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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 27:22 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 27:22 depicts a critical moment during the trial of Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea.

Pilate, facing a crowd that has been incited by the chief priests and elders, asks them what he should do with Jesus, whom they call Christ.

The response from the crowd, "Let him be crucified," reflects their desire for the death penalty, a sentence that crucifixion implies.

On a literal level, this verse shows the crowd's choice, possibly influenced by their leaders, for the most severe and humiliating form of Roman execution.

On a deeper level, this verse can evoke themes of injustice, mob mentality, the fulfillment of prophecies regarding the Messiah, and the acceptance of a destined path that leads to the crucifixion of Jesus, which is central to Christian soteriology, the doctrine of salvation.

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Historical Context

This verse is set within the context of Passover, a pivotal Jewish festival commemorating the Exodus from Egypt, which brought large numbers of Jews to Jerusalem.

During this period, it was customary for the Roman governor to release a prisoner of the people's choice.

The political climate was tense, with Roman authority often clashing with Jewish religious leaders and the general populace.

Jesus had been arrested and brought before Pilate after being accused by the Jewish authorities of various charges, including claims of being the King of the Jews, a title with political repercussions.

Historically, Pilate's actual inclination was to release Jesus, as he found no fault in him, yet the crowds were persuaded to choose the release of Barabbas, a known criminal, over Jesus.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, the verse signifies the will of God being carried out through the actions of human beings, even when they act unjustly.

It's an instance where human and divine agencies intersect, reflecting key Christian beliefs about the preordained sacrifice of Jesus for the redemption of humanity's sins.

This event has been interpreted as a necessary step in salvation history, where Jesus' death would become the atonement for all, representing the ultimate display of God's love and justice.

Practical Applications

Matthew 27:22 can remind individuals of the importance of discerning what is just and standing up for it, rather than capitulating to popular opinion.

It may serve as a warning against the dangers of crowd mentality and the ease with which people can be influenced to make decisions that cater to the lowest common denominator, rather than making moral and ethical choices.

In daily life, one can apply this lesson by striving to remain true to one's convictions, even under pressure from the majority.

Cross-References

John 19:15: "But they cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him.

Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar."

Mark 15:13-14: "And they cried out again, Crucify him.

Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him."

Luke 23:21: "But they shouted, saying, Crucify [him], crucify him."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text from this verse are "Τί οὖν ποιήσω Ἰησοῦν τὸν λεγόμενον Χριστόν;" (Ti oun poiēsō Iēsoun ton legomenon Christon?), which is literally translated as, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" The term "Χριστόν" (Christos) translates to "the Anointed One," signifying the Messiah.

The verb "ποιήσω" (poiēsō) implies action, what one should do or make, with a connotation of destiny or decree in this context.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The call for the crucifixion of Jesus can be compared to other religious narratives where a central figure is sacrificed or suffers for the sake of a greater good.

For instance, in some interpretations of the Pagan myth of the dying and resurrecting god (like Osiris), there are parallels to the notion of a divine figure facing death to facilitate a transformation or redemption.

While these comparisons exist, they are typically used in comparative religion and not necessarily accepted within mainstream Christian doctrinal teachings.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the method of crucifixion was a common Roman punishment, particularly for slaves and individuals deemed the most dangerous to the state.

It was designed to produce a slow and painful death with maximum humiliation.

While the passage does not offer scientific content for analysis, archeology and forensic science have provided insights into the brutal nature of crucifixion as a form of ancient execution.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have provided insights on Matthew 27:22.

Some focus on the historical reliability of Pilate's character as a governor who wished to avoid unnecessary trouble, thus being subject to popular opinion.

Others emphasize the prophetic fulfillment aspect of this scene, where the call for crucifixion is seen as the unfolding of divine prophecy regarding the Messiah's suffering.

There are also discussions about the socio-political dynamics at play between Pilate, the Jewish authorities, and the people, shedding light on the tensions and complexities of governance and religious leadership during that period.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:22 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 27:22 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?