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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 27:1 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 27:1 recounts a pivotal moment in the Passion narrative, the period leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

As morning arrives, the chief priests and elders, the leading authorities of the Jewish people at that time, convene to devise a strategy to have Jesus executed legally by the Roman authorities.

The phrase "took counsel" suggests a deliberate and calculated meeting, indicating that the plot to kill Jesus was premeditated and carried out under the guise of legality.

The verse underscores the rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders and sets the stage for the subsequent events of Jesus's trial and crucifixion.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, Judea was under Roman occupation, with the Jewish Sanhedrin retaining limited authority over religious matters.

The chief priests and elders who feature in this verse were members of the Sanhedrin, a governing body which could not carry out capital punishment without Roman approval.

Therefore, any decision to put Jesus to death needed to be sanctioned by the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, because the Jews lacked the legal authority to carry out an execution on their own.

Theological Insights

This verse is significant in Christian theology for several reasons.

It demonstrates the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies about the suffering and betrayal of the Messiah, such as Isaiah 53:3.

It also speaks to the theological concept of Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb, willing to endure suffering and death out of obedience to God's will and to bring salvation to humanity.

From different theological viewpoints, this verse represents the stark contrast between human schemes and divine providence, with God's ultimate plan of salvation unfolding despite or even through the actions of Jesus's adversaries.

Practical Applications

The actions of the chief priests and elders challenge believers to consider their responses to Jesus's teachings and presence in their lives.

The text invites reflection on how individuals might collude in injustice when feeling threatened by change or challenged by divergent views.

It also serves as a reminder of the call to live with integrity and to avoid the pitfalls of seeking power over others at the expense of righteousness.

Cross-References

Matthew 26:3-4: "Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him."
Matthew 26:59-61: "Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none.

At the last came two false witnesses."

John 11:53: "Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "took counsel" is "συμβούλιον" (symboulion) which means a joint resolution or plan made by consulting together. This reflects that the decision to put Jesus to death was a collective and premeditated one.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The Jewish leaders' actions can be compared with various other ancient accounts in which a religious or political establishment feels threatened by a dissenting individual, often leading to the individual’s persecution or execution.

For example, in classical mythology, figures like Socrates were put to death for their challenging ideas, which threatened the status quo.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific perspectives primarily engage with the historical veracity of such events and psychological analyses of the characters involved.

However, the verse's emphasis is on the social and political dynamics rather than on areas affected by science.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have discussed Matthew 27:1 in regard to the fulfilment of prophecy, the legal and political maneuvering of the Sanhedrin, and the ultimate sovereignty of God amidst human plots.

Some focus on the verse as an example of human sin and rejection of God's plan, while others discuss the divine foreknowledge and the purpose of Jesus's death in the salvific plan.

The general consensus is that this verse highlights the convergence of human and divine activity wherein God's redemptive work is accomplished through the crucifixion, a path marked by suffering and injustice.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:1 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 27:1 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?