Let this cup pass from Me” (Matthew 26:39). But the Father’s answer was clearly “No.” To provide salvation, God had to send Jesus to die on the cross. Even though Jesus felt as if His Father had forsaken Him, He prayed intensely and passionately because He trusted that God was listening. When we pray, we may not see how God is working or understand how He will bring good through it all. So we have to trust Him. We relinquish our rights and let God do what is best. Not ours to know the reason why Unanswered is our prayer, But ours to wait for God’s own time To lift the cross we bear. —Anon. When we bend our knees to pray, God bends His ear to listen. My God! Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. — Luke 11:2 Today's Scripture : Matthew 27:32-50 As Jesus hung on the cross, suspended between heaven and earth, He uttered several phrases. Of the things He said while death approached, one phrase seems to stand out in its intensity: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mt. 27:46). Imagine it. Jesus Christ, who had enjoyed the glories of heaven with the Father for all of eternity past, was now being forsaken. God had turned His back on Him. Abandoned so that He could be our sin-bearer, Jesus cried out in agony. Those words, “My God, My God,” represent Jesus’ deeply felt emotions as He suffered there. The personal nature of the pronoun My intensifies the reference to God, as Jesus addressed Him during His suffering. Contrast Jesus’ wrenchingly painful expression with the way the phrase “My God” is tossed around in our society, and you can sense a problem. So often these words are used flippantly and casually. While Jesus said “My God” in an intense reference to the Sovereign of the universe, many people use it as an offhand reference to some mundane experience. Words are recorded in heaven, So be careful what you say; Take not God's holy name in vain, But walk with Him day by day. —Shade If we use God's name loosely, we're taking God too lightly. THE SEVEN SAYINGS OF THE SAVIOR SPOKEN ON THE CROSS MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN THE FOLLOWING WORDS WERE SPOKEN FROM 9 AM - 12 NOON Father forgive them Lk 23:34+ Today you shall be with Me in Paradise Lk 23:43+ Woman, behold, your son!... Behold, your mother! Jn 19:26-27+ THE FOLLOWING WORDS WERE SPOKEN ABOUT 3 PM ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME? Mt 27:46+ Mk 15:34+ I am thirsty Jn 19:28+ It is finished! Jn 19:30+ Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT Lk 23:46+ James Stalker's devotional thoughts on the "Seven Sayings"...click chapter # to go to the article (e.g., 14) 14. THE FIRST WORD FROM THE CROSS Luke 23:34. 15. THE SECOND WORD FROM THE CROSS Luke 23:39–43. 16. THE THIRD WORD FROM THE CROSS John 19:25–27. 17. THE FOURTH WORD FROM THE CROSS Matt. 27:46–9; Mark 15:34–6. 18. THE FIFTH WORD FROM THE CROSS John 19:28. 19. THE SIXTH WORD FROM THE CROSS John 19:30. 20. THE SEVENTH WORD FROM THE CROSS Luke 23:46. SEE ALSO - What were the seven last words of Jesus Christ on the cross and what do they mean? | GotQuestions.org Matthew 27:47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” This: Mt 11:14 Mal 4:5 Mk 15:35,36 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:35+ When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” JESUS' CRY MISINTERPRETATION or MOCKERY? And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah - They heard "Eli" and thought of Elijah who had been miraculously translated to heaven (2Ki 2:1-12) and who was prophesied to be sent "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD." (Mal 4:5-6) Their interpretation obviously was not correct. As we seen in Mt 27:49 they are mocking Jesus right up until the time He takes His finally breath! Oh the depth of human depravity! Spurgeon - They knew better, yet they jested at the Savior’s prayer. Mocking him even in his prayers, for they well knew the difference between Eloi and Elijah. Matthew 27:48 Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. and filled: Mt 27:34 Ps 69:21 Lu 23:36 Jn 19:29,30 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: John 19:28-30+ After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, (Ps 69:21) said, “I am thirsty.” (5th Word from Cross or Here) 29 A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. Mark 15:36+ Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death. JESUS ACCEPTS THE SOUR WINE Immediately (eutheos) one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled (pimplemi) it with sour wine (oxos) and put it on a reed (kalamos), and gave Him a drink - Bob Utley on sour wine - "This was the cheap wine that the soldiers drank. Offering this wine was not an act of compassion on the part of the soldiers, but a way to prolong the agony of the crucifixion. Jesus took some because His mouth was so dry that He could not speak (cf. Ps. 22:15). This may have fulfilled Ps. 69:21. Spurgeon - It always seems to me very remarkable that the sponge, which is the very lowest form of animal life, should have been brought into contact with Christ, who is at the top of all life. In his death, the whole circle of creation was completed.....A person in such agony as Jesus was suffering might have mentioned many pangs that he was enduring; but it was necessary for him to say, "I thirst," in order that another Scripture might be fulfilled. One of them, more compassionate than his companions, ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, from the vessel probably brought by the soldiers for their own use, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. It always seems to me very remarkable that the sponge, which is the very lowest form of animal life, should have been brought into contact with Christ, who is at the top of all life. In his death the whole circle of creation was completed. As the sponge brought refreshment to the lips of our dying Lord, so may the least of God’s living ones help to refresh him now that he has ascended from the cross to the throne. Sour wine (3690)(oxos akin to oxys, "sharp,") denotes "sour wine," the ordinary drink of laborers and common soldiers. BDAB - "sour wine, wine vinegar, it relieved thirst more effectively than water and, being cheaper than regular wine, it was a favorite beverage of the lower ranks of society and of those in moderate circumstances." Oxos is used in the NT for Latin posca, i. e. the mixture of sour wine or vinegar and water which the Roman soldiers were accustomed to drink. Oxos is the dynamic equivalent for the Hebrew ḥōmeṣ, referring to “vinegar” OXOS - 5V - Matt. 27:48; Mk. 15:36; Lk. 23:36; Jn. 19:29; Jn. 19:30 NET NOTE - Sour wine refers to cheap wine that was called in Latin posca, a cheap vinegar wine diluted heavily with water. It was the drink of slaves and soldiers, and was probably there for the soldiers who had performed the crucifixion. Gilbrant - The noun oxos is used in classical Greek to describe “poor wine, ordinary wine” or the “vinegar” made from it (Liddell-Scott). Oxos is distinguished in the New Testament from oinos (3494), “wine,” in that the former is cheaper, more tart, and less desirable than the latter. Mixed with water, oxos was a favorite drink of the poorer classes and Roman soldiers (Bauer). In the kitchen it was used full strength as a table condiment or a cooking seasoning. Physicians attributed medicinal values to it, often prescribing it to reduce fever or to aid digestion (Heidland, “oxos,” Kittel, 5:288). Septuagint Usage - Oxos occurs in only four texts in the Septuagint. The Nazarite was to abstain from wine (oinos) and oxos, “wine vinegar,” because of the intoxicating effects of these fermented drinks (Numbers 6:3). In Ruth 2:14 it was used as a condiment to dip bread in. In Psalm 69:21 (LXX 68:21) the Psalmist lamented his enemies’ mistreatment of him which included giving him vinegar to drink. The Church saw this text as pointing to Jesus on the cross. New Testament Usage - All four Gospel writers refer to the use of oxos in their accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion. The Gospels of Matthew and Mark observe that immediately on arrival at Golgotha, as Jesus was impaled on the cross, He was given oxos mingled with “gall” (Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23). The oxos was probably the Roman posca, a “mixture of water, egg, and vinegar that was effective in quenching thirst and popular among the soldiers and the poor” (Ladd, “Vinegar,” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 4:987). The “gall” was quite possibly a painkilling drug. Mark assumes that it was intended to alleviate the agony of crucifixion (Mark 15:36). Matthew agrees with Mark, noting that it was administered after Jesus cried, “Eli, Eli, lama sabbachthani.” Some of the bystanders who heard Jesus attempted to restrain the soldier who offered the sour wine, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save him” (Matthew 27:49). The Gospel of Luke observes that the soldiers shouted in mockery as they gave Jesus the oxos, saying, “If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself” (Luke 23:37). Possibly they were making sport of the idea of offering such a cheap drink to a “king.” John’s account emphasizes the aspect of fulfilled prophecy in the act of offering Jesus oxos to drink. According to John, Jesus was aware that the Old Testament description of the Suffering Servant was being fulfilled in graphic detail. Doubtless recalling the Psalmist’s statement in Psalm 69:21, “In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink,” and realizing this had not occurred, Jesus cried, “I thirst” (John 19:28). When He tasted the oxos He cried, “It is finished” (i.e., all things are now fulfilled) and died. Because of the different perspectives of each Evangelist it is impossible to conclusively determine whether the “vinegar” offered to Jesus was done in mockery (by giving Him something undrinkable or by giving Him a drink that might prolong His life and hence His suffering) or to be merciful. However, it is clear that in refusing to drink the “vinegar” Jesus demonstrated His commitment to endure His sufferings alone and without alleviation (cf. Horton, The Complete Biblical Library, Matthew, pp.627,635). (Complete Biblical Library) Norman Geisler - Mt 27:48—Did Jesus die on the cross or just swoon? PROBLEM: Many skeptics, as well as Muslims, believe that Jesus did not die on the cross. Some say that He took a drug that put Him in a comalike state and that He later revived in the tomb. Yet the Bible says repeatedly that Christ died on the cross (cf. Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 Thes. 4:14). SOLUTION: Jesus never fainted or swooned, nor was He drugged on the cross. In fact, He refused the drug customarily offered to the victim before crucifixion to help deaden pain (Matt. 27:34), and He accepted only “vinegar” later (v. 48) to quench His thirst. Jesus’ actual physical death on the cross is supported by overwhelming evidence. First of all, the OT predicted that Christ would die (Isa. 53:5–10; Ps. 22:16; Dan. 9:26; Zech. 12:10). And Jesus fulfilled the OT prophecies about the Messiah (cf. Matt. 4:14–16; 5:17–18; 8:17; John 4:25–26; 5:39). Second, Jesus announced many times during His ministry that He was going to die (John 2:19–21; 10:10–11; Matt. 12:40; Mark 8:31). Typical is Matthew 17:22–23 that says, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” Third, all the predictions of His resurrection, both in the OT (cf. Ps. 16:10; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2) and in the NT (cf. John 2:19–21; Matt. 12:40; 17:22–23), are based on the fact that He would die. Only a dead body can be resurrected. Fourth, the nature and extent of Jesus’ injuries indicate that He must have died. He had no sleep the night before He was crucified. He was beaten several times and whipped. And He collapsed on the way to His crucifixion carrying His cross. This in itself, to say nothing of the crucifixion to follow, was totally exhausting and life-draining. Fifth, the nature of the crucifixion assures death. Jesus was on the cross from 9 o’clock in the morning until just before sunset. He bled from wounded hands and feet plus from the thorns that pierced His head. There would be a tremendous loss of blood from doing this for more than six hours. Plus, crucifixion demands that one constantly pull himself up in order to breathe, thus sending excruciating pain from the nails. Doing this all day would kill nearly anyone even if they were previously in good health. Sixth, the piercing of Jesus’ side with the spear, from which came “blood and water” (John 19:34), is proof that He had physically died before the piercing. When this has happened, it is a medical proof that the person has already died (see point eleven below). Seventh, Jesus said He was in the act of dying on the cross when He declared “Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit” (Luke 23:46). And “having said this, He breathed His last” (v. 46). John renders this, “He gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). His death cry was heard by those who stood by (vv. 47–49). Eighth, the Roman soldiers, accustomed to crucifixion and death, pronounced Jesus dead. Although it was a common practice to break the legs of the victim to speed death (so that the person can no longer lift himself and breathe), they did not even break Jesus’ legs (John 19:33). Ninth, Pilate double-checked to make sure Jesus was dead before he gave the corpse to Joseph to be buried. “Summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. And when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph” (Mark 15:44–45). Tenth, Jesus was wrapped in about 75 pounds of cloth and spices and placed in a sealed tomb for three days (John 19:39–40; Matt. 27:60). If He was not dead by then, which He clearly was, He would have died from lack of food, water, and medical treatment. Eleventh, medical authorities who have examined the circumstances and nature of Christ’s death have concluded that He actually died on the cross. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Society (March 21, 1986) concluded: Clearly, the weight of historical and medical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead before the wound to his side was inflicted and supports the traditional view that the spear, thrust between his right rib, probably perforated not only the right lung but also the pericardium and heart and thereby ensured his death. Accordingly, interpretations based on the assumption that Jesus did not die on the cross appear to be at odds with modern medical knowledge (On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ by William D. Edwards, MD; Wesley J. Gabel, MDiv; Floyd E. Hosmer, MS, AMI) (When Critics Ask page 309) Matthew 27:49 But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” let us: Mt 27:43 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JEWS MOCK JESUS REGARDING RESCUE BY ELIJAH But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save (sozo) Him - The Jews appear to be mocking Jesus! This is derisive mockery even up to the very last breath of Jesus! Amazing depravity! See Chart on the 4 episodes of mocking Jesus. NET NOTE - Early and important manuscripts (a B C L G pc) have another sentence at the end of this verse: "And another [soldier] took a spear and pierced him in the side, and water and blood flowed out." This comment finds such a strong parallel in John 19:34 that it was undoubtedly lifted from the Fourth Gospel by early, well-meaning scribes and inserted into Matt 27:49. Consequently, even though the support for the shorter reading (A D W Θ f1, 13 33 𝔐 lat sy sa bo) is not nearly as impressive, internal considerations on its behalf are compelling. Bob
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Spurgeon - Christ’s strength was not exhausted; his last word was uttered "with a loud voice", like the shout of a conquering warrior. He need not have died on account of any infirmity in himself; but voluntarily, for your sake, for your sake and mine, he "yielded up the Spirit." Blessed be his holy name! Spurgeon - Christ’s strength was not exhausted; his last word was uttered with a loud voice, like the shout of a conquering warrior. And what a word it was, "It is finished"! Thousands of sermons have been preached upon that little sentence; but who can tell all the meaning that lies compacted within it? It is a kind of infinite expression for breadth, and depth, and length, and height altogether immeasurable. Christ’s life being finished, perfected, completed, he yielded up the Spirit, willingly dying, laying down his life as he said he would: "I lay down my life for the sheep. I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." Henry
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Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" The veil (katapetasma) of the temple (naos) was torn (schizo) in two from top to bottom - Torn (schizo) is in the passive voice, in this context indicative of the divine passive! In short, the veil was torn supernaturally. If it had been natural tearing as associated with the earthquake one would expect the tear to be first from the bottom. This tear was demonstration of His words in Mt 12:6+ where He said "something greater than the temple is here." The tearing is also reasonably seen as a foreshadowing of the literal destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70 AD. This tearing would in effect mark the end of the need for the sacrificial system and would open the way into the presence of God. The writer of Hebrews said it this way... Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Heb 10:19-22+) And the earth shook (seio) and the rocks (petra) were split (schizo) - Both of these geological events emphasize the supernatural nature ang point to something of monumental import or great significance. It also sets the stage for the opening of the tombs in Mt 27:52. D. A. Carson: If the death of Jesus opened up a fresh access to God that made the OT sacrificial system and the Levitical high priesthood obsolete, then an entire change in the Mosaic covenant must follow. It is impossible to grapple with Matthew’s fulfillment themes and see how even the law points prophetically to Messiah and hear Jesus’ promise of a new covenant grounded in his death (26:26–29) without seeing that the tearing of the veil signifies the obsolescence of the temple ritual and the law governing it. Jesus himself is the New Temple, the meeting place of God and man; the old is obsolete. The rent veil does indeed serve as a sign of the temple’s impending destruction—a destruction conceived not as a brute fact but as a theological necessity. (See Matthew - Google Book for more detail) Spurgeon - Christ’s death was the end of Judaism: The veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. As if shocked at the sacrilegious murder of her Lord, the temple rent her garments, like one stricken with horror at some stupendous crime. The body of Christ being rent, the veil of the temple was torn in twain from the top to the bottom. Now was there an entrance made into the holiest of all, by the blood of Jesus; and a way of access to God was opened for every sinner who trusted in Christ’s atoning sacrifice. See what marvels accompanied and followed the death of Christ: The earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened. Thus did the material world pay homage to him whom man had rejected; while nature’s convulsions foretold what will happen when Christ’s voice once more shakes not the earth only, but also Heaven. These first miracles wrought in connection with the death of Christ were typical of spiritual wonders that will be continued until he comes again, —rocky hearts are rent, graves of sin are opened, those who have been dead in trespasses and sins, and buried in sepulchers of lust and evil, are quickened, and come out from among the dead, and go unto the holy city, the New Jerusalem. Henry
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Spurgeon reminds us that "Behold is a word of wonder; it is intended to excite admiration. Wherever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I would add, behold is like a divine highlighter, a divine underlining of an especially striking or important text. It says in effect "Listen up, all ye who would be wise in the ways of Jehovah!" Veil (2665) katapetasma from kata = down + petomai = flies) literally means that which is spread out over or downward and hence a veil, a curtain or a cloth drape. It describes that which falls down and thus a curtain or cloth hanging over an opening. The katapetasma was the veil of the tabernacle or temple used to separate the Most Holy Place (Holy of holies - place of the Ark of the Covenant) from the Holy Place. The hope, the anchor, takes hold in the very presence of God. Christ Himself who is there and is the pledge of all that is coming, prevents us from making shipwreck. According to the Talmud, the veils were 60 feet long and 30 feet wide, about the thickness of a man’s palm (four inches), and composed of elaborately woven fabric of seventy-two twisted plaits of twenty-four threads each and the veil was sixty feet long and thirty wide (cf. m. Ṣeqal. 8:5).. The veils were so heavy that it took 300 priests to hang them, according to Jewish tradition. Katapetasma - 6v - Matt. 27:51; Mk. 15:38; Lk. 23:45; Heb. 6:19; Heb. 9:3; Heb. 10:20 QUESTION: What was the significance of the temple veil being torn in two when Jesus died? (WATCH VIDEO) ANSWER - During the lifetime of Jesus, the holy temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life. The temple was the place where animal sacrifices were carried out and worship according to the Law of Moses was followed faithfully. Hebrews 9:1-9 tells us that in the temple a veil separated the Holy of Holies—the earthly dwelling place of God’s presence—from the rest of the temple where men dwelt. This signified that man was separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). Only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil once each year (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7) to enter God’s presence for all of Israel and make atonement for their sins (Leviticus 16). Solomon’s temple was 30 cubits high (1 Kings 6:2), but Herod had increased the height to 40 cubits, according to the writings of Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian. There is uncertainty as to the exact measurement of a cubit, but it is safe to assume that this veil was somewhere near 60 feet high. An early Jewish tradition says that the veil was about four inches thick, but the Bible does not confirm that measurement. The book of Exodus teaches that this thick veil was fashioned from blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen. The size and thickness of the veil make the events occurring at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross so much more momentous. “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:50-51a). So, what do we make of this? What significance does this torn veil have for us today? Above all, the tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus’ death dramatically symbolized that His sacrifice, the shedding of His own blood, was a sufficient atonement for sins. It signified that now the way into the Holy of Holies was open for all people, for all time, both Jew and Gentile. When Jesus died, the veil was torn, and God moved out of that place never again to dwell in a temple made with human hands (Acts 17:24). God was through with that temple and its religious system, and the temple and Jerusalem were left “desolate” (destroyed by the Romans) in A.D. 70, just as Jesus prophesied in Luke 13:35. As long as the temple stood, it signified the continuation of the Old Covenant. Hebrews 9:8-9 refers to the age that was passing away as the new covenant was being established (Hebrews 8:13). In a sense, the veil was symbolic of Christ Himself as the only way to the Father (John 14:6). This is indicated by the fact that the high priest had to enter the Holy of Holies through the veil. Now Christ is our superior High Priest, and as believers in His finished work, we partake of His better priesthood. We can now enter the Holy of Holies through Him. Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body.” Here we see the image of Jesus’ flesh being torn for us just as He was tearing the veil for us. The profound significance of the tearing of the veil is explained in glorious detail in Hebrews. The things of the temple were shadows of things to come, and they all ultimately point us to Jesus Christ. He was the veil to the Holy of Holies, and through His death the faithful now have free access to God. The veil in the temple was a constant reminder that sin renders humanity unfit for the presence of God. The fact that the sin offering was offered annually and countless other sacrifices repeated daily showed graphically that sin could not truly be atoned for or erased by mere animal sacrifices. Jesus Christ, through His death, has removed the barriers between God and man, and now we may approach Him with confidence and boldness (Hebrews 4:14-16). Related Resources: What was the Holy of Holies? What happened to the Ark of the Covenant? What was Solomon’s temple, the first temple? How many temples were there? Did the high priest have a rope tied to him when he entered the Holy of Holies? C H Spurgeon—Matthew 27:51 Morning and Evening No mean miracle was wrought in the rending of so strong and thick a veil; but it was not intended merely as a display of power—many lessons were herein taught us. The old law of ordinances was put away, and like a worn-out vesture, rent and laid aside. When Jesus died, the sacrifices were all finished, because all fulfilled in him, and therefore the place of their presentation was marked with an evident token of decay. That rent also revealed all the hidden things of the old dispensation: the mercy-seat could now be seen, and the glory of God gleamed forth above it. By the death of our Lord Jesus we have a clear revelation of God, for he was “not as Moses, who put a veil over his face.” Life and immortality are now brought to light, and things which have been hidden since the foundation of the world are manifest in him. The annual ceremony of atonement was thus abolished. The atoning blood which was once every year sprinkled within the veil, was now offered once for all by the great High Priest, and therefore the place of the symbolical rite was broken up. No blood of bullocks or of lambs is needed now, for Jesus has entered within the veil with his own blood. Hence access to God is now permitted, and is the privilege of every believer in Christ Jesus. There is no small space laid open through which we may peer at the mercy-seat, but the rent reaches from the top to the bottom. We may come with boldness to the throne of the heavenly grace. Shall we err if we say that the opening of the Holy of Holies in this marvellous manner by our Lord’s expiring cry was the type of the opening of the gates of paradise to all the saints by virtue of the Passion? Our bleeding Lord hath the key of heaven; he openeth and no man shutteth; let us enter in with him into the heavenly places, and sit with him there till our common enemies shall be made his footstool. The Torn Veil We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body. Hebrews 10:19–20 Today's Scripture & Insight : Hebrews 10:10–23 It was a dark and somber day in the outskirts of Jerusalem. On a hill just outside the city walls, a Man who’d been attracting crowds of eager followers for the past three years hung in disgrace and pain on a rough wooden cross. Mourners wept and wailed in sorrow. The light of the sun no longer brightened the afternoon sky. And the intense suffering of the Man on the cross ended when He cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished” (Matthew 27:50; John 19:30). At that very moment, another sound came from the great temple across town—the sound of ripping fabric. Miraculously, without human intervention, the huge, thick veil that separated the outer temple from the holy of holies tore in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). That torn curtain symbolized the reality of the cross: a new way was now open to God! Jesus, the Man on the cross, had shed His blood as the last sacrifice—the one true and sufficient sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10)—which allows all who believe in Him to enjoy forgiveness and enter into a relationship with God (Romans 5:6–11). How has the reality of what happened on Good Friday brought you from darkness to light? What does it mean for you to experience a relationship with God? Matthew 27:52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; many: Isa 25:8 26:19 Ho 13:14 Jn 5:25-29 1Co 15:20 fallen asleep: Da 12:2 1Co 11:30 15:51 1Th 4:14 5:10 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries RESURRECTION PREVIEW The events of Matthew 27:52-53 are only described by Matthew. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints (how many? we do not know) who had fallen asleep (koimao - euphemism for death) were raised (bodily resurrected) - Only Matthew describes this unusual event. How were the tombs opened? In the immediate context Matthew has just described the earth shook and the rocks were split, which would support the premise that the resurrection event was associated with with the earthquake. Were opened is passive voice, clearly a divine passive in this context, i.e., God brought this about. Were raised is also a divine passive, but it leaves open the question of whether these saints were raised like Lazarus (Jn 11) who went on to live a "normal" life or whether they were raised in glorified bodies and then taken up with Christ to heaven (most favor this latter interpretation but I think this is one of those questions we will have to wait until we are in heaven to discover the answer.) Bob
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Spurgeon - These were early proofs of his resurrection power. These first-fruits prove that the harvest is sure Charles Swindoll: All these events announced, as a sort of wordless sermon, that the One who was crucified as King of the Jews was no charlatan or madman. Anybody with an eye to see or an ear to hear would have recognized that something extremely significant had just happened. Henry
Mateus 27
Spurgeon - These Roman soldiers had never witnessed such scenes in connection with an execution before, and they could only come to one conclusion about the illustrious prisoner whom they had put to death: "Truly this was the Son of God." It was strange that those men should confess what the chief priests and scribes and elders denied; yet since their day it has often happened that the most abandoned and profane have acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God while their religious rulers have denied his divinity. NET NOTE - A centurion (Hekatontarches) was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like the apostle Paul did. “And sitting down, they watched Him there, the soldiers did; There while they played with dice, he made His sacrifice, And died upon the cross to rid God’s world of sin. He was a gambler, too, my Christ. He took His life and threw It for a world redeemed. And e’er His agony was done Before the westering sun went down, Crowning that day with crimson crown, He knew that He had won.” -- Studdert Kennedy Norman Geisler - MATTHEW 27:54 (cf. Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47)—What did the centurion really say about Christ on the cross? PROBLEM: Matthew records the centurion saying, “Truly this was the Son of God,” while Mark says substantially the same thing, adding only the word “man,” rendering it, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.” Luke records the words of the centurion as follows: “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” What did he really say? SOLUTION: He may have said both. The centurion’s words need not be limited to one phrase or sentence. The centurion could have said both things. In accordance with his own emphasis on Christ as the perfect man, Luke may have chosen to use this phrase rather than the ones used by Matthew and Mark. There is no major difference between Matthew and Mark, for in Greek the word “man” is implied by the masculine singular use of the word “This.” It is also possible that Luke may have been paraphrasing or drawing an implication from what was actually said. Christian scholars do not claim to have the exact words of the speakers in every case, but only an accurate rendering of what they really said. First of all, it is generally agreed that they spoke in Aramaic, but the Gospels were written in Greek. So the words we have in the Greek text on which the English is based are already a translation. Second, the Gospel writers, like writers today, sometimes summarized or paraphrased what was said. In this way, it is understandable that the renderings will be slightly different. But in this case, as in all other cases, the essence of what was originally said is faithfully produced in the original text. While we do not have the exact words, we do have the same meaning. Finally, when the sentences are totally different (but not contradictory), then we may reasonably assume that both things were said on that occasion and that one writer uses one and another writer the other. This is a common literary practice even today. (When Critics Ask Page 310) Stephen Olford - “Truly this was the Son of God!”—Matthew 27:54 The rest of the verse qualifies this great statement: “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!’” (v. 54). They watched Jesus. They saw His wonderful behavior from Gabbatha to Golgotha. They saw the “sorrow and love flow mingled down.” They heard His words. They “saw the earthquake and the things that had happened.” The veil rent in twain—two or three miles away. This was in fulfillment of His own Word. The earth did quake—the very universe trembled in His presence. The dead arose. He was Resurrection and Life. “They feared greatly.” Here was reverence, awe, and trepidation—for they were in the presence of the Son of God. Your presence always brings reverence and awe. Truly, You are the Son of God! God at Work Surely he was the Son of God! Matthew 27:54 Today's Scripture & Insight : Matthew 27:50–54 “God is crying.” Those were the words whispered by Bill Haley’s ten-year-old daughter as she stood in the rain with a group of multiethnic believers in Jesus. They had come to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to seek God and make sense of the legacy of racial discord in America. As they stood on the grounds where former slaves were buried, they joined hands in prayer. Then suddenly the wind began to blow, and it started to rain. As the leader called out for racial healing, the rain began to fall even harder. Those gathered believed that God was at work to bring reconciliation and forgiveness. And so was it at Calvary—God was at work. After the crucified Jesus breathed His last, “The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open” (Matthew 27:51–52). Though some had denied who Jesus was, a centurion assigned to guard Him had come to a different conclusion: “When the centurion and those with him . . . saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’ ” (v. 54). In what ways have you shared the forgiveness you’ve received from God with others, even those who are different from you? If you haven’t received forgiveness from God through the death of Jesus, what’s keeping you from doing so today? Father, thank You for loving the world so much that You sent Jesus so I can be forgiven. Help me to demonstrate forgiveness toward others by the way I live. QUESTION - What is the significance of the centurion saying, “Truly this was the Son of God” (Matthew 27:54)? ANSWER - Matthew 27 records many events surrounding the betrayal, trials, crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus, and it includes the mention of a centurion’s saying that “truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54, ESV). This centurion would probably have presided over the deaths of numerous criminals, and none of those individual’s deaths were marked by the things that accompanied the death of Jesus. Jesus was not accused of a typical crime; rather, He stood trial before Pilate for being King of the Jews (Matthew 27:11). Even after hearing the accusations and asking Jesus about them, Pilate determined that Jesus hadn’t done any evil (Matthew 27:23). But the clamor for Jesus to be crucified was so great that Pilate handed Jesus over for crucifixion (Matthew 27:26). From there the soldiers took Jesus and oversaw His being beaten, stripped, tortured with a crown of thorns, and mocked (Matthew 27:27–31). It is probable that this group of soldiers included the centurion who later said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” At first, all were participating in the mockery of Jesus, but as the events played out, some—including this centurion—recognized that Jesus was not a criminal and was, in fact, the Son of God. In all this, Jesus continued to show meekness and did not speak in His own defense or argue. When Jesus was crucified, the charge written above His head was that He was the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:37). The mockeries continued as the onlookers recalled that He had referenced tearing down the temple and rebuilding it in three days—prophesying that He would die and be resurrected (Matthew 27:40a). They recalled that He had claimed to be the Son of God (Matthew 27:40b), and yet they mocked Him as if His claims were not true. The chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying that, if He simply would come down from the cross, they would believe in Him (Matthew 27:42). Even the robbers crucified next to Him were insulting Him (Matthew 27:44). It was remarkable how many celebrated Jesus’ crucifixion, and surely the centurion took note of that. The centurion could see that this was no ordinary crucifixion and the man being crucified was no ordinary man. Soon the centurion would recognize that “truly this was the Son of God.” At midday (the sixth hour of the day or noon), darkness came over the whole land for three hours (Matthew 27:45). At the ninth hour (3:00 in the afternoon), Jesus cried out to the Father, quoting Psalm 22:1, which was a further affirmation of Jesus’ identity (Matthew 27:46). He cried out again and gave up His spirit (Matthew 27:50). The centurion at the foot of the cross was no stranger to death. When he had observed crucifixions in the past, he had witnessed no great events or cataclysms. Jesus was different. The moment Jesus died, there was a great earthquake—so great that rocks were splitting and tombs were opening up (Matthew 27:51–53). When the centurion saw these things, he—along with others who were there—were filled with fear and recognized that “truly this was the Son of God.” The eyewitnesses recognized that this was no ordinary death and this was no ordinary man. The things Jesus said were true, and He was who He claimed to be. It is remarkable that the centurion recognized Jesus’ true identity and that he did so when Jesus died. Some refused to recognize Jesus was the Son of God even after He was raised from the dead. This centurion and those who were working with him recognized because of what Jesus said and what they saw that “truly this was the Son of God.” What did the centurion really say as he watched Jesus die (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39; Luke 23:47)? - Gleason Archer Matthew 27:54 quotes the centurion and the soldiers who were standing guard at the cross of Christ, in the midst of the terrifying darkness, wind, earthquake, and storm that took place at the moment He expired, as remarking, “Truly [alēthōs] this man was a son [or possibly ‘the Son’] of God!” The wording in Mark 15:39 is virtually the same (with only the word for “man” [anthrōpos] included in the Greek, though it was already inferred by the masculine singular demonstrative houtos [“this”]). In Luke 23:47, however, the centurion is quoted as saying, “Truly [ontōs] this man was righteous.” Are we presented with an irreconcilable contradiction here? Certainly not! Those who express admiration of the performance of some actor, musician, or orator on the stage usually employ more than one laudatory epithet in order to describe their feelings about him—even if they do not resort to the standard promotional hyperbole: “That was terrific! Stupendous! Colossal! Magnificent!” There is no reason whatever to suppose that the military bystander limited his expressed sentiments to one terse sentence. He must at least have said, “This was truly a righteous man. This was surely a son of God!” Luke found “righteous man” particularly striking because the words were voiced by the chief executioner of one who had been condemned to death by Hebrew and Roman justice as a blasphemer and a rebel against the authority of Caesar. Matthew and Mark were more impressed by his later expression regarding the divine dimension he had perceived in the expiring Sufferer. John
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Spurgeon - We have no record of any unkindness to our Lord from any woman, though we have many narratives of the loving ministry of women at various periods in his life. It was meet, therefore, that even at Calvary "many women were there beholding afar off." The ribald crowd and the rough soldiers would not permit these timid yet brave souls to come near; but we learn from John 19:25 that some of them edged their way through the throng until they "stood by the cross of Jesus." Love will dare anything. Looking on (observing, watching) (2334)(theoreo from theaomai = to look at closely or attentively or contemplatively - even with a sense of wonder; cp theoros = a spectator)) means to view attentively and with interest and for a purpose, carefully observing details. The present tense indicates this was their continual attitude. To behold intensely or attentively. Our English word scrutinize conveys this sense, for it means to examine closely and minutely. To be a spectator and thus to understand or perceive. Followed (190)(akoloutheo from a = expresses union with, likeness + keleuthos = a road, way) means to walk the same road (Ponder that simple definition dear believer - Am I willing to walk the same road as Jesus?) Literally to follow (like the crowds followed Jesus) and in a figurative sense to follow Jesus as a disciple. To follow (closely) and was used of soldiers, servants and pupils. AKOLOUTHEO IN MATTHEW - Matt. 4:20; Matt. 4:22; Matt. 4:25; Matt. 8:1; Matt. 8:10; Matt. 8:19; Matt. 8:22; Matt. 8:23; Matt. 9:9; Matt. 9:19; Matt. 9:27; Matt. 10:38; Matt. 12:15; Matt. 14:13; Matt. 16:24; Matt. 19:2; Matt. 19:21; Matt. 19:27; Matt. 19:28; Matt. 20:29; Matt. 20:34; Matt. 21:9; Matt. 26:58; Matt. 27:55; Ministering (serve, wait on) (1247) diakoneo derivation uncertain - cp diakonis = in the dust laboring or running through the dust or possibly diako = to run on errands; see also study of related noun - diakonia) means to minister by way of rendering service in any form or to take care of by rendering humble service. Diakoneo gives us our English words diaconate (an official body of deacons) and deacon. The root word diakonos refers to one who serves as a waiter upon tables performing menial duties (see Matt 8:15; 20:28; 27:55; Mark 1:31; 10:45; 15:41; Luke 4:39; 10:40; 12:37; 17:8; 22:26, 27; John 12:2). Diakoneo conveys the basic idea of personal service, and depending on the context can mean specifically to serve, to wait on, to see after or to care for someone's needs by performing a service (conveying the sense that help is provided to the one being served - see Mt 4:11, 25:44, Mark 1:13). Bob Ultely's SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN WHO TRAVELED WITH JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES Matt. 27:55-56 Mark 15:40-41 Luke 8:2-3; 23:49 John 19:25 Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene Mary, Jesus' mother Mary, mother of James and Joseph Mary, mother of James the Less, Joses Joanna, wife of Chuza (Herod's steward) His mother's sister Mother of sons of Zebedee (James & John) Salome Susanna and others Mary, wife of Clopas Mary Magdalene Following are the notes on these women from my commentary on Mark 15:40-41: "There were also some women looking on from a distance." The apostolic group was ministered to both financially and physically by several women (i.e., cooking, washing, etc., cf. Mark 15:41; Matt. 27:55; Luke 8:3). "Mary Magdalene." Magdala was a small city on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, three miles north of Tiberias. Mary followed Jesus from Galilee after He had delivered her from several demons (cf. Luke 8:2). She has unfairly been labeled as a prostitute but there is no NT evidence of this. "Mary, the mother of James the Less and Joses." In Matt. 27:56 she is called "the mother of James and Joseph." In Matt. 28:1 she is called "the other Mary." The real question is, to whom was she married? In John 19:25 possibly she was married to Clopas, yet her son James, was said to be the "son of Alphaeus" (cf. Matt. 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). "Salome." This was the mother of James and John, who were part of the inner circle of Jesus' disciples, and the wife of Zebedee (cf. Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40; 16:1-2). Following are my the notes on these women from my commentary on John 19:25: "standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" There is much discussion about whether there are four names here or three names. It is probable that there are four names because there would not be two sisters named Mary. Mary's sister, Salome, is named in Mark 15:40 and Matt. 27:56. If this is true, then it would mean James, John, and Jesus were cousins. A second-century tradition (Hegesippus) says that Clopas was Joseph's brother. Mary of Magdala was the one out of whom Jesus cast seven devils, and the first one to whom He chose to appear after His resurrection (cf. John 20:1-2; 11-18; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1-10). Matthew 27:56 Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. Mary Magdalene: Mt 27:61 28:1 Mk 15:40-41 16:1,9 Lu 24:10 Jn 20:1,18 Mary the mother of James and Joseph: Mk 15:47 16:1 Jn 19:25 Mary the mother of James and Joseph: Mt 13:55 Mk 15:40 16:1 the mother of the sons of Zebedee Mt 20:20,21 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Mark 15:40-41+ There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome. 41 When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him (Lk 8:1-3+); and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. Luke 23:49+ And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things. WOMEN OF RENOWN REMAIN AT CROSS Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph (Joses in Mk 15:40+), and the mother of the sons of Zebedee (James and John) - Recall that Jesus had cast out 7 demons from Mary Magdalene, which surely must have spurred her on to grateful, greater devotion (Lk 8:2+). Mark 15:40-41+ says "There were also some women looking on from a distance." These women are noted in all 4 Gospels - (Mt. 27:55–56; Mk 15:40–41; Lk 23:49; Jn 19:25–26) The only disciple of the Twelve that was present at the Crucifixion was John. And so after most of the men who had been with Jesus were absent from the scene, these four women remained (now from a distance), watching carefully to see what would happen to Jesus' body. These women displayed rare courage to remain near Jesus after all the men had fled. Danny Akin points out the importance of these women at the scene of the crime - Their presence establishes eyewitnesses to his death and burial (Mk 15:47). Further, they were “true disciples” who had “followed him and ministered to him” (Mk 15:41, Mt 27:55). They, along with “many other women”, were faithful to Him to the bitter end. They may have watched the brutal events of the cross “from a distance”, but unlike His male disciples, their devotion was not marked by absence. Their love and devotion to Jesus would not go unrewarded (Mk 16:4-8)! (The Murder of the Great King) WOMEN WHO OBSERVED THE CRUCIFIXION Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene Mary mother of Jesus Mary mother of James & Joseph = Mary mother of James the less & Joses = Mary the wife of Clopas Mother of Zebedee's sons = Salome = Sister of Jesus' mother QUESTION - Who was Mary Magdalene? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - Mary Magdalene was a woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2). The name Magdalene likely indicates that she came from Magdala, a city on the southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus cast seven demons from her, she became one of His followers. Mary Magdalene has been associated with the “woman in the city who was a sinner” (Luke 7:37) who washed Jesus’ feet, but there is no scriptural basis for making that connection. Mary Magdalene is nowhere in the Bible identified as a prostitute or as an immoral woman, despite popular portrayals of her as such. Mary Magdalene is also often associated with the woman whom Jesus saved from stoning after she had been taken in adultery (John 8:1–11). But, again, this is an association with no evidence. The movie The Passion of the Christ made this connection. This view is possible but unlikely, and it is certainly not taught in the Bible. Mary Magdalene witnessed most of the events surrounding the crucifixion. She was present at the mock trial of Jesus; she heard Pontius Pilate pronounce the death sentence; and she saw Jesus beaten and humiliated by the crowd. She was one of the women who stood near Jesus during the crucifixion to try to comfort Him. The earliest witness to the resurrection of Jesus, she was sent by Jesus to tell the others (John 20:11-18). Although this is the last mention of her in the Bible, she was probably among the women who gathered with the apostles to await the promised coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). The fiction novel “The DaVinci Code” made the claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. Some of the non-biblical early Christian writings (considered heresy by the early Christians) hint at a special relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. However, there is no evidence whatsoever to support the belief that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. The Bible does not even hint at such an idea. Related Resources: How many Marys are in the Bible? Who was Salome in the Bible? Matthew 27:57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. there: Mk 15:42,43 Lu 23:50,51 Jn 19:38-42 Arimathaea: 1Sa 1:1 7:17 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: John 19:38-42+ After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. 39 Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA BOLDLY STEPS UP When it was evening - It was after 3 pm on Friday but before the beginning of the sabbath, the dead body of Jesus still hung on the cross. Bob Utley on it was evening - This phrase means it was close to the beginning of the Passover which began at 6:00 PM or twilight. The Jews had two evenings. The first at 3 PM and the second at 6 PM, which started a new day. (Marvin
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Spurgeon - This rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, was Jesus’ disciple, "but secretly for fear of the Jews" (John 19:38); yet when his Lord was actually dead, extraordinary courage nerved his spirit, and boldly he went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Joseph and Nicodemus are types of many more who have been emboldened by the cross of Christ to do what, without that mighty magnet, they would never have attempted. When night comes, the stars appear; so in the night of Christ’s death these two bright stars shone forth with blessed radiance. Some flowers bloom only at night; such a blossom was the courage of Joseph and Nicodemus. NET NOTE - Though some dispute that Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, his actions regarding Jesus’ burial suggest otherwise. Matthew Henry's Concise - Mt 27:57-61. In the burial of Christ was nothing of pomp or solemnity. As Christ had not a house of his own, wherein to lay his head, while he lived, so he had not a grave of his own, wherein to lay his body, when he was dead. Our Lord Jesus, who had no sin of his own, had no grave of his own. The Jews designed that he should have made his grave with the wicked, should have been buried with the thieves with whom he was crucified, but God overruled it, so that he should make it with the rich in his death, Isaiah 53:9. And although to the eye of man the beholding a funeral may cause terror, yet if we remember how Christ by his burial has changed the nature of the grave to believers, it should make us rejoice. And we are ever to imitate Christ's burial in being continually occupied in the spiritual burial of our sins. THE MOST PRIVILEGED UNDERTAKER - Those who were crucified by the Romans were usually left ex-posed to the elements until eaten by birds of prey — a guard being set around the bodies to prevent friends from burying them. Knowing this, Joseph of Arimathaea, "a good man and a just" who as a member of the Jewish council had not consented to the crucifixion of Jesus, went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. The fact that he was a rich and prominent man, and had a newly hewn tomb in a garden near the place of crucifixion, probably influenced the Roman governor to give his consent. In this way Isaiah 53 was fulfilled. For the Messiah must make His "grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death." Having been accorded the privilege of caring for Jesus' body, Joseph of Arimathaea became the most privileged undertaker of all ages! Tenderly he took the Savior's bruised body and shrouded it in a large, clean cloth. However, in the "embalming process" that followed, he had an assistant — none other than Nicodemus who had earlier come to Jesus by night to learn how he might be "born again." This formerly secret follower of the Lord came supplied with about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes (John 19:39, 40). Together these men wound Jesus' body in additional "linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury." Then they placed Him in Joseph's new tomb. The privilege of caring for the dead body of Jesus was given only to those two; yet we today may do service for the Savior by telling others that He physically arose from the tomb, ascended to the Father in Glory, and now offers eternal life to all who believe. Three days He lay within that dark domain, Then with new life, forth from the tomb He came; Christ has the keys, oh, death, where is thy sting? Our Lord cloth live! oh, let your praises ring! — L.S. Christ by His death and resurrection has built a bridge across the gulf of death! —A. Young QUESTION - Who was Joseph of Arimathea? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - Joseph of Arimathea was a biblical figure who played an important role in the burial of Jesus Christ. His account can be found in each of the four Gospels: Matthew 27:57–60; Mark 15:42–46; Luke 23:50–53; and John 19:38–42. He is called “Joseph of Arimathea” because “he came from the Judean town of Arimathea” (Luke 23:51) and to distinguish him from other Josephs in the Bible. While there is not much information in the Bible about Joseph of Arimathea, there are certain things we can glean from the text. In Luke 23:50, we learn that Joseph was actually a part of the Council, or Sanhedrin—the group of Jewish religious leaders who called for Jesus’ crucifixion. However, as we read on to verse 51, we see that Joseph was opposed to the Council’s decision and was in fact a secret follower of Jesus (see also Mark 15:43). Joseph was a wealthy man (Matthew 27:57), although the source of his wealth is unknown. In addition, the Bible refers to Joseph as a “good and upright man” (Luke 23:50). After Jesus’ death on the cross, Joseph, at great risk to himself and his reputation, went to the Roman governor Pilate to request Jesus’ body. Nicodemus, the Pharisee who had visited Jesus at night to ask questions about God’s Kingdom (John 19:39; cf. John 3), accompanied Joseph. The two men were granted custody of Jesus’ body, and they immediately began to prepare the body for burial. Following Jewish custom, they wrapped the body in strips of linen and mixed in myrrh and aloe. However, it was the Day of Preparation—the sixth day of the week, just before the Jewish Sabbath—and it was late in the day. So Joseph and Nicodemus hurriedly placed Jesus in Joseph’s own tomb, located in a garden near the place of Jesus’ crucifixion. Unbeknownst to Joseph and Nicodemus, their choice to put Jesus in Joseph’s tomb fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy spoken hundreds of years before Jesus’ death: “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:9, emphasis added). This is one of the many prophecies that have confirmed Jesus’ identity as the Messiah and Son of God. The day after Jesus’ burial, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate to request that the stone Joseph had placed in front of the tomb be sealed, and a guard posted, for three days. They cited Jesus’ assertion that He would rise after three days and claimed the disciples might attempt to steal the body in order to fabricate a resurrection (Matthew 27:63–64). Their precautions were for naught, as Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, just as He had predicted (Matthew 28). Many spurious stories and legends have arisen regarding Joseph. Some purport that Joseph of Arimathea was the uncle of Jesus’ mother, Mary. However, the Bible makes no such connection, so the claim is unsubstantiated. In addition, Joseph supposedly made many trips to Britain for trade and is said to have eventually brought the gospel to that country. Again, though, the Bible is silent about Joseph after Jesus’ burial, so we cannot know for sure what path he took later in life. What we do know is what we find in the Scriptures: Joseph of Arimathea was a rich man and part of the Sanhedrin, and he procured Jesus’ body and laid it in his own tomb—from which Jesus would rise again in power three days later. J Ligon Duncan has an interesting analysis on Jesus' Burial - There are many points of interest in this section that grab and vie for our attention, but it seems to me that the overarching theme of this section as we have seen frankly in the past in Matthew is the providence of God even in Jesus burial. Everything that occurs in this passage serves as an unwitting preparation for God to vindicate His Son in the resurrection. It seems to me that none of the main actors, none of the main characters in this story realize just how they are being used in order to confirm, explain and vindicate the claims of the Lord Jesus Christ as we await the days of His resurrection. I’d like you to look at the passage in two parts today. First of all, in verses 57 through 61. And then secondly, in verses 62 through 66. In verses 57 through 61 you see Jesus buried, but he’s buried in a surprising way. He’s buried by a man that we’ve never heard of before. This heretofore unheard of disciple, Joseph of Arimathea, comes. Instead of the eleven, instead of Jesus’ closest associates, this man that we’ve never heard of before come to bury the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I want you to see a very important truth in that. Now immediately you’re thinking well, why didn’t His own disciples come? John’s disciples had had the character enough, the loyalty enough, the devotion enough and frankly, the courage enough to go and ask for John’s body so it could be buried. Why surely the Lord Jesus’ disciples would show similar bravery, but they don’t. And so your mind immediately begins to meditate on that. But God has a bigger picture, a bigger story that He has in mind for us here, and that is that God in His providence is laying the groundwork here for both the event and the doctrine of the resurrection. I. God, in His providence, lays the groundwork for the event and doctrine of the resurrection God is in His loving providence laying the groundwork for His Son’s vindication. He is setting up a scenario whereby there are numerous witnesses to the fact that He was indeed dead, and He was indeed buried, and that He was not in that tomb when they came back to check. . . And this is a passage which gives us a grand reminder of the important of believing in God’s word and trusting in His providence. In His overruling providence here, God ordered things so that the death and burial of Jesus were placed beyond all doubt. Think of it. Think of it. These Gentiles and Jews, government officials, religious leaders were in fact conspiring to make sure that no fake resurrection could be claimed. That was their goal. But they were being used by God to confirm Jesus’ resurrection. Listen to what J.C.
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Spurgeon - Joseph of Arimathaea ‘Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.’ ‘And he bought fine linen … and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.’ Mark 15:43, 46 Years ago, when they talked of the French invading England, an old lady grew very indignant and threatened deadly resistance. When she was asked what the women of England could do, she said they would rise to a man. I have no doubt whatever that they would do their best in any such emergency. Every iron in the fire-place, whether it be poker or shovel, would be grasped to defend our hearths and homes, and just so now, when error knows no bounds, we must stand up for the defence of the truth. Since they push error to extremes, it becomes us to hold by every particle of the faith. I will not, for my own part, give up a corner of my creed for any man. Even if we might have been prepared to modify expressions had the age been different, we are not in that mood now. A generation of vipers shall have a naked file to bite at. We will modify nothing. If truth bears a stern aspect we will not veil it. If there be an offence in the cross we will not conceal it. This shall be my answer to those who would have us attune ourselves to the spirit of the age: I know no Spirit but one, and he is unchanging in every age. Your extravagance of doubt shall have no influence over us except to make us bind the gospel more closely to our hearts. If we gave you an inch you would take a mile, and so no inch shall be given you. Our resolve is to live for the Book as we read it, for the gospel as we rest in it, for the Lord as he made atonement, for the kingdom as it rules over all. I beg every trembling Christian to take heart, put on his Lord’s livery, and advance to the fray. Come out now, if you never did before! Come out, if there is any manliness in you, in these days of blasphemy and rebuke. D L Moody - Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.—Mark 15:43. I CONSIDER this one of the sublimest, grandest acts that any man ever did. In the darkness and gloom, His disciples having all forsaken Him, Judas having sold Him for thirty pieces of silver, the chief apostle Peter having denied Him with a curse, swearing that he never knew Him, the chief priests having found Him guilty of blasphemy, the council having condemned Him to death, and when there was a hiss going up to heaven from over all Jerusalem, Joseph went right against the current, right against the influence of all his friends, and begged the body of Jesus. Blessed act! Doubtless he upbraided himself for not having been more bold in his defence of Christ when He was tried, and before He was condemned to be crucified. The Scripture says he was an honorable man, an honorable councillor, a rich man, and yet we have only the record of that one thing—the one act of begging the body of Jesus. But what he did for the Son of God, out of pure love for Him, will live forever; that one act rises up above everything else that Joseph of Arimathea ever did. Steven
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Spurgeon - Our King, even in the grave, must have the best of the best; his body was "wrapped in a clean linen cloth, and laid in Joseph’s own new tomb, thus completing the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:9. Some see in this linen shroud an allusion to the garments in which priests were to be clothed. Joseph’s was a virgin sepulcher, wherein up to that time no one had been buried, so that, when Jesus rose, none could say that another came forth from the tomb instead of him. That rock-hewn cell in the garden sanctified every part of God’s acre where saints lie buried. Instead of longing to live until Christ comes, as some do, we might rather pray to have fellowship with Jesus in his death and burial. Henry
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Spurgeon - Love and faith were both typified by these two Mary’s sitting over against the sepulcher. They will be the last to leave their Lord’s resting-place, and the first to return to it when the Sabbath is past. Can we cling to Christ when his cause seems to be dead and buried? When truth is fallen in the streets, or is even buried in the sepulcher of skepticism or superstition, can we still believe in it, and look forward to its resurrection? That is what-some of us are doing at the present time. O Lord, keep us faithful! Related Resource: How many Marys are in the Bible? Life Application Bible Commentary – DO WHAT YOU CAN - These women could not do "great" things for Jesus—they were not permitted to stand up before the Jewish Council or the Roman governor and testify on his behalf—but they did what they could. They stayed at the cross when most of the disciples had fled, and they got ready to anoint their Lord's body. Because of their devotion, they were the first to know about the Resurrection. Believers may feel that they can't do much for Jesus. But they must take advantage of the opportunities given to them by doing what they can do and not worrying about what they cannot do. (BORROW Life application New Testament commentary) C H Spurgeon - Over against the sepulchre (See full sermon Over Against the Sepulchre) ‘Sitting over against the sepulchre.’ Matthew 27:61 ‘Sitting over against the sepulchre’ while Christ lies in it, my first thought about it is, I will rest, for he rests. What a wonderful stillness there was about our Lord in that rocky grave. He had been daily thronged by thousands: even when he ate bread they disturbed him. He scarce could have a moment’s stillness in life; but now how quiet is his bed! Not a sound is heard. The great stone shuts out all noise and the body is at peace. Well, if he rests, I may. If for a while the Lord seems to suspend his energies, his servants may cry unto him, but they may not fret. He knows best when to sleep and when to wake. As I see the Christ resting in the grave, my next thought is, he has the power to come forth again. When the disciples were alarmed because Jesus was asleep, they were in error, for his sleep was the token of their security. When I see a captain on board ship pacing anxiously up and down the deck, I may fear that danger is suspected; but when the captain turns into his cabin, then I may be sure that all is right, and there is no reason why I should not turn in too. So if our blessed Lord should ever suffer his cause to droop, and if he should give no marvellous manifestations of his power, we need not doubt his power; let us keep our Sabbath, pray to him and work for him, for these are duties of the holy day of rest; but do not let us fret and worry, for his time to work will come. The rest of the Christian lies in believing Christ under all circumstances. Go in for this, beloved. QUESTION - Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized? ANSWER - The events surrounding Jesus’ resurrection can be difficult to piece together. We must remember two things: first, the news of Jesus’ resurrection produced much excitement in Jerusalem, and in the ensuing chaos many people were going many different directions. Groups were separated, and several different groups paid visits to the tomb, possibly more than once. Second, the writers of the Gospels did not attempt an exhaustive narrative; in other words, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John had no intention of telling us every detail of the resurrection or every event in the order that it happened. In the battle with skeptics regarding Jesus’ resurrection, Christians are in a "no-win" situation. If the resurrection accounts harmonize perfectly, skeptics will claim that the writers of the Gospels conspired together. If the resurrection accounts have some differences, skeptics will claim that the Gospels contradict each other and therefore cannot be trusted. It is our contention that the resurrection accounts can be harmonized and do not contradict each other. However, even if the resurrection accounts cannot be perfectly harmonized, that does not make them untrustworthy. By any reasonable evaluation, the resurrection accounts from the four Gospels are superbly consistent eyewitness testimonies. The central truths - that Jesus was resurrected from the dead and that the resurrected Jesus appeared to many people - are clearly taught in each of the four Gospels. The apparent inconsistencies are in "side issues." How many angels did they see in the tomb, one or two? (Perhaps one person only saw one angel, while the other person saw two angels.) To how many women did Jesus appear, and to whom did He appear first? (While each Gospel has a slightly different sequence to the appearances, none of them claims to be giving the precise chronological order.) So, while the resurrection accounts may seem to be inconsistent, it cannot be proven that the accounts are contradictory. Here is a possible harmony of the narratives of the resurrection of Christ and His post-resurrection appearances, in chronological order: Jesus is buried, as several women watch (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42). The tomb is sealed and a guard is set (Matthew 27:62-66). At least 3 women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, prepare spices to go to the tomb (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1). An angel descends from heaven, rolls the stone away, and sits on it. There is an earthquake, and the guards faint (Matthew 28:2-4). The women arrive at the tomb and find it empty. Mary Magdalene leaves the other women there and runs to tell the disciples (John 20:1-2). The women still at the tomb see two angels who tell them that Jesus is risen and who instruct them to tell the disciples to go to Galilee (Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:2-8; Luke 24:1-8). The women leave to bring the news to the disciples (Matthew 28:8). The guards, having roused themselves, report the empty tomb to the authorities, who bribe the guards to say the body was stolen (Matthew 28:11-15). Mary the mother of James and the other women, on their way to find the disciples, see Jesus (Matthew 28:9-10). The women relate what they have seen and heard to the disciples (Luke 24:9-11). Peter and John run to the tomb, see that it is empty, and find the grave clothes (Luke 24:12; John 20:2-10). Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb. She sees the angels, and then she sees Jesus (John 20:11-18). Later the same day, Jesus appears to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5). Still on the same day, Jesus appears to Cleopas and another disciple on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32). That evening, the two disciples report the event to the Eleven in Jerusalem (Luke 24:32-35). Jesus appears to ten disciples—Thomas is missing (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25). Jesus appears to all eleven disciples—Thomas included (John 20:26-31). Jesus appears to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25). Jesus appears to about 500 disciples in Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:6). Jesus appears to His half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7). Jesus commissions His disciples (Matthew 28:16-20). Jesus teaches His disciples the Scriptures and promises to send the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-5). Jesus ascends into heaven (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-12). Streams in the Desert - “And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.” (Matt. 27:61) HOW strangely stupid is grief. It neither learns nor knows nor wishes to learn or know. When the sorrowing sisters sat over against the door of God’s sepulchre, did they see the two thousand years that have passed triumphing away? Did they see anything but this: “Our Christ is gone!” Your Christ and my Christ came from their loss; Myriad mourning hearts have had resurrection in the midst of their grief; and yet the sorrowing watchers looked at the seed-form of this result, and saw nothing. What they regarded as the end of life was the very preparation for coronation; for Christ was silent that He might live again in tenfold power. They saw it not. They mourned, they wept, and went away, and came again, driven by their hearts to the sepulchre. Still it was a sepulchre, unprophetic, voiceless, lusterless. So with us. Every man sits over against the sepulchre in his garden, in the first instance, and says, “This woe is irremediable. I see no benefit in it. I will take no comfort in it.” And yet, right in our deepest and worst mishaps, often, our Christ is lying, waiting for resurrection. Where our death seems to be, there our Saviour is. Where the end of hope is, there is the brightest beginning of fruition. Where the darkness is thickest, there the bright beaming light that never is set is about to emerge. When the whole experience is consummated, then we find that a garden is not disfigured by a sepulchre. Our joys are made better if there be sorrow in the midst of them. And our sorrows are made bright by the joys that God has planted around about them. The flowers may not be pleasing to us, they may not be such as we are fond of plucking, but they are heart-flowers, love, hope, faith, joy, peace—these are flowers which are planted around about every grave that is sunk in the Christian heart. “ ’Twas by a path of sorrows drear Christ entered into rest; And shall I look for roses here, Or think that earth is blessed? Heaven’s whitest lilies blow From earth’s sharp crown of woe: Who here his cross can meekly bear, Shall wear the kingly purple there.” Matthew 27:62 Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, the day: Mt 26:17 Mk 15:42 Lu 23:54-56 Jn 19:14,42 the chief priests: Mt 27:1,2 Ps 2:1-6 Ac 4:27,28 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries THE RELIGIOUS HYPOCRITES GO TO WORK ON THE SABBATH! Now on the next day, the day after the preparation (paraskeue), the chief priests (archiereus) and the Pharisees (pharisaios) gathered together sunago) with Pilate - The following discourse presupposes that the religious leaders also knew where Jesus had been buried. Charles Swindoll: The last five verses in this chapter are unique to Matthew’s account. In a sort of addendum to the description of the burial, Matthew cuts to the chief priests and Pharisees again trying to manipulate things behind the scenes by plotting and conniving. Matthew points out that they did all of this “on the next day, the day after the preparation” (Mt 27:62). That is, they were doing all this work on the Sabbath, which was forbidden by Jewish Law! Those hypocrites who had condemned Jesus and His disciples for “working” on the Sabbath were now hard at work against the so-called deceiver they had condemned! (See Insights on Matthew 16–28 - Page 302 - Google Book) (Bolding added) Matthew Henry's Concise - Mt 27:62-66. On the Jewish sabbath, the chief priests and Pharisees, when they should have been at their devotions, were dealing with Pilate about securing the sepulchre. This was permitted that there might be certain proof of our Lord's resurrection. Pilate told them that they might secure the sepulchre as carefully as they could. They sealed the stone, and set a guard, and were satisfied that all needful care was taken. But to guard the sepulchre against the poor weak disciples was folly, because needless; while to think to guard it against the power of God, was folly, because fruitless, and to no purpose; yet they thought they dealt wisely. But the Lord took the wise in their own craftiness. Thus shall all the rage and the plans of Christ's enemies be made to promote his glory. Day....Preparation (3904) paraskeue from paraskeuazo = make preparation from para = for + skeuazo = to prepare) in secular Greek was generally used to mean “preparation,” hence “to equip oneself” but all the NT uses the word to denote the day of preparation for the Jewish Sabbath. The word is literally preparation; in Jewish, NT, and early Christian usage, only of a definite day, the sixth day of the week, the term for the Friday preceding the Sabbath, when all preparation for the Sabbath had to be completed and after which no work was permitted PARASKEUE - 6V - day(1), day of preparation(3), preparation(2), preparation day(1). Matt. 27:62; Mk. 15:42; Lk. 23:54; Jn. 19:14; Jn. 19:31; Jn. 19:42 Day of Preparation - Sixth day of week (FRIDAY) in which Jews prepared life's necessities to avoid work on the Sabbath (compare Ex 20:8-11 ; Matthew 12:1-14; John 9:14-16). Preparation of food, completing work, and spiritual purification were included. The Hebrew day began and ended at 6 PM (or Sunset), so the day of preparation extended from 6 p.m. on Thursday until the beginning of the Sabbath at 6 p.m. Friday. The Feast of Passover was immediately followed by the holy convocation of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:1-7 ). No one worked on either of these holy days, so a day of preparation was set aside to prepare for the holiday period (John 19:14). John explicitly identified the day of preparation as the day of Jesus' execution (John 19:14, Jn 19:31, 42) and placed the Last Supper before Passover (John 13:1). The Synoptic Gospels, however, dated the Last Supper on the day of Passover (Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7). This apparent contradiction in dating may depend on whether the gospel writers were referring to the preparation day for the sabbath or to the preparation day for the Passover. (Holman Bible Dictionary) Matthew 27:63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ that deceiver: Lu 23:2 Jn 7:12,47 2Co 6:8 After: Mt 16:21 17:23 20:19 26:61 Mk 8:31 10:34 Lu 9:22 18:33 24:6,7 Jn 2:19 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries RELIGIOUS LEADERS REMEMBER CLAIM OF RESURRECTION and said, “Sir (kurios - polite address to a superior), we remember (mimnesko) that when He was still alive that deceiver (planos - imposter) said, ‘After three days I am to rise again.’ (egeiro) - Sadly this brood of vipers remembers what Jesus' own disciples seem to have forgotten! What hypocrites these religious deceivers were blasphemers calling Jesus a deceiver! But at least these religious leaders quoted Jesus correctly! Did they really believe Jesus would rise from the dead? I don't think so, but after His many miracles (which they never refuted), there must have been some lingering doubt about whether He could accomplish this greatest of miracles. After all, they were fully aware that He had resurrected Lazarus from the dead (see Jn 12:10-11+) and thus potentially had the miraculous power to pull off His own resurrection! Christ’s enemies remembered what his disciples forgot. -- D L Moody Men called Jesus Christ many names which God had never given him—Beelzebub (Matthew 10:25), glutton and drunkard (Matthew 11:19), deceiver (Matthew 27:63), liar (John 8:13), sinner (John 9:24), demon-possessed and insane (John 10:20), and blasphemer (John 10:33). On the cross God treated his Son as if he was everything that man had accused him of, and every other sin besides. Mt 11:19 is particularly interesting for they were both incorrect and correct (although they did not know they were correct) in calling Him "a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Praise God that He is a friend of sinners! D. A. Carson: The disciples disbelieved Jesus’ words about rising again, not because they could not understand the plain words, but because they had no frame of reference capable of integrating a dying and rising Messiah into their own messianic expectations. Shattered by the demoralizing turn of events, they cowered in fear (Jn 20:19), unable and even unwilling to trust their judgment and understanding on anything except the terrible fact that their Messiah had been crucified. (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged Edition) Marvin Vincent on We remember (ἐμνήσθημεν) - Lit., we remembered: i.e., it occurred to us: we have just remembered, and have come to tell you before it shall be too late. That deceiver (ἐκεῖνος ὁ πλάνος) The pronoun that is very picturesque; being used of distant objects, and therefore here as pointing to one who is out of the way and far removed. Πλάνος, deceiver, is akin to πλανάω, to wander; and hence a vagabond impostor. A T Robertson on Sir we remember - This was the next day, on our Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, the day after the Preparation (Matthew 27:62). Ingressive aorist indicative, we have just recalled. It is objected that the Jewish rulers would know nothing of such a prediction, but in Matthew 12:40+ he expressly made it to them. Meyer scouts as unhistorical legend the whole story that Christ definitely foretold his resurrection on the third day. But that is to make legendary much of the Gospels and to limit Jesus to a mere man. The problem remains why the disciples forgot and the Jewish leaders remembered. But that is probably due on the one hand to the overwhelming grief of the disciples coupled with the blighting of all their hopes of a political Messiah in Jesus, and on the other hand to the keen nervous fear of the leaders who dreaded the power of Jesus though dead. They wanted to make sure of their victory and prevent any possible revival of this pernicious heresy. That deceiver (ekeinos ho planos) they call him, a vagabond wanderer (planos) with a slur in the use of that (ekeinos), a picturesque sidelight on their intense hatred of and fear of Jesus.(Bolding added) Pilate is called Kurie ("sir") by these Jewish leaders and Jesus the Lord (kurios) is called "that deceiver." Bob
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Spurgeon - Those punctilious priests and Pharisees, who were so scrupulous about keeping the Sabbath, did not mind profaning the day of rest by holding a consultation with the Roman governor. They knew that Christ was dead and buried, but they still stood in dread of his power. They called him a "deceiver," and they even pretended to "remember" what "he said, while he was yet alive." At his trial, their false witnesses gave another meaning to his words, but they knew all the while that he was speaking of his resurrection, not of the Temple on Mount Zion. Now they are afraid that, even in the sepulcher, he will bring to nothing all their plans for his destruction. They must have known that the disciples of Jesus would not steal him away, and say unto the people, "He is risen from the dead"; so they probably feared that he really would come forth from the tomb. Whatever conscience they had made great cowards of them; so they begged Pilate to do what he could to prevent the rising of their victim. Deceiver (4108) planos wandering, leading astray (adj.), a deceiver (subst.). It is used metaphorically for deliberately and deceptively leading people away from the right path, lying to people about God or about the reality of life and thus getting them off course. Used in 1 Ti 4:1 as an adjective and in the other 3 NT uses (Mt. 27:63 "that Deceiver" referring to Jesus Who is The Truth!; 2 Co. 6:8 = "deceivers"; 1 2 Jn. 1:7 = "deceivers...deceiver") as a noun. Did the Pharisees take Jesus’ resurrection prediction more seriously than did his disciples? (Mt 27:63-64): In response to their asking him for a sign, Jesus had earlier predicted his resurrection to the scribes and Pharisees (Mt 12:38ff). That the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate the day after Jesus’ crucifixion shows that they had not forgotten Jesus’ enigmatic prediction. There are at least two reasons they took the prediction seriously enough to request a guard. First, they had heard about or witnessed Jesus’ miraculous powers and they wanted to make certain that whatever power enabled Jesus was not liberated. They had previously charged Jesus with acting under Satanic influence (Mt 12:24) and may have anticipated more deceptive signs and wonders. Furthermore, the events at the crucifixion, including the darkness, the tearing of the temple curtain, and the earthquakes must have given them pause. It had impacted the Roman centurion and his men (causing them to give a striking confession about Jesus’ identity in Mt 27:54), as well as the crowds, who went away from the crucifixion “striking their chests” (Luke 23:48), expressing perhaps the beginnings of guilt and contrition that prepared the way for the thousands who repented at Pentecost (Acts 2:41; cf. Nolland 1993, 1159). Second, Jesus’ disciples remained free. The chief priests and Pharisees assumed that the disciples had heard Jesus’ prediction and had taken it seriously, and that they might therefore fake a fulfillment by stealing his body. This was a sensible move by the religious leaders, but ironically they had misjudged the disciples, who seem not to have remembered Jesus’ resurrection prediction in the midst of their fear, grief, and disillusionment. (See Holman Apologetics Commentary - The Gospels and Acts) Matthew 27:64 “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” and steal: Mt 28:13 so: Mt 12:45 See Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus - Parallel Passages Matthew 27 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Matthew 28:13+ and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ RELIGIOUS LEADERS FEAR RESURRECTION HOAX Therefore (oun) Term of conclusion. Because they remember Jesus said He would rise from the dead, precautions would need to be put in place. Donald Hagner points out that "The incongruous, ironical result is that the opponents (THE JEWISH LEADERS) took Jesus’ words about rising from the dead more seriously than did the disciples! A vague fear in this case was a greater motivation than the hope of the disciples." Give orders (keleuo in aorist imperative) for the grave (taphos) to be made secure (asphalizo) until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first - Give orders (keleuo) is the Jewish leaders making another demand on Pilate! The irony is that when the body was gone, they invented the very lie they describe here and were attempting to protect against! (see Mt 28:13). Leon
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Spurgeon - Their jealous hatred led them to mar their own Sabbath and Passover by appeals to a heathen ruler. Little did they know of that spiritual Sabbath-keeping, which makes us lay aside our cares and even our own thoughts upon the hallowed day of rest. Otherwise His disciples (mathetes) may come (erchomai) and steal (klepto) Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen (egeiro) from the dead,’ and the last (eschatos) deception (plane) will be worse (cheiron) than the first (protos) - What is fascinating is that the leaders eventually were forced to promote the very thing that here they call "the last deception" when the tomb was found empty. Indeed their last deception was the greatest, for belief in that deception will take a person to hell! Matthew 28:11-15+ records the last deception by the deceivers, the hypocritical religious leaders... Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12 And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ 14 “And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.” 15 And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day. William Lane Craig writes "The point is that the Jews did not respond to the preaching of the resurrection by pointing to the tomb of Jesus or exhibiting his corpse, but entangled themselves in a hopeless series of absurdities trying to explain away his empty tomb. The fact that the enemies of Christianity felt obliged to explain away the empty tomb by the theft hypothesis shows not only that the tomb was known (confirmation of the burial story), but that it was empty ... The fact that the Jewish polemic never denied that Jesus’ tomb was empty, but only tried to explain it away is compelling evidence that the tomb was in fact empty. (SEE THE EMPTY TOMB: FACT OR FICTION? - Craig lists 8 eight considerations which furnish evidence that the tomb of Jesus was found empty on Sunday morning by His women followers) A T Robertson on the last deception - The last delusion, imposture (Weymouth), fraud (Moffatt). Latin error is used in both senses, from errare, to go astray. The first fraud was belief in the Messiahship of Jesus, the second belief in his resurrection. (ED: BUT OF COURSE, NEITHER WAS A FRAUD BUT BOTH WERE TRUE!) Give orders (Command) (2753) keleuo means to set in motion, urge on. In the NT, used generally with the meaning of to command, order something to be done. Imperfect active, repeatedly ordered. The usual formula of command was: “Go, lictors; (the "policemen" in Acts 16:35, 38) strip off their garments; let them be scourged!.” Louw-Nida - to state with force and/or authority what others must do—‘to order, to command.’ Deception (4106) plane from planos = deceitful, root idea = has idea of wandering) (Click word study of related verb planao) describes a roaming or a wandering and then figuratively a going astray or a wandering out of the right way. The verbal form planao means to cause to wander off the path, to cause someone to hold a wrong view and so to mislead or deceive. The literal use in the sense of roaming is found in the Greek historian Herodotus who records this note of Solon "who roamed the earth in search of new information". Plane in the present verse describes one who wanders from the path of truth, orthodoxy or piety and into error, delusion or deceit.
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Spurgeon - Thus, unwittingly, helping to secure testimony for the resurrection such as none could gainsay. It was now impossible for his body to be stolen, and if he came forth it must be by supernatural power. Oh, blind Jews, thus to ensure their own confusion! Blinder yet are they who believe that Jesus rose, and yet do not put their trust in him. And along with the guard (koustodia) they set a seal (sphragizo) on the stone (lithos) - Note that in Mt 27:60 Joseph and Nicodemus had rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb. Now the Jewish religious leaders make the stone secure by (1) posting guards and (2) setting a wax seal on the large stone. The only way that body would get out of that tomb would be through a miraculous resurrection. They "double down" with a guard and a seal! Thinking like natural men (1Co 2:14), they reasoned that surely this would be enough to keep the body of Jesus from disappearing! Bruce Barton suggests that "they made sure the tomb was sealed and guarded. The tomb was made secure by stringing a cord across the stone that was rolled over the entrance. The cord was sealed at each end with clay." (See Life Application New Testament Commentary) A T Robertson on set a seal - Probably by a cord stretched across the stone and sealed at each end as in Daniel 6:17. The sealing was done in the presence of the Roman guard who were left in charge to protect this stamp of Roman authority and power. They did their best to prevent theft and the resurrection (Bruce), but they overreached themselves and provided additional witness to the fact of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus (Plummer). Marvin Vincent on along with the guard they set a seal - Lit., having sealed the stone with the watch. Rev., Sealing the stone, the guard being with them. This is rather awkward, but the rendering rightly corrects the A. V. The idea is that they sealed the stone in the presence of the guard, and then left them to keep watch. It would be important that the guard should witness the sealing. The sealing was performed by stretching a cord across the stone and fastening it to the rock at either end by means of sealing clay. Or, if the stone at the door happened to be fastened with a cross beam, this latter was sealed to the rock. TSK - Everything was here done which human policy and prudence could, to prevent a resurrection, which these very precautions had the most direct tendency to authenticate and establish. Spurgeon - The chief priests and Pharisees wanted Pilate to make the sepulcher sure, but he left them to secure it. There seems to have been a grim sort of irony about the governor’s reply, "You have a watch; go your way, make it as sure as you can." Whether he mean it as a taunt, or as a command to secure the sepulcher, they became unconsciously witnesses that Christ’s resurrection was a supernatural act. The tomb in the rock could not be entered except by rolling away the stone, and they guarded that by sealing the stone, and setting a watch. According to the absurd teaching of the Rabbis, rubbing ears of corn was a kind of threshing, and, therefore, was unlawful on the Sabbath; yet here were these men doing what, by similar reasoning, might be called furnace and foundry work, and calling out a guard of Roman legionaries to assist them in breaking the Sabbath. Unintentionally, they did honor to the sleeping King when they obtained the representatives of the Roman emperor to watch his resting-place until the third morning, when he came forth Victor over sin, and death, and the grave. Thus once more was the wrath of man made to praise the King of glory, and the remainder of that wrath was restrained. NET NOTE - Grk “with the guard.” The words “soldiers of the” have been supplied in the translation to prevent “guard” from being misunderstood as a single individual. Henry