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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 27:12 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 27:12 depicts a scene during Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. When the chief priests and elders accused Jesus, He chose not to respond to their allegations.

This verse illustrates Jesus’ decision to remain silent in the face of accusations.

It portrays Him as composed and restrained, refraining from defending Himself when many would expect Him to argue His innocence.

The silence of Jesus can be interpreted as a fulfillment of prophecy, particularly that of Isaiah 53:7, and a demonstration of His willingness to accept the fate that awaits Him.

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Historical Context

The verse is set in Judea during the first century A.D., when the region was under Roman occupation.

Trials in Roman-occupied territories would sometimes include both a religious examination by local authorities, in this case, the Sanhedrin, the governing body of Jewish priests and elders, and a subsequent civil trial overseen by the Roman governor, if the case involved potential capital punishment.

In Jesus' trial, the chief priests and elders sought to persuade Pilate to execute Jesus, accusing Him of various crimes including blasphemy and rebellion against Roman authority.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this silence of Jesus fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of the suffering servant, specifically as mentioned in Isaiah 53:7, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth..." His silence can also be seen as an act of submission to God's will.

Different theological viewpoints may examine the significance of this moment differently.

In Catholic theology, Jesus' silence is an example of humility and patience in the face of unjust suffering.

In Protestant theology, it can be considered a demonstration of Jesus' commitment to accomplishing salvation through His sacrifice.

Practical Applications

For individuals looking to apply the teachings of this verse in their lives, Jesus' silence in response to accusations might suggest various virtues such as patience, self-control, and trust in God's justice.

It can also encourage believers to endure unjust criticism or suffering without feeling the need to retaliate or defend themselves, trusting in a higher justice and purpose.

Cross-References

Isaiah 53:7 - "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
1 Peter 2:23 - "Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "answered" is "ἀπεκρίνατο" (apekrinato), which can mean "he answered", "he responded", or "he replied".

The Greek carries with it a connotation of a measured or formal response, and Jesus' choice not to "apekrinato" indicates a deliberate silence in this formal setting.

Additionally, "οὐδὲν" (ouden) translates directly to "nothing," underscoring the completeness of Jesus' silence.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, including Greco-Roman and Jewish traditions, speech was an important element of a trial.

A defendant's silence could be interpreted in various ways, ranging from an admission of guilt to a display of noble endurance.

Contrastingly, in some Eastern traditions, silence could be used as a method to convey wisdom or transcendence above worldly concerns, which can parallel interpretations of Jesus' silence in Matthew 27:12.

Scientific Perspectives

There isn't a direct scientific correlation to Jesus' silence before his accusers as described in Matthew 27:12, as this is a historical and religious account.

However, psychology might offer insights into the impact of such silence on observers and the accused. Silence can be a powerful social and psychological tool, affecting the dynamics of a situation and the psychological state of those involved.

Commentaries

Commentaries on this verse offer various perspectives on its significance.

As noted by Matthew Henry, Jesus’ silence was a fulfillment of prophecy and a demonstration of His divine patience.

John Calvin suggests Jesus' restraint in defending Himself was to fulfill His role as the Redeemer, and not to avoid death.

Modern theologians continue to explore the gravity of Jesus’ silence, seeing it as a profound response to a situation where any words would have been futile or misinterpreted.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:12 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 27:12 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?