Matthew XXVII
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.
Trapp says: “They had broken their sleep the night before, and yet were up and at it early the next morning, so soon as the day peeped. So sedulous are the devil’s servants. Esau began to wrestle with Jacob even in the very womb, that no time might be lost.” The point to be noted carefully is, that the religion of the day was the destroyer of Christ. They were not pagans but Jews who bound the Lord’s anointed with cords, and drove the iron through His flesh. Did ever “morning” lighten on such a scene? They carried everything their own way. Not a sign of resistance was offered by Jesus Christ. Is there no meaning in this continued and immoveable placidity? If the conception of it as a feature in fabled history be not the result of the most cunning knavery, the placidity must be traced to causes no less than Divine. It was foretold in prophecy; it was consistent with the whole tenor of Jesus Christ’s spirit; and was in beautiful consistency with the object which He proposed to accomplish. The Jews resorted to the lowest expedient, — their answer to Jesus Christ’s challenge was death! Can death permanently interrupt the progress of truth? History has told no fact more repeatedly than that truth cannot be destroyed; the Speaker may be killed, but the speech is immortal. These two verses, humanly viewed, present a dark aspect of Christianity, — but is not the night God’s as well as the day? i. Judge nothing in parts; 2. Human extremities are Divine opportunities; 3. The very elect may appear to be given over to the devouring enemy.
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.
I. Look at the reaction of the moral nature. Conscience resumes its function, and not a tittle of trespass is forgotten. 2. In this reaction see an illustration of the retributive force of outraged right. God does not destroy sinners, they destroy themselves, — every sinner is on the road to self-destruction. Emphatically, “the wages of sin is death.” When the Holy Ghost is quenched, man’s existence is intolerable. This confession of Judas is valuable: — 1. As a testimony to the life which Jesus Christ lived amongst his disciples; 2. As illustrative of the relative strength of conscience and selfishness; and, 3. As showing the uselessness of money as a compensation for moral loss. But for Christ’s expression (John xvii. 12) concerning Judas, it might have been inferred that this repentance (though the word is simply fieTa/uLeXrjOeis, hardly implying more than temporary sorrow) was all that was possible under the circumstances. Even in the expression referred to, as Dr. Adam Clarke points out, it is acknowledged that Judas was “given” to Christ. The theory that Judas took his part merely to hasten the development of Christ’s kingly purposes is untenable in view of the facts: — 1. That Judas was called a thief and a devil before the betrayal; and, 2. That his work was distinctly ascribed by Christ Himself to the action of the devil upon the mind. The case of Judas shows these awful possibilities: — 1. Of being nominally a disciple; 2. Of being an unworthy officer in Christ’s kingdom; and, 3. Of repenting too late.
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.
The language of the chief priests shows how well they knew the meaning of their work. 1. “It is the price of blood,” — but of what is that blood itself the price? “Ye are bought with a price.” “Ye are not redeemed with corruptible things,” &c. 2. They bought a burial place with the money, — but what a scene of resurrection was about to be witnessed? All that men can do for their dead is to find them a burial place, — but Jesus Christ can recover and immortalise their life. 3. The ancient prophecy was fulfilled, — but how much brighter a prophecy opened its vision ‘. On the human side of this transaction there is nothing but death, — look at the expressions, “hanged himself,” “price of blood,” “to bury strangers in,” “the field of blood.” On the Divine side there is redemption, resurrection, and immortality.
Trapp’s observations on the 8th verse are striking: “‘The field of blood,’ not the burial place for strangers, as they would have had it called (thinking thereby to have gotten themselves an eternal commendation, for their love and liberality to strangers), but ‘the field of blood’ (so the vulgar would needs call it, much against their masters’ minds), for a lasting monument of their detestable villany, which they thought to have carried so cleverly that the world would have been none the wiser; and therefore they would not kill Christ themselves, as they did Stephen; but to decline the envy, delivered Him up to Pilate to be put to death. It is hard if hypocrites be not, by one means or another, detected; how else would their names rot?”
1 1. 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.
There was no doubt much in the conduct of Jesus Christ to perplex observers, and it is of the highest consequence that all the perplexing circumstances should be referred to some general principle rather than connected with variations of mere temper. That Jesus Christ should have given answers so curt, or been silent under circumstances which even challenged self-vindication, is most singular, if His life and purpose be judged by ordinary rules. Most men would have hailed with gladness the opportunity of full explanations which Pilate afforded; when Peter and John were arraigned before the council they boldly defended the action which had been made matter of accusation; and when Paul was put upon his defence, he said, “I think myself happy, king Agrippa;” yet when Jesus Christ was called upon to speak for Himself He spoke the fewest possible words, or preserved the most embarrassing silence. Does this not hint the possibility of something being about to transpire which no speech could explain and no defence avert? Jesus Christ’s part in these final proceedings clearly shows that the case was far removed from common ground, and suggests that if the man be all that he claims, the explanation will come afterwards. Whether that explanation did come must be answered by those who believe not only in the crucifixion but in the resurrection.
The 13th verse is remarkable: “Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?” Had it been a merely personal matter, Jesus Christ was bound, for the sake of the men whom He had drawn around Him, to explain and defend His course; His silence must be held to signify that there were events to be developed which alone could throw light upon present difficulty, and that knowing this, no good could come of intermediate and superficial references. We all know that cases arise in common experience in which explanation must be a question of time. Explanation cannot always be instantaneous and complete; the deeper the mystery the greater the time required for its solution. Regarded from this point of view, the conduct of Christ in the closing scene suggests: — 1. That personal interests may require occasional subordination to public purposes; 2. That temporary silence is not to be ascribed to inability or self-accusation; 3. That after such silence there may come a command to preach the Gospel to every creature; 4. That complete judgments cannot be formed upon incomplete evidence.
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?
1 8. 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.
The preference of Barabbas to Jesus Christ shows: — i. That the care of the Jews was not to put down mere crime, for Barabbas was a robber; 2. That religion may degenerate into irreligion; 3. That envy is of the nature of murder.
The message which Pilate’s wife sent shows: — 1. The connection between the mind and the unseen state; 2. God’s independence of human instrumentality in revealing the character of His Son; 3. God’s power of troubling the conscience in defence of Jesus Christ; 4. God’s method of employing one human being to warn another. “Why not have troubled Pilate’s own mind? Men are stimulated and strengthened by outside help; human life should be a mutual ministry. Have we not felt that if another voice than our own would but speak to us in certain crises of life, we should be encouraged to give effect to good impulses and convictions?
The influence of the chief priests and elders upon the multitude shows: — 1. How power may be abused; 2. How leading men may make a convenience of the multitude; 3. That an action is not necessarily right simply because it is supported by the leading men of the day; 4. That men judge superficially who imagine that by destroying a teacher they have also destroyed his doctrine.
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.
These verses may be taken as showing the relation of Pilate to the whole transaction: — 1. The mind of Pilate was favourably disposed towards Jesus. This was, had they known it, a severe reflection upon the Jews. Jesus was better received by strangers than by “his own.” (John i. n.) 2. Pilate was embarrassed by the legal question on which the Jews laid so much stress. They said that if Pilate let Jesus go he was not Caesar’s friend; they said further, “We have a law, and by that law he ought to die.” 3. Pilate openly expressed his conviction of the justness of Jesus Christ, — “I am innocent of the blood of this just person.” This was an independent and impartial testimony, showing the moral worthlessness of the charges which had been urged against Jesus Christ, as they were viewed by a man who was free of traditional prejudice. It does not appear just to condemn, as many have done, the spirit and conduct of Pilate. Speaking of Jesus Christ not having done any evil, Trapp says: “If He hath done no evil, wherefore doth not Pilate pronounce Him innocent, contra gentes, and quit Him by proclamation? which, because he did not, but the contrary, was he not therefore by a just judgment of God upon him, kicked off the bench by the Emperor Tiberius? “The note of Chrysostom is in the same vein:” If he was just why didst thou not set him free, as the tribune did save Paul afterwards? Wherefore Pilate with the priests and people falleth into the same sin. The wicked priests instigate the people, the people have not the power to deny the priests, and the most weak and cowardlyminded judge had not the power to deny the people.” The opinion of Jerome would seem not only more sensible but more accurate:” The judge who is compelled to give sentence against the Lord doth not condemn Him being offered, but reproveth those that bring Him, pronouncing Him to be just who was crucified. ‘See ye unto it.’ I am a minister of the law, it is your voice that sheddeth blood. In that he scourged Him before the crucifying, it is to be understood that Pilate served the Roman laws, whereby it
Y was enacted that every man who was to be crucified should first be scourged.”
25. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
This is the cry of murderers, yet by a change of spirit it may be made the prayer of a penitent world! The text may be used to show that in one of two senses the blood of Jesus Christ must be upon all people and their children; either — 1. In the sense of destruction, — for every impenitent sinner crucifies the Son of God; or, 2. In the sense of salvation, — for without the shedding of blood there is no remission, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin. No man who has heard the Gospel can escape relation to Jesus Christ’s blood.
26. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
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.
32. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.
33. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
34. They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
35. 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.
36. And sitting down they watched him there:
37. And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
39. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,
40. 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.
41. Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,
42. 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.
43. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
45. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46. 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?
47. Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48. 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.
49. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51. 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;
52. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53. And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
The non-resistance of Jesus Christ, considering all that has been seen of His power over men and nature, is quite inexplicable, except on the principle that some object was to be wrought out which required the utter subordination of the individual will. Would He, who had been so careful over other people’s lives, be wantonly careless of His own? Judged upon common principles Jesus Christ’s conduct was not merely imprudent, it was immoral; so to speak, He was an accomplice in the work of His own destruction; without a struggle, without even a protest, He yielded Himself to the will of His tormentors. Did He prefer death to such a humble and exhausting life as He had been living? Did He
Y 2 choose the less of the two evils? If so, He was no Saviour; He yielded because the pressure was too much for Him, — and therein He proved Himself to be but a common man.
If we accept this theory it must be at the expense of the testimony of the whole life. Jesus Christ never held human life lightly; He was never a silent party to any deed ofi mischief or oppression; where force was forbidden, He at least availed Himself of the right of protest; hence the whole bearing of His course must be consulted as the best interpretation of the final tragedy. The difficulty has been explained in a manner which not merely saves, but exalts and glorifies the consistency of the whole life: — “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.” The case was not one for argument. Words were of no use. What was begun in Eden must be finished on Calvary, — human nature must exhaust its utmost capacity of wickedness. Look, with some minuteness, into the account: — They stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe; there was nothing royal in the appearance of His own raiment. This is an incidental illustration of the simplicity of Jesus Christ’s life. There was nothing artificial in His manner. It might have been inferred from this that He was not a rival of the earthly ruler; His was a Kingdom of the spirit; but His tormentors knew of no kingdom that could exist without scarlet, and crown, and sceptre. This act was a development of the idea of artificial kingdoms. Does the scarlet make the king? We answer no; yet do not many men think they have sufficiently recognised Jesus Christ’s royalty when they have given Him a scarlet robe, — given Him, that is, a nominal and official position? To say that Jesus Christ is King, and yet never to bow the heart under His sceptre, is to give Him the scarlet robe, and to repeat, with delusive modification, the cruelty of “barbarous and brutish men, skilful to destroy.” (Ezek. xxi. 31.)
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! Did not the thorns come of the curse?” Cursed
is the ground for thy sake thorns shall it bring
forth.” Did He not, in the fullest sense, bear the curse for us? They put a reed in His right hand, — do not all insincere professors do the same? Partial sovereignty, often merely nominal sovereignty, is given to Jesus Christ even by those who avow His religion. The soldiers knelt before their victim in an attitude of mock worship; this, even more than crucifixion, is the uttermost depth of depravity; crucifixion may be a legal act, but mockery is the refinement of cruelty.
And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. Truly, it was the hour and power of darkness. The spiritual temptation having failed, the lower instrument of physical torture is employed without mercy. The soul was untouched, — why fear them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do? They smote Him on the head — “or into the head, efc K6$aXr)v, drove the thorns into His head with bats and blows.” — (Trapp.)
They compelled Simon of Cyrene to bear his cross. The writer just quoted well says: “Not so much to ease Christ who fainted under the burden, as to hasten the execution and to keep him alive till He came to it.” Truly the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel! “They gave Him vinegar — cold comfort to a dying man; but they did it in derision, q.d., Thou art a King, and must have generous wines. Here’s for Thee, therefore.”
The place where this was done was called “Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull.” The ancients had strange notions about this place. Origen says: “There came unto me a certain tradition, that the body of Adam, the first man, was buried there, where Christ was crucified, that as in Adam all die, so in Christ all should be made alive, and in that place which is said to be the place of an head, the head of all mankind, Adam, might find the resurrection.” Jerome’s remark is probably more reliable: “I have heard some interpreting this, and saying, that Adam was buried here, and by reason that his skull lay in this place it was thus called; a favourable interpretation, and pleasing to popular ears, but untrue. For out of the city without the gate, persons condemned were beheaded, and from this, doubtless, the place had the name; and Christ was here crucified, that where the place of execution for evil deeds had been, there should be the beginning of martyrdom; in Him cometh deliverance to those who have done evil.”
They set up over his head his accusation written, This is Jesus the King of the Jews. The victory of derision is a transient triumph. Some shouts of victory come too soon. The truth may be told unintentionally; it was the King of the Jews, — the King of all men.
Likewise also the chief priests mocked him with the scribes and elders. To mock the weak is no sign of true strength. Only cowards are capable of mockery. Had those men been in pursuit of the ends of justice they would have been satisfied with the crucifixion as such; they could not have stooped to the infliction of needless pain. This collateral barbarism shows at once the wickedness of their spirit and the intensity of their fear.
He saved others, himself he cannot save. No saviour ever sought to save himself. When any man seeks to save himself he proves by that very act that he has not the spirit of redemption. Thus does the world, judging by vulgar standards, mistake the very highest strength for the most abject weakness.
These notes may serve to show the kind of opposition which Jesus Christ had to encounter. Looking at the whole section we find the following practical points: —
I. All this suffering was endured for others.
II. It is possible to abhor the cruelty and yet to
BE UNDER THE DOMINION OF THE SPIRIT WHICH INFLICTED IT.
III. A GREAT LIFE EXTORTS UNINTENTIONAL COMMENDA-TION FROM THE VERY MEN WHO SEEK TO DESTROY IT, —
He saved others!
IV. The sophism which argues that physical deliverance is the test of Divine favour, — “He trusted in God, let him deliver him now,” &c.
V. An illustration of the sympathetic union of the whole creation, — earthquake, rocks, graves, &c. “Creation is dependent on Christ’s consciousness.” — (Lange.) Application: Men must be crucified (sin will torment all sinners); they may be crucified with Christ, and so escape the bitterness of death. The cross cannot be escaped; men must be crucified either with the thieves or with Jesus Christ.
54. 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.
55. And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:
56. Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and J oses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.
57. When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:
58. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
59. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60. 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.
61. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
62. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63. Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64. 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.
65. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
66. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.