PrevMatthew 27:43Next

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 27:43 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 27:43 comes from the account of Jesus' crucifixion.

It reflects the mockeries that Jesus faced while he was on the cross.

The onlookers challenge Jesus' claim of divinity and his trust in God, suggesting that if he is truly the Son of God, he should be able to save himself from his current predicament.

They taunt him by saying that if God values him, then God should rescue him.

The literal meaning is clear; it reflects a direct challenge to Jesus' relationship with God and his previous claims.

Deeper meanings might explore themes of doubt, faith, and the fulfillment of prophecy, along with the irony that while Jesus had saved others, he chose not to save himself to fulfill his messianic mission.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Matthew 27:43 is part of the New Testament narrative of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

It's important to understand that crucifixion was a common Roman method of execution, known for its extreme cruelty and shamefulness.

Jesus being crucified would have been perceived as weakness and defeat by many at the time.

The taunts in this verse reflect the cultural expectations of the Messiah as a militaristic and political deliverer, rather than a suffering servant, which would have been at odds with Jesus' actual mission.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse can be seen through the lens of Jesus' fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, his role as a suffering servant, and the concept of divine paradox, where apparent defeat is actually victory.

It engages with the doctrine of kenosis, the self-emptying of Jesus' own will and becoming entirely receptive to God’s divine will.

Some theologians might see it as highlighting the mystery of the incarnation: Jesus, fully human, suffers and is subject to ridicule, yet he remains fully divine.

Practical Applications

This verse can prompt reflection on faith under adversity. For modern believers, it might suggest that being a follower of Christ does not guarantee escape from suffering or mockery.

Furthermore, it could encourage believers to put trust in God's plans, even when those plans don't align with immediate rescue or relief from difficult situations.

The verse can also challenge individuals to consider how they respond to mockery or doubt related to their faith.

Cross-References

Psalm 22:8 "He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him."
Matthew 4:3 "And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."
Matthew 26:63 "But Jesus held his peace.

And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God."

Luke 23:35 "And the people stood beholding.

And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God."

Language Study

The key phrases in the original Koine Greek text of Matthew 27:43 include:

ἠλπίσεν (ēlpisen): Translated as "he trusted," which implies a reliance or confidence.
εἰ (ei): Often translated as "if," it denotes a conditional statement here and carries a tone of challenge.
θέλει (thelei): This means "he wills" or "he wants," reflecting the question of God's desire to save Jesus.
σῴζειν (sōzein): This verb means "to save" or "to deliver," and its tense here reflects a present action that should be taken, according to the mockers.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient myths, the theme of a divine figure facing trials or even death is not uncommon. For example, the stories of dying-and-rising gods in some religious traditions mirror aspects of the crucifixion and resurrection narrative.

However, the unique element in the Christian account is the idea of a divine figure voluntarily undergoing suffering for the sake of humanity's redemption, which sharply contrasts with the more triumphal or cyclical characteristics of other ancient myths.

Scientific Perspectives

The relationship between Matthew 27:43 and scientific perspectives is largely based on historical and psychological analysis rather than empirical science.

Historical studies can provide insights into the methods of Roman crucifixion, while psychology can delve into the human behaviors and cognitive biases reflected in the taunting and mocking of figures believed to hold different or challenging beliefs.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators have long reflected on Matthew 27:43.

Some emphasize the fulfillment of prophetic Psalms, like Psalm 22, which describes the suffering of an innocent person and includes language echoed by the mockers at the cross.

Others may point out the irony in the mockers' words; though intending to deride Jesus, they were unwittingly declaring a truth about his identity and mission.

Commentators like William Barclay note the challenge this verse presents, emphasizing Jesus' embodiment of divine love by remaining on the cross rather than saving Himself.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:43 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 27:43 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?