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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 27:54 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 27:54 describes the reaction of a centurion and those with him who were watching Jesus as He was crucified.

Upon witnessing the events surrounding Jesus' death, including an earthquake and other phenomena, they were filled with awe and fear, leading them to proclaim that Jesus was indeed the Son of God.

This is a significant moment in the Passion narrative, as it entails a recognition of Jesus' divine identity, and notably, it comes from a Roman centurion, an unlikely witness considering the cultural and political tensions between the Romans and the Jewish people at the time.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew was written in a Jewish milieu, likely between 80-90 A.D.

It was a time after the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem (70 A.D.) when the early Christian community was trying to define its identity apart from mainstream Judaism.

The presence of a Roman centurion, an officer in the occupying Roman army, acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God would have been a powerful image for Matthew's readers.

It highlights that Jesus' message and identity could have an impact beyond the Jewish community and reach the broader, Gentile world.

Theological Insights

The confession of the centurion carries deep theological implications.

From a Christian perspective, this moment confirms Jesus' divine nature, which is a cornerstone of the Christian faith. The centurion's profession of faith contrasts with the mocking and disbelief of the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers described earlier in the narrative.

Furthermore, some theologians interpret this passage as an example of God revealing Himself to all humanity, not just to the Jews. It can also be seen as partial fulfillment of the prophecy that Gentiles would come to worship the God of Israel.

Practical Applications

The response of the centurion can serve as a model for a transformative encounter with the divine.

The centurion witnessed the darkness, the earthquake, and perhaps even the tearing of the veil in the Temple, and his heart was changed.

Through this, individuals today can find inspiration to be open to experiencing awe and recognizing divine presence in life's extraordinary moments.

It also encourages people to be open to truth wherever and from whomever it is revealed, even in the most unexpected circumstances.

Cross-References

Mark 15:39: "And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God."
Luke 23:47: "Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man."
Acts 10:1,34-35: "There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band...

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him."

Language Study

The key terms in the original Greek text include:

"Centurion" (κεντυρίων): A Roman officer in charge of a centuria, typically about 80-100 men.
"Feared greatly" (ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα): The combination of ‘feared’ (ἐφοβήθησαν) and ‘greatly’ (σφόδρα) underscores the intense reaction of awe and reverence.
"Truly" (ἀληθῶς): An affirmation of truth, emphasizing the sincerity of their statement.
"Son of God" (θεοῦ υἱός): A title acknowledging the divine nature and relationship of Jesus to God the Father.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader Greco-Roman world, divine attributions were often made to emperors and heroic figures. For a Roman centurion, however, to recognize a condemned Jewish man as divine was contrary to typical Roman beliefs.

In contrast to ancient myths where gods often appear in strength, the Christian narrative has the divine revealed in moments of apparent weakness, challenging the conventional understanding of power and divinity in the ancient world.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse mentions an earthquake, which can be studied from a scientific perspective. Earthquakes were known to occur in the region, including the Levant, and can be linked to the geological activity along the Dead Sea Transform fault system.

While some argue these details could have been a natural phenomenon, others see them as a narrative device to emphasize the significance of Jesus' death.

Commentaries

Various biblical commentaries offer insights into this verse.

For example, the Pulpit Commentary suggests that the centurion, being a Roman and presumably a polytheist, might have used the term "Son of God" in a way different from the Christian understanding, more as an exclamation of Jesus' innocence or divine favor.

Meanwhile, the Matthew Henry Commentary emphasizes the power of God's manifestations in converting souls, showcasing how a hardened soldier could come to such a profound revelation.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges sees the centurion's proclamation as fulfilled prophecy, linking it to the inclusive message of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles.

Matthew 27

Matthew 27

What does Matthew 27:54 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 27:54 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?