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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 27:48 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 27:48 describes a moment of interaction between Jesus and some of the bystanders during His crucifixion. Here, Jesus has already been nailed to the cross and is enduring the final agonies before His death.

Traditionally, victims of crucifixion suffered from extreme thirst due to the combination of blood loss and dehydration.

In response to Jesus' expression of thirst, one of the individuals present at the crucifixion runs to get a sponge, soaks it in vinegar (sour wine), places it on the end of a reed (or hyssop stalk), and holds it up to Jesus' mouth to drink.

This act could be seen as one of mercy to alleviate Jesus' suffering, though it also fulfills a specific prophecy from the Old Testament regarding the Messiah's crucifixion.

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Historical Context

The Gospel according to Matthew is a first-century text, and this verse is set during the Roman occupation of Judea.

Crucifixion was a common form of execution used by the Romans for criminals and those considered a threat to the state.

The practice was designed to be both slow and public, serving as a deterrent through the display of suffering and humiliation.

Vinegar wine was a cheap, sour wine consumed by soldiers and lower classes.

The use of a reed to extend the sponge to Jesus' mouth indicates the crucifixion victims were elevated, which would have prevented by-standers from easily reaching them.

Theological Insights

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

Fulfillment of Prophecy: The offering of vinegar is seen as a fulfillment of Psalm 69:21: "They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink." It emphasizes that Jesus' life and death were in accordance with the scriptures.
Jesus' Humanity: This gesture underscores the physical reality of Jesus' suffering, demonstrating His true humanity and His experience of human pain and thirst.
Mercy and Mockery: Various interpretations conflict on whether the act was one of compassion or an extension of the mockery Jesus faced.

Some theologians suggest that the vinegar was a further insult, while others interpret it as a common act to provide relief to those being crucified.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of Matthew 27:48 may include:

Compassion: This verse can inspire acts of mercy and compassion towards those who suffer, encouraging believers to offer comfort, no matter how small the gesture may seem.
Fulfillment of Scripture: Believers may be reminded of the importance of prophecy in the Bible and the role it plays in affirming their faith.
Reflection on Suffering: It can also prompt personal reflection on the suffering of Christ and the ways in which individuals participate in the suffering or comforting of others.

Cross-References

Psalm 69:21 - "They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink."
John 19:28-29 - "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth."

Language Study

In the Greek text, the word used for "vinegar" is ὄξος (oxos), which refers to a sour or weak wine, likely what the soldiers drank.

The word for "sponge" is σπόγγος (spongos), similar to the English word, used for absorbing or holding liquid.

The term "reed" is καλάμῳ (kalámo), often used to indicate a long-stalked plant such as hyssop or a similar plant used as a makeshift pole.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The act of giving a suffering person a drink, particularly in their final moments, resonates with multiple cultural and religious practices as a final act of kindness.

In ancient Greco-Roman culture, offering comfort to those suffering was considered a common act of compassion. Within Jewish customs, providing comfort to those dying aligns with acts of hesed (loving-kindness).

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, the offering of vinegar could be seen as an attempt to hydrate, which is crucial as the body loses fluids through the trauma of crucifixion.

However, vinegar, being acidic, might not effectively relieve thirst and could even exacerbate the sensation.

Commentaries

Commentators have offered various perspectives on this verse:

Some suggest that the acidic nature of the vinegar symbolizes the bitter cup of suffering that Jesus drank from, further alluding to the agony of the crucifixion.
Others view the event as a fulfillment of Old Testament messianic prophecy, accentuating Matthew's intent to present Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
Some focus on the debate over whether the act was one of kindness or mocking, reflecting the different attitudes of the people present at the crucifixion.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:48 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 27:48 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?