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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 27:23 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 27:23 is situated during the trial of Jesus Christ before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Despite his attempts to release Jesus, Pilate faces a crowd demanding crucifixion.

In this verse, Pilate expresses bafflement, asking what crime Jesus has committed to warrant such punishment.

The crowd, however, does not provide any justification and instead continues to clamor for his execution.

On a literal level, this is a political exchange between Pilate and the people of Jerusalem.

On a deeper level, the verse highlights themes of injustice, mob mentality, and the tragic destiny of innocence in a fallen world.

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Historical Context

Matthew 27:23 is part of the Passion narrative within the Gospel of Matthew, which describes the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus.

Historically, this took place under Roman rule, wherein the Sanhedrin (Jewish council) could not legally execute someone without Roman consent.

Pilate, depicted as reluctant and seeking to absolve himself of responsibility (as seen in his act of washing his hands later in the narrative), is emblematic of Roman authority prioritizing order over justice.

The historical timeframe is around the early first century CE.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse touches on several key points:

The innocence of Christ: Jesus, perceived as sinless, faces unjust demands for his death.
The concept of substitutionary atonement: Jesus is seen as willingly suffering punishment on behalf of others.
Human depravity and sin: The demands of the crowd reflect humanity's capacity for cruelty and injustice.
Divine sovereignty: Despite the apparent injustice, the event is within God's salvific plan, as prophesied in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.

Practical Applications

In daily life, this verse can serve as a caution against joining a mob mentality without critical thought. It can inspire individuals to seek justice and truth, even when it is unpopular.

Furthermore, believers can find comfort in the idea that God is in control, even in situations that seem chaotic or unjust, and that sometimes difficult circumstances might be part of a larger plan.

Cross-References

Isaiah 53:3: "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."
Psalm 22:16-18: "For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture."

Luke 23:21: "But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him."
John 19:6: "When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him."

Language Study

The key phrase in question is, "Let him be crucified." In the original Greek text, this is written as "Σταύρωσον αὐτόν" (stauroson auton).

The word "σταυρόω" (stauroo) means to crucify, which derives from "σταυρός" (stauros), meaning a stake or a pole, and by extension, a cross. The imperative mood indicates a strong command, reflecting the intensity of the crowd's desire.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Crucifixion was a common form of execution in the Roman Empire, serving as a punishment for slaves, pirates, and enemies of the state.

The demand for Jesus' crucifixion by the crowd can be compared to other ancient practices where the populace would call for the death of individuals in the favor of what they believed to be the greater good or satisfaction of their gods, as seen in various pagan sacrificial practices.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives may not directly apply to this verse.

However, they can offer insight into the physical and psychological aspects of mob behavior, and the forensic details of crucifixion as a mode of execution.

Psychologists might analyze the phenomenon of crowd psychology evident in this narrative, where individual decision-making is supplanted by the collective will.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians have a range of interpretations for this verse.

Some, such as Raymond E. Brown, see Pilate as a complex figure, caught between his perception of Jesus’ innocence and his political need to placate the crowd. Others, like William Barclay, emphasize the tragic nature of the crowd’s blind demand for crucifixion, which overlooks justice.

Many commentaries highlight the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies through these events, focusing on the messianic mission of Jesus as the suffering servant.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:23 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 27:23 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?