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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 27:7 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 27:7 details a decision made by the chief priests and elders of the Jewish community following Judas Iscariot's act of returning the thirty pieces of silver he had received for betraying Jesus.

Feeling remorse for his betrayal, Judas attempts to return the blood money, but the priests cannot accept it back into the treasury as it is viewed as the price of blood.

Thus, they decide to use the money to buy a potter's field, which would serve as a burial place for foreigners - individuals who died in Jerusalem but were not native to the area and did not have their own burial plots.

The deeper meaning of the verse connects to the themes of atonement and redemption.

The purchase of the field serves as a metaphor for the redemption offered by Jesus' sacrifice, with the field becoming a resting place for strangers, symbolizing Jesus' role as the redeemer for all humanity, not just the nation of Israel.

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Historical Context

The verse from Matthew 27:7 takes place in the context of first-century Judea under Roman rule. During this period, the Jewish religious leaders had considerable influence over their communities but were also under the watchful eye of the Roman authorities.

The religious laws and customs of the time dictated strict guidelines on handling money gained from immoral sources.

The "potter's field" mentioned, also known as Akeldama in Aramaic (meaning "Field of Blood"), is traditionally believed to be located south of Jerusalem's old city. It gained this name because it was bought with the price of Jesus' life, considered "blood money."

Theological Insights

Different theological interpretations understand this verse in varying ways.

The traditional Christian interpretation sees the chief priests' actions as inadvertently fulfilling prophecy; specifically, the prophecy from Zechariah 11:12-13 which speaks of thirty pieces of silver being thrown to the potter.

Moreover, it illustrates how even the acts of unrighteous individuals can play a part in God's overarching plan for salvation.

Some more liberal theologians may view this narrative as a way for the early church to connect its story to Old Testament prophecy, thus giving it greater legitimacy and aligning itself with Jewish scripture.

Practical Applications

This verse suggests several practical applications for daily life.

One is the theme of responsibility for one's actions.

The chief priests, when faced with the dilemma of what to do with the returned money, take action that serves the needs of the community, despite their involvement in the deceit.

Another application can be found in the act of providing a burial place for strangers, highlighting the importance of caring for those who are disadvantaged or outside one's immediate community. This message encourages inclusivity and compassion for all, regardless of their origin.

Cross-References

Zechariah 11:12-13: "And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear.

So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them..."

Exodus 21:32: "If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty pieces of silver, and the ox shall be stoned."
Acts 1:18-19: "Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out."

Language Study

The key words in this verse hinge on the original Greek terms:

"Took counsel" (συμβούλιον εἰλήφασιν, symboulion eilēfasin): This phrase implies deliberate consideration and plotting, indicating a premeditated plan.
"Bought" (ἠγόρασαν, ēgorasan): This term relates to a financial transaction or purchase, highlighting the use of money for a purpose.
"Potter's field" (ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεράμεως, agron tou kerameōs): Refers to a field associated with a potter, which could indicate that it was land previously used for clay extraction and thus not suitable for cultivation.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of using blood money to purchase a burial ground for the poor or strangers can be compared to the ancient practice often seen in various cultures of addressing guilt associated with one's actions.

In many ancient societies, and still in some cultures today, there are rituals and practices aimed at cleansing or atonement for wrongdoings, often including financial compensation or offerings.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the reference to a potter's field could be of interest to archaeologists and environmental scientists. These fields often contain clay-rich soil, as they are locations where potters sourced their material.

Therefore, the verse may offer historical clues about the land use and economic activities (pottery making) in ancient Judea.

Commentaries

Various Biblical commentaries have provided insight into this verse. For instance:

The Pulpit Commentary emphasizes the fulfillment of the prophecy in Zechariah and discusses the actions of the chief priests as practical while still serving God's greater plan.
Matthew Henry's commentary explores the remorse of Judas, the chief priests' self-righteousness, and the providence of God in using even sinful actions to achieve a foreordained purpose.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges sheds light on the legalistic approach of the chief priests and their attempt to adhere to the law while still enabling their conspiratorial act.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:7 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 27:7 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?