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Matthew 27

When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

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 he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

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.

And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.

Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

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.

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

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.

Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

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!

And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

And sitting down they watched him there;

And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.

Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

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?

Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

What does Matthew 27:2 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 27:2 describes the moment after Jesus Christ was arrested and then handed over to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.

Jesus had been arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane and initially brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin, which was the assembly of Jewish religious leaders who accused Him of blasphemy.

After a series of interrogations and a hastily arranged trial by the Jewish authorities, they concluded that Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, which they deemed worthy of death under Jewish law.

However, they lacked the authority to carry out a death sentence, as Judea was under Roman rule at the time. As a result, they bound Jesus and took Him to Pilate with the intention of securing a Roman death sentence for Him.

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Historical Context

This event takes place during the first century in the Roman province of Judea.

At this time, Judea was a client state of the Roman Empire, with Pontius Pilate appointed as its governor from around AD 26 to 36.

The Jewish religious leaders were subject to Roman law when it came to capital punishment, necessitating their bringing Jesus before the Roman authorities.

This verse is a pivotal moment in the Passion narrative, reflecting the legal and political dynamics between the Roman authorities and the Jewish Sanhedrin.

Theological Insights

Various theological viewpoints examine this verse differently.

For traditional Christian theology, this moment is seen as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the suffering and rejection of the Messiah (e.g., Isaiah 53, Psalm 22).

It also emphasizes Jesus's submission to authority and to the unfolding divine plan of salvation for humanity.

Some theologians argue that this transfer of Jesus to Pilate demonstrates the Roman judicial system's role in the crucifixion and reflects on issues of justice, power, and the innocence of Jesus amid political and religious manipulation.

Practical Applications

From a practical standpoint, this verse can inspire individuals to consider the role of justice and legality in their lives.

It raises questions about the handling of power and authority, and challenges believers to reflect on how they engage with and respond to governing systems.

It might also encourage a willingness to endure unjust suffering, as Jesus did, as a testament to faith and a commitment to righteousness.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:63-65 - Jesus before the Sanhedrin being accused of blasphemy.
John 18:28-31 - Jesus taken to Pilate because the Jews could not legally execute anyone.
Acts 3:13-15 - Speaks to Jesus being delivered to Pilate and denied by the people.
Isaiah 53:3 - A prophecy describing the rejection of the Messiah.
Psalm 22:1-18 - A psalm that foreshadows the suffering of the Messiah, also quoted by Jesus on the cross.

Language Study

Analyzing the original Greek text is crucial to understanding the nuances of this verse.

The word "bound" (ἔδησαν) indicates Jesus was tied up or restrained, implying a form of humiliation and mistreatment.

The word "led him away" (ἀπήγαγον) signifies taking Him from one authority (the Sanhedrin) to another (Pilate).

The name "Pontius Pilate" (Ποντίου Πιλάτου) highlights the historical Roman figure who played a critical role in the events leading up to the crucifixion.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

When comparing this passage to other ancient myths and religious stories, one could reference practices of bringing a person before rulers or gods for judgment.

Many ancient cultures, such as the Greeks and Romans, had myths where individuals were brought before deities or kings to face their fate.

However, a unique aspect of this event in the Christian tradition is that the person being judged is also the divine figure himself, according to Christian belief.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, this verse doesn't offer much by way of direct relevance.

However, forensic science may provide insight into the physical realities of what being "bound" and subjected to a Roman trial would entail.

Additionally, archaeological science helps corroborate the historical existence of figures like Pontius Pilate and contributes to our understanding of the socio-political structures of the time.

commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer a range of interpretations of Matthew 27:2.

William Barclay observes that the religious leaders needed to charge Jesus with a political crime to provoke Roman interest, as religious offenses would not warrant Pilate's involvement.
John Calvin discusses the irony of the situation, where those who are supposed to be teachers of the law manipulate legal proceedings to achieve their own ends.
Matthew Henry comments on the willingness of Jesus to submit to the injustices of human systems for the higher purpose of God's redemptive plan.
The New International Commentary on the New Testament points out the tragic miscarriage of justice in this legal transfer while emphasizing the fulfillment of prophetic Scripture through these events.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:2 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 27:2 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

commentaries

Want more context?