PrevMatthew 27:58Next

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 27:58 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 27:58 describes an event following the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus who appears to have been a member of the Jewish council but secretly followed Jesus, approaches Pontius Pilate to ask for Jesus' body.

It was customary for victims of crucifixion to be left on the cross as a form of further humiliation and as a deterrent to others.

However, Joseph wants to ensure that Jesus receives a proper burial. Pilate, the Roman governor who had presided over Jesus' trial and authorized his crucifixion, agrees to Joseph's request and commands that the body be handed over to him.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Matthew 27:58 is set in Jerusalem during the time of the Passover, a significant Jewish festival, during the governorship of Pontius Pilate (26-36 AD).

Joseph of Arimathea is described as a wealthy man and a respected member of the council, which is likely to mean the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews.

Roman law usually permitted the family of the executed to retrieve the body for burial, but in the case of crucifixion, the authorities sometimes left bodies on the cross to decompose as a warning.

In this particular case, the transfer of Jesus' body is unusual and indicates that Pilate may have been convinced of Jesus' innocence or yielded to Joseph's respectability.

Theological Insights

Theologically, the act of Joseph of Arimathea is seen differently by various Christian traditions.

For many, it is an act of piety and devotion.

It fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9 about the suffering servant being "with the rich in his death." Joseph's actions also underscore the real physical death of Jesus, countering any docetic heresies that claim Jesus only seemed to suffer and die.

From a Catholic perspective, this verse indicates respect for the body and the importance of burial rites, while some Protestant interpretations focus on the fulfillment of prophecy and the fact that even in death, Jesus was surrounded by signs of his kingly status.

Practical Applications

This verse can inspire acts of courage and faithfulness in the face of adverse circumstances.

Joseph of Arimathea shows boldness by approaching Pilate, and reverence for Jesus through his actions.

This can be applied in being courageous in one's convictions and showing respect for the deceased through proper burial practices.

It also touches on the broader theme of standing up for what is right, even in situations where one's status could be compromised.

Cross-References

Mark 15:43: Joseph of Arimathea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
Luke 23:52: This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
John 19:38: And after this Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave.
Isaiah 53:9: And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Language Study

Key words for analysis in the original Greek text include:

"begged" (ᾐτήσατο, ētēsato): This implies an earnest request or plea, showcasing Joseph's determination.
"body" (σῶμα, sōma): This term affirms the physicality of Jesus' death and the corporeal nature of the crucifixion.
"commanded" (ἐκέλευσεν, ekeleusen): Reflecting the authoritative power of Pilate to release Jesus' body for burial.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the cultural context of the time, burial was a significant religious practice in Judaism, with specific rituals to be followed for the deceased.

Comparatively, in ancient Egyptian mythology, the care of the body after death was crucial for the afterlife journey.

The embalming and burial practices of the Egyptians also showed reverence for the body.

In Greek and Roman narratives, heroes often fought for the bodies of their comrades to ensure a proper funeral, as seen in Homer's "Iliad" with Achilles and Patroclus.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific understandings of death underscore the commitment to treating human remains with dignity. Forensic anthropology, for example, respects the dead by carefully studying human remains to understand the life and death of individuals.

The verse's focus on the care for Jesus' body aligns with contemporary sciences' respect for human remains, although differing on religious motivations.

Commentaries

Most biblical scholars and theologians agree on the significance of Joseph's actions as both a fulfillment of prophecy and an act of respect.

Some commentaries emphasize the courage Joseph displayed, approaching Pilate when Jesus' own disciples had fled. Others note the political and social implications for Joseph since aligning himself with a crucified person could tarnish his reputation.

Commentators also highlight Pilate's role and his possible motives, with some suggesting Pilate's action as a concession to a prominent council member or as a tacit acknowledgment of Jesus' innocence.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:58 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 27:58 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?