AM February 9th Matthew 27

February 9^th Matthew 27

Christ before Pilate

1: When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Judas dies

3: 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, 4: Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5: And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6: 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. 7: And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8: Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9: 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; 10: And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

Christ before Pilate again

11: 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. 12: And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13: Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14: And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

Christ sentenced to die

15: Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16: And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17: 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? 18: For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19: 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. 20: But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21: The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 22: Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23: And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. 24: 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. 25: Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 26: Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Christ mocked by the soldiers

27: Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28: And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29: 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! 30: And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 31: 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.

Judas suddenly realised that he had betrayed Christ and made a few bob on the side, but that Christ was actually not going to set himself free. He was devastated. He wanted to undo the thing that he had done but found that he could not. He tried to give the money back, but the religious authorities were not going to give up Christ. They took the money and bought a cemetery to bury the dead. It was possibly an unworkable field of clay or maybe it was full of broken pots. When Christ stood before the governor the charge laid before him was political. The charge was treason. He was asked, are you the king of the Jews? Christ said you are right. But he answered nothing more. Pilate the Governor sought for a way to escape his responsibility so he invoked a custom to grant clemency to one prisoner at the Passover. Pilate wanted it to be Christ but the religious leaders encouraged the mob to ask for Barabbas to be released. Barabbas was a vicious criminal. And so Barabbas – the ‘Son of the Father‘, took the place of Jesus the ‘Son of God’. The wife of Pilate joined in the pressure on Pilate. She had suffered a nightmare regarding Christ and she warned Pilate to have nothing to do with condemning this righteous man. Pilate asked the mob what he should do with Jesus – and they called for his execution. Pilate knew that execution without due cause was murder. Pilate then asked, WHY? What evil has he done? Perhaps he thought that this might change their minds by common sense and a sense of natural justice. Pilate decided that he would take his wives advice, so he called for a bowl to wash his hands of the issue. The mob said, don’t worry Pilate, we will take the blame for his murder. Pilate released Barabbas and took Christ way to be prepared for the crucifixion by his soldiers. They stripped him. Clothed him in scarlet, crowned him with thorns, gave him a reed as a sceptre, and they mocked him in pretend adoration. Then they took the reed and hit him on the head with it. Then they took off the scarlet robe and redressed him in his own coat. And then they led him away to be crucified.

• Why did the Jewish leaders send Christ to a trial by Pilate?
• Why did Pilate sentence Christ when he knew he was innocent?
• How did the Roman Soldiers humiliate Christ?