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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 27:51 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 27:51 describes a scene that takes place immediately following the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

This verse notes two supernatural events: the tearing of the veil in the temple and a significant earthquake that caused the rocks to split.

The veil was a substantial curtain that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple in Jerusalem, and only the High Priest was permitted to pass beyond it, and then only once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

The rending of the veil from top to bottom signifies the removal of the barrier between God and humanity, symbolizing that through Jesus' sacrifice, all people now have direct access to God.

The earthquake and the splitting of rocks might signify the great significance of the moment and the upheaval that the death of Jesus represented.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and one of the four canonical gospels that provide accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Written primarily for a Jewish audience, Matthew's gospel often refers to prophecies from the Old Testament and describes their fulfillment through Jesus.

During the time when these events took place, the temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life.

The Holy of Holies was seen as the earthly dwelling place of God's presence, and the veil emphasized the separation between God and fallen humanity due to sin.

Theological Insights

Theologically, the rending of the temple veil is rich in symbolism.

From a Christian perspective, it is seen as a key indicator of a new covenant between God and humanity.

The tearing of the veil is viewed as God's work (from the top to the bottom), as opposed to being torn by human hands, underscoring the divine initiation of the new covenant.

It signifies that with the sacrificial death of Jesus, the need for a separate priesthood and the barrier to the Holy of Holies were abolished.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Matthew 27:51 encourages believers to understand and embrace the concept of direct access to God.

It suggests that individuals no longer require an intermediary, such as a priest, to communicate with God or seek forgiveness.

The theological implications guide Christians to approach God confidently in prayer, seek personal reconciliation with Him, and understand their relationship with God as being based on grace through faith in the work of Jesus Christ.

Cross-References

Exodus 26:31-33: And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.

And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.

Hebrews 10:19-20: Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Leviticus 16:2: And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for veil is "καταπέτασμα" (katapetasma), which refers specifically to the curtain separating the Holy from the Most Holy place in the temple.

The verb "ἐσχίσθη" (eschisthē) means "was torn" or "was rent," emphasizing the sudden and violent nature of the act.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, including those of the Near East, sacred spaces were often separated by curtains or veils, symbolizing a barrier between the divine and the mundane.

Similar to Judaism, entering these spaces was typically restricted to religious leaders or kings.

The rending of the temple veil in the context of Jesus' death would have resonated with many contemporary cultures as a momentous event symbolizing a dramatic shift in the access to the divine.

Scientific Perspectives

The mention of an earthquake in this verse can be considered from a scientific viewpoint. Earthquakes were, and still are, natural occurrences in the region around Jerusalem due to the seismic activity associated with the Dead Sea Transform fault system.

While a natural earthquake could cause the tearing of structures, including temple veils, the timing of the earthquake with Jesus' death is viewed by believers as a significant divine event rather than a mere coincidence.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians have long discussed the significance of Matthew 27:51.

Some, like John Calvin, emphasize that the tearing of the veil signifies the openness of the way to God and the end of the old ceremonies.

Matthew Henry comments on the greatness of the miracle, that the temple was shaken and the most sacred part of it remarkably exposed.

Modern scholars often point to the theological symbolism of the event, suggesting that Matthew's gospel portrays the tearing of the veil as a sign of the inauguration of a new era in religious history.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:51 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 27:51 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?