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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 27:47 mean?

Explanation

This verse is taken from the Gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus is depicted suffering on the cross.

The people who stood there misinterpreted Jesus's cry of "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" which translates to "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" from the cross.

Those present thought he was calling for Elijah (Elias being the New Testament Greek form of Elijah).

In Jewish tradition, Elijah was expected to come to the aid of the righteous and was associated with the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of Israel.

The mishearing and misinterpretation of Jesus invoking God as Elias can reflect the misunderstanding of Jesus's role and mission by those present at the crucifixion.

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Historical Context

Matthew 27:47 reflects the crucifixion scene, central to Christian belief.

The gospel was written in a time when the early Christian community was distinguishing itself from mainstream Judaism, and the misunderstanding of Jesus's cry could be seen as indicative of the divide between the Jewish expectations of a Messiah and the Christian belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

The misinterpretation of Jesus's cry reflects how his true message and identity may have been misunderstood or not fully recognized by those around him, including the religious leadership and Roman authorities of the time.

Theological Insights

From a theological viewpoint, the cry to Elijah can be seen from two perspectives: firstly, as a fulfillment of prophecy, with Jesus being linked with the coming of Elijah as prophesied in Malachi 4:5; secondly, as a revelation of the depth of Jesus’s suffering and his feeling of abandonment at that moment.

This verse also serves to illustrate the humanness of Jesus, expressing the depth of despair that he felt on the cross, a point that is central to the Christian belief in the incarnation.

Practical Applications

Matthew 27:47 encourages believers to recognize that even the Son of God experienced deep despair and feelings of abandonment.

The verse can be used to comfort those who themselves feel forsaken or desperate, reminding them that Jesus also felt similar emotions.

It also challenges individuals to seek a deeper understanding of the circumstances and words of others, rather than making quick judgments based on misunderstandings.

Cross-References

Matthew 27:46: "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?"
Mark 15:34-35: "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias."
Malachi 4:5-6: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, "Ἠλίαν" (Elian) refers to "Elijah" and showcases a key linguistic element of the verse.

Additionally, "φωνεῖ" (phonei) translates as "calls" or "is calling", indicating an active vocalization. Understanding these key terms highlights the specific names and actions taking place in the verse and the potential for misinterpretation based on phonetic similarity.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The expectation of Elijah's return is rooted in Jewish eschatology, where Elijah would herald the messianic age.

In this cultural context, the crowd's misunderstanding can be seen as a symbol of the broader confusion about Jesus's identity as the Messiah and the nature of his mission.

This symbol has parallels in other cultural and religious stories where prophets or central figures are misunderstood by their contemporaries.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives might examine the psychological and physiological aspects of crucifixion, particularly the strain it would place on a person, potentially affecting their speech and clarity. This could contribute to the crowd's misunderstanding.

Additionally, the acoustics of the environment and the condition of the bystanders could also play a role in the misinterpretation of Jesus's words.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Matthew 27:47 offer a range of interpretations.

Some suggest that the bystanders' confusion illustrates the depth of Jesus’s isolation at his death.

Others see it as highlighting the fulfillment of Scriptural prophecy, particularly regarding Elijah's return.

Still, others interpret it as an opportunity to reflect on the reality of Jesus's suffering and his identification with the human condition, including feelings of abandonment.

Commentators also often discuss the importance of understanding Jesus’s words and actions in the context of Christian theology and salvation history.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:47 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 27:47 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?