SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 27
JUDAS HANGS HIMSELF (vs. 1-10)
The chief priests and the elders of the people decided to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. They did not accept the coins and told him: “That is your responsibility” (v. 4). So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and decided to use it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That place is called the Field of Blood to this day.
JESUS BEFORE PILATE (vs. 11-26)
When Pilate asked Jesus : “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied: “Yes, it is as you say.” (v. 11). Now, it was the governor’s custom at the Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. A notorious prisoner called Barabbas was called and presented to the crowd. Pilate asked them whom they want him to release: Barabbas or Jesus? While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him a message not to condemn that innocent man because she had suffered a great deal in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. So before Pilate condemned Jesus, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd and declared: “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility!” (v. 24) All the people answered, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!” (v. 25). So Pilate released Barabbas and had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
THE SOLDIERS MOCK JESUS (vs. 27-31)
The soldiers took Jesus, stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him and set a twisted crown of thorns on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him saying: “Hail, king of the Jews!” (v. 29) They spite on him and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. Then they took off the robe and put his own cloths and led him away to crucify him.
THE CRUCIFIXION (vs. 32-43)
As they were going out, they met Simon, a man from Cyrene and forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall, but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. They placed a written charge – “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews” against him on his head. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him telling him to save himself and come down from the cross if he is the Son of God. The chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders also mocked him saying: “He saved others but he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel!. Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said. “I am the Son of God” (vs. 42-43)
THE DEATH OF JESUS (vs. 43-56)
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour, darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice :”My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v. 46) When Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of Gods!” (vs. 54), Many women were there watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Hoses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
THE BURIAL OF JESUS (vs. 57-61)
As evening approached, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph wen to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Pilate gave it to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
THE GUARD AT THE TOMB (vs. 62-65)
The next day after the Preparation Day, the chief priest and the Pharisees went to Pilate and told him to give an order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day because they were afraid that his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. So, Pilate give them the permission to go and make the tomb as secure as they know how. The put a seal on the stone and post a guard to watch it.
THOUGHTS:
JESUS’ RESPONSE WHILE SUFFERING:
- He did not reply when accused. (vs. 11-14) – There is a time to speak and a time to remain silent.
- He did not retaliate when abused. (vs. 15-31) – Be obedient to God’s will.
- He did not accept the cup of wine offered to him. (vs. 32-38) – Refuse illegal means to lessen your pain.
- He did not come down from the cross (vs. 40-44) – Fulfill God’s mission to the end.
The Jewish leaders used a political strategy for the Roman court to arrest Jesus. They showed Jesus as a rebel who claimed to be a king and thus a threat to Caesar.
The chief priests gave Judas the money to betray Jesus. But when Judas returned the money, they did not accept it because they knew that was a payment for murder. Instead, they told Judas that it was his responsibility, not theirs.
Pilate was supposed to administer justice. His conscience told him that Jesus was innocent. And his wife had a nightmare. But he was afraid of the crowd because the Jews threatened to report Pilate to Caesar. For fear of being recalled by Rome, and to maintain peace, he submitted to the crowd’s demand. He washed his hands to erase his guilt but the guilt remained. People in leadership position must be firm and just in their decisions. Don’t make excuses – take responsibility for the decisions being made.
The Temple had three main parts: The Courts, the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The curtain separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place was torn in two at Christ’s death. It symbolized that the barrier between God and humanity was removed. Now, all people are free to approach God because of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.
The Pharisees were afraid of Jesus’ resurrection. They tried to take precaution that his body would remain in the tomb. So, they made sure that the tomb was thoroughly sealed and guarded by asking guards to be placed at the tomb’s entrance. But on the third day, Jesus was risen. So the chief priests met with the elders to devise a plan. They gave the soldiers a large sum of money and told them to say that His disciples came during the night and stole him away while they were asleep.