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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 27:49 mean?

Explanation

This verse, Matthew 27:49, records an instance during the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, where the onlookers are mocking Him.

As He hangs on the cross, after expressing His sense of abandonment in the previous verse by crying out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?", some bystanders misinterpret His plea as a call to Elijah (Elias is the Greek form of Elijah).

They suggest waiting to see if Elijah will come to save Him.

According to Jewish tradition, Elijah, the Old Testament prophet, was expected to return before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, as prophesied in Malachi 4:5.

At that time, he was believed to bring about reconciliation.

The mockers' suggestion is drenched in irony, they are unwittingly recognizing Jesus as the potential Messiah while also doubting His divine mission.

They believe that if He were truly the Son of God, He would be rescued in a miraculous way, possibly by Elijah himself.

The deeper meaning touches upon the rejection of Jesus by His own people and the misunderstanding of His mission. It illustrates the disbelief and scorn that Jesus faced, and it also serves to fulfill the Scriptures that foresaw His suffering.

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Historical Context

During the first century AD, when this Gospel was written, Roman crucifixions were commonplace as a method of executing non-citizens, slaves, and insurrectionists.

Matthew is one of the four Gospels in the New Testament and is traditionally considered to be written by Matthew, one of Jesus' twelve apostles.

However, modern scholarship often attributes it to an anonymous Jewish-Christian author writing after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.

To the Jewish people of the time, the return of Elijah was a significant eschatological event. The Feast of Passover, which is when the crucifixion took place, included a tradition where a glass of wine would be left out for Elijah in anticipation of his return.

Hence, the reference to Elijah in this verse reflects the messianic expectations present among the Jewish people at the time.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints interpret this event and the role of Elijah in varying ways.

Traditional Christian Theology: The mockers' call for Elijah is seen as a sign of ignorance, for Jesus did not need to be saved from the cross; His death was part of God's redemptive plan for humanity.
Jesus' cry is often understood in Christianity as a quotation from Psalm 22, demonstrating His fulfillment of prophecy and aligning His suffering with the experiences of the Psalmist, serving as a model for the righteous sufferer.
Liberation Theology: This perspective might emphasize the systemic injustices that led to Jesus' execution and the cruel reality of the Roman Empire's oppression.
Eschatological Views: Some theologians may underscore the verse's anticipation of Elijah as a symbol of hope for future divine intervention and justice.

Practical Applications

Practically speaking, this verse can:

Encourage empathy and compassion toward those who suffer injustices, reminding believers of Jesus' own experience of mockery and pain.
Call Christians to faith even when divine intervention seems absent, as Jesus remained committed to His mission despite apparent abandonment.
Warn against the dangers of misinterpreting scripture or God's actions, emphasizing the need for humility and discernment.

Cross-References

Psalm 22:1 - "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Malachi 4:5 - "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD."
Matthew 17:11-13 - Jesus identifies John the Baptist as Elijah come to prepare the way.
Luke 23:35-37 - Bystanders also mock Jesus at the crucifixion in Luke's account, where they challenge Him to save Himself.

Language Study

A close examination of the original Greek language used in Matthew 27:49:

"Elias" (Ἠλίας): the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Elijah," a significant Old Testament prophet.
"Let be" (ἄφες): A verb meaning "leave [it/him]", often interpreted here as "wait" or "hold on."
"Let us see" (ἴδωμεν): From the Greek verb "ἰδεῖν," to see or perceive, reflecting a sense of anticipation.

These key terms provide a deeper understanding of the bystanders' intentions and the sense of expectancy for a miraculous event to occur.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparative cultural and religious studies, one might find similarities with other stories of saviors or martyrs from ancient myths who are mocked or challenged at the time of their suffering or death.

For instance, some parallels can be seen in the ridicule faced by figures in various mythological traditions prior to their ultimate vindication or exaltation, suggesting a common motif of testing the true nature of a hero or divine being.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, the verse does not directly interact with scientific concepts, as it is a depiction of a historical event and the cultural beliefs of the time.

However, the physiological and psychological aspects of Jesus' suffering can be analyzed to understand the intense stress and pain experienced during crucifixion.

Commentaries

Various biblical commentaries offer differing interpretations of this verse:

Some suggest that the crowd's actions are partaking in the fulfillment of prophecies by demonstrating the contempt that the Messiah would endure.
Others emphasize the wrong expectations of the Messiah held by many at the time, expecting a political hero rather than a suffering servant.
There is also a scholarly debate about whether Matthew 27:49 alludes to an apocryphal ending of the Psalm 22, suggesting a deeper connection between the Psalm and the crucifixion narrative.

Overall, experts in biblical studies view the mocking of Jesus as indicative of His complete abandonment by humans, pointing instead towards His reliance on the Father's will, culminating in the salvation narrative of Christianity.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:49 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 27:49 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?