Matthew chapter 27
Matthew chapter 27
Scripture:
Today I will summarize Matthew chapter 27 where Judas felt remorse. Where Jesus was brought to the Roman Governor. Where the Governor sentenced Jesus to death without cause or evidence. What happened when Jesus was dying on the cross? What happened after Jesus did die and what the authorities did to guard the tomb of Jesus? Judas saw that Jesus was captured and sentenced to death. He felt remorse. Judas thought Jesus was the savior of the Jewish people and a military leader. He could not understand why Jesus was constantly talking about his death. So, Judas forced the issue. Judas thought Jesus would be forced to exert his authority if he was arrested.
So, Judas tried to make that happen but Jesus did not do so. He humbly accepted his arrest and conviction and Judas felt remorse. He returned to the religious leaders and said I have sinned and betrayed innocent blood. The leaders said we don’t care what you think. Go away. So, Judas threw the thirty pieces of silver into the sanctuary and went away. Judas then committed suicide by hanging himself. The chief priest took the money and said it is not lawful to put this money back in the temple treasury since its blood money. So, they purchased a field from someone who created pottery and used it for a cemetery for strangers and they called it the field of blood. This fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy that said they took the thirty pieces of silver.
The price of the one whose price has been set and they gave the silver to buy the potter’s field as the lord directed them. Religious leaders brought Jesus to the Roman Governor. They thought they could blame the Romans for killing Jesus. Instead of having the guilts of his blood on them. They started accusing Jesus of many things trying to see what would stick in the eyes of Pilate the Governor but Jesus would not defend himself with any of the charges. Pilate said don’t you hear how many things they are accusing you of. Pilate was amazed that Jesus was silent.
The chief priest accused Jesus of claiming to be the king of Jews. They thought that would be enough to force Pilate to execute Jesus. So, Pilate asked Jesus are you the king of the Jews? Jesus replied Yes, I am. The Pilate’s wife came up to him. She said to have nothing to do with this righteous man. She said she suffered greatly last night in a nightmare dream because of him. This shocked Pilate and he wanted to listen to his wife. He planned to release Jesus and be done with this court case. He knew the religious leaders had brought Jesus to him because they were Jealous of him. At every Passover festival, the Governor was in the habit of setting free any one prisoner the crowd asked for. I will release one prisoner as is customary.
Whom do you want me to release for you? Jesus your king or Barabbas the Murderer? The Pilate thought surely the people would pick Jesus but the religious leaders stirred up the people into a near riot. Pilate frowned, turned to the crowd, and said, what should I do with Jesus then? The crowd chanted crucify him. Pilate was very astonished. He said this man has not done anything wrong that you people suggest such a punishment. When Pilot saw he was accomplishing nothing and a riot might break up he took a bowl of water. In front of the crowd, he washed his hands. He said I am innocent of this man’s blood. In unison, the crowd shouted back that’s fine the guilt of this man’s blood can be on us and our children. Pilate bowed his head and shrugged then released the murderer and gave orders to mercilessly whip and crucify Jesus.
The religious leaders and council of elders had a wicked smirks on their faces while the Roman soldiers started torturing Jesus. They whipped him a hundred times with a cat-o-nine-tails, with a bone and glass tip at each of the nine tips. They stripped him and put a king’s robe on him. They put together a crown of long thorns, smashed it down on Jesus’s head, gave him a walking stick, bowed down, and mocked him saying things like Hail King of the Jews. They took his stick and beat him on the head driving the thorns deep. Blood splashed everywhere.
They took the robe off and threw the heavy cross on his back and ordered him to walk. But he could not walk with the cross because his body was so damaged. So, the soldiers forced a man named Simon from Cyrene to Carry the cross. They arrived at Golgotha (the place of the skull) where the cross was to be put in the ground. The Soldiers stripped Jesus and crucified him and then divided his clothes among them. Above his head, they put a notice of the written accusation against him. This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. Then they crucified two bandits with Jesus one on the right and the other on the left. People passing by shook their heads and hurled insults at Jesus.
They mocked him and said “you were going to destroy the temple and build it up again in three days. First, save yourself if you are God’s son! Come down from the cross!” In the same way, the chief priests and the elders, and the teachers of the law jeered at him. “He saved others but he cannot save himself”. Even the bandits who had been crucified with him insulted him in the same way but later one of them repented for his sin. The religious leaders mocked him and said you claim you are God’s son and the Messiah. If you can come down from the cross right now, we will believe in you. Some strange things began happening to the world as Jesus was crucified. At noon darkness fell across the land until Jesus died. Jesus cried out and said “My God, My God why have you forsaken me? Some of the Bystanders said oh he’s calling for Elijah to save him. Let’s see if he comes.
Then Jesus cried out in a loud voice and said it is finished. He yelled in agony and said father into thy hands I commend my spirit and on saying this he breathed his last. Suddenly at that very second, a great earthquake shattered the land. The veil hanging in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The tombs of the righteous saints who died were split open as a sidenote it states that they were resurrected and walked through the city after Jesus rose from the dead. Everyone there who witnessed the crucifixion was frightened. Even the Roman soldiers who executed Jesus were frightened and they said surely this man is the son of God. Then everything calmed down again for a few hours.
The soldiers who were ordered to make sure all the prisoners were dead before evening did what they were instructed. One soldier stuck a spear into Jesus’s heart. Water and blood came out from his heart. When evening came a rich man named Joseph from Arimathea arrived. And He was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate the Governor and asked for Jesus’s body. Pilate respected this man and for some reason approved the request.
Joseph had a beautiful tomb carved out of a rock. Joseph wrapped Jesus’s body with a new linen sheet and put him in the tomb. Then he rolled a large stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and Mary Jesus’s mother were watching all this taking place. The Pharisees and the chief priest went to Pilate on the Sabbath day. They said we remembered Jesus repeatedly telling everyone that he was going to rise from the dead on the third day. Give us soldiers to make the tomb secure so that Jesus’s disciples don’t come and steal away the body and tell everyone he rose from the dead. So, Pilate gave the order. They made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and leaving the guard on watch.
OBSERVATION:
The thing I think the Lord wants us to understand after reading this chapter is that there is a difference between feeling remorse like Judas did and repenting for offending the Holy and perfect God. Many times, remorse leads to suicide but true repentance always leads to eternal life God wants us to see that even evil and wicked people fulfilled prophecies. God s glorified when his enemies unwittingly follow his designs and plans. God wants us to see that Pilate the Governor knew Jesus was innocent but Pilate cared most about his job and status than caring about doing what was right. The Lord wants us to understand that Jesus stated clearly that he was the king of the Jews. God wants us to see that Jesus endured more physical and emotional suffering than anyone else ever and he did it willingly for us. Jesus made a decision when he was going to yield up his spirit. The Lord wants us to see that Jesus’s Crucifixion removed all barriers between himself and humankind. The temple veil that separated the holiest place from the other areas was torn from top to bottom showing us that he initiated and finished the tearing.
God wants us to see that he resurrected other and Godly saints at the same time that Jesus rose from the dead. God wants us to see that even Jesus’s executioners saw the things that happened during the crucifixion and admitted that Jesus is the son of God. The Lord wants us to see that there was numerous regular and special sabbath day during this week before and during Passover. God wants us to see that everyone including the religious leaders understood that Jesus stated multiple times that he was going to be crucified and be resurrected after three days. Instead of believing Jesus, the leaders tried to take steps to prevent the resurrection from happening. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the central point in all of human history. There is still time to repent for sinning against God. The time is almost expired. Why don’t you turn from your sin right now and repent? let us place our faith in Jesus Christ for Salvation. Jesus humbled himself and died on the cross for me and you.
Prayer:
Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I need you and want your forgiveness. I accept your death as the penalty for my sin. And recognize that your mercy and grace is a gift you offer to me because of your great love, not based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me your child. By faith, I receive you into my heart as the son of God and as the savior and lord of my life. From now on, help me live for you, with you in control. In your precious name, I pray. Amen.
