23 And G1161 the governor G2232 said, G5346 Why, G1063 what G5101 evil G2556 hath he done? G4160 But G1161 they cried out G2896 the more, G4057 saying, G3004 Let him be crucified. G4717
And when they saw H7200 him afar off, H7350 even before he came near H7126 unto them, they conspired H5230 against him to slay H4191 him. And they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 Behold, this H1976 dreamer H1167 H2472 cometh. H935
And I will go out H3318 and stand H5975 beside H3027 my father H1 in the field H7704 where thou art, and I will commune H1696 with my father H1 of thee; and what H4100 I see, H7200 that I will tell H5046 thee. And Jonathan H3083 spake H1696 good H2896 of David H1732 unto Saul H7586 his father, H1 and said H559 unto him, Let not the king H4428 sin H2398 against his servant, H5650 against David; H1732 because he hath not sinned H2398 against thee, and because his works H4639 have been to thee-ward very H3966 good: H2896 For he did put H7760 his life H5315 in his hand, H3709 and slew H5221 the Philistine, H6430 and the LORD H3068 wrought H6213 a great H1419 salvation H8668 for all Israel: H3478 thou sawest H7200 it, and didst rejoice: H8055 wherefore then wilt thou sin H2398 against innocent H5355 blood, H1818 to slay H4191 David H1732 without a cause? H2600 And Saul H7586 hearkened H8085 unto the voice H6963 of Jonathan: H3083 and Saul H7586 sware, H7650 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 he shall not H518 be slain. H4191 And Jonathan H3083 called H7121 David, H1732 and Jonathan H3083 shewed H5046 him all those things. H1697 And Jonathan H3083 brought H935 David H1732 to Saul, H7586 and he was in his presence, H6440 as in times past. H865 H8032 And there was war H4421 again: H3254 and David H1732 went out, H3318 and fought H3898 with the Philistines, H6430 and slew H5221 them with a great H1419 slaughter; H4347 and they fled H5127 from H6440 him. And the evil H7451 spirit H7307 from the LORD H3068 was upon Saul, H7586 as he sat H3427 in his house H1004 with his javelin H2595 in his hand: H3027 and David H1732 played H5059 with his hand. H3027 And Saul H7586 sought H1245 to smite H5221 David H1732 even to the wall H7023 with the javelin; H2595 but he slipped away H6362 out of Saul's H7586 presence, H6440 and he smote H5221 the javelin H2595 into the wall: H7023 and David H1732 fled, H5127 and escaped H4422 that night. H3915 Saul H7586 also sent H7971 messengers H4397 unto David's H1732 house, H1004 to watch H8104 him, and to slay H4191 him in the morning: H1242 and Michal H4324 David's H1732 wife H802 told H5046 him, saying, H559 If thou save H4422 not thy life H5315 to night, H3915 to morrow H4279 thou shalt be slain. H4191 So Michal H4324 let H3381 David H1732 down H3381 through a window: H2474 and he went, H3212 and fled, H1272 and escaped. H4422 And Michal H4324 took H3947 an image, H8655 and laid H7760 it in the bed, H4296 and put H7760 a pillow H3523 of goats' H5795 hair for his bolster, H4763 and covered H3680 it with a cloth. H899 And when Saul H7586 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to take H3947 David, H1732 she said, H559 He is sick. H2470 And Saul H7586 sent H7971 the messengers H4397 again to see H7200 David, H1732 saying, H559 Bring him up H5927 to me in the bed, H4296 that I may slay H4191 him.
For as long as H3117 the son H1121 of Jesse H3448 liveth H2425 upon the ground, H127 thou shalt not be established, H3559 nor thy kingdom. H4438 Wherefore now send H7971 and fetch H3947 him unto me, for he shall surely die. H1121 H4194 And Jonathan H3083 answered H6030 Saul H7586 his father, H1 and said H559 unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? H4191 what hath he done? H6213 And Saul H7586 cast H2904 a javelin H2595 at him to smite H5221 him: whereby Jonathan H3083 knew H3045 that it was determined H3617 of his father H1 to slay H4191 David. H1732
Then Ahimelech H288 answered H6030 the king, H4428 and said, H559 And who is so faithful H539 among all thy servants H5650 as David, H1732 which is the king's H4428 son in law, H2860 and goeth H5493 at thy bidding, H4928 and is honourable H3513 in thine house? H1004 Did I then H3117 begin H2490 to enquire H7592 of God H430 for him? be it far from me: H2486 let not the king H4428 impute H7760 any thing H1697 unto his servant, H5650 nor to all the house H1004 of my father: H1 for thy servant H5650 knew H3045 nothing H1697 of all this, less H6996 or more. H1419 And the king H4428 said, H559 Thou shalt surely H4191 die, H4191 Ahimelech, H288 thou, and all thy father's H1 house. H1004 And the king H4428 said H559 unto the footmen H7323 that stood H5324 about him, Turn, H5437 and slay H4191 the priests H3548 of the LORD; H3068 because their hand H3027 also is with David, H1732 and because they knew H3045 when he fled, H1272 and did not shew H1540 H241 it to me. But the servants H5650 of the king H4428 would H14 not put forth H7971 their hand H3027 to fall H6293 upon the priests H3548 of the LORD. H3068 And the king H4428 said H559 to Doeg, H1673 Turn H5437 thou, and fall H6293 upon the priests. H3548 And Doeg H1673 the Edomite H130 turned, H5437 and he fell H6293 upon the priests, H3548 and slew H4191 on that day H3117 fourscore H8084 and five H2568 persons H376 that did wear H5375 a linen H906 ephod. H646 And Nob, H5011 the city H5892 of the priests, H3548 smote H5221 he with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 both men H376 and women, H802 children H5768 and sucklings, H3243 and oxen, H7794 and asses, H2543 and sheep, H7716 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
But G1161 when the husbandmen G1092 saw G1492 the son, G5207 they said G2036 among G1722 themselves, G1438 This G3778 is G2076 the heir; G2818 come, G1205 let us kill G615 him, G846 and G2532 let us seize G2722 on his G846 inheritance. G2817 And G2532 they caught G2983 him, G846 and cast G1544 him out of G1854 the vineyard, G290 and G2532 slew G615 him.
But G1161 the Jews G2453 which believed not, G544 moved with envy, G2206 G2532 took unto them G4355 certain G5100 lewd G4190 fellows G435 of the baser sort, G60 and G2532 gathered a company, G3792 and set all G2350 the city G4172 on an uproar, G2350 and G5037 assaulted G2186 the house G3614 of Jason, G2394 and sought G2212 to bring G71 them G846 out G1519 to the people. G1218 And G1161 when they found G2147 them G846 not, G3361 they drew G4951 Jason G2394 and G2532 certain G5100 brethren G80 unto G1909 the rulers of the city, G4173 crying, G994 G3754 These G3778 that have turned G387 the world G3625 upside down G387 are come G3918 hither G1759 also; G2532 Whom G3739 Jason G2394 hath received: G5264 and G2532 these G3778 all G3956 do G4238 contrary G561 to the decrees G1378 of Caesar, G2541 saying G3004 that there is G1511 another G2087 king, G935 one Jesus. G2424
Crying out, G2896 Men G435 of Israel, G2475 help: G997 This G3778 is G2076 the man, G444 that teacheth G1321 all G3956 men every where G3837 against G2596 the people, G2992 and G2532 the law, G3551 and G2532 this G5126 place: G5117 and G5037 further G2089 brought G1521 Greeks G1672 also G2532 into G1519 the temple, G2411 and G2532 hath polluted G2840 this G5127 holy G40 place. G5117 (For G1063 they had G2258 seen before G4308 with G4862 him G846 in G1722 the city G4172 Trophimus G5161 an Ephesian, G2180 whom G3739 they supposed G3543 that G3754 Paul G3972 had brought G1521 into G1519 the temple.) G2411 And G5037 all G3650 the city G4172 was moved, G2795 and G2532 the people G2992 ran together: G1096 G4890 and G2532 they took G1949 Paul, G3972 and drew G1670 him G846 out of G1854 the temple: G2411 and G2532 forthwith G2112 the doors G2374 were shut. G2808 And G1161 as they went about G2212 to kill G615 him, G846 tidings G5334 came G305 unto the chief captain G5506 of the band, G4686 that G3754 all G3650 Jerusalem G2419 was in an uproar. G4797
And G1161 they gave G191 him G846 audience G191 unto G891 this G5127 word, G3056 and G2532 then lifted up G1869 their G846 voices, G5456 and said, G3004 Away with G142 such G5108 a fellow from G575 the earth: G1093 for G1063 it is G2520 not G3756 fit G2520 that he G846 should live. G2198 And G1161 as they G846 cried out, G2905 and G2532 cast off G4495 their clothes, G2440 and G2532 threw G906 dust G2868 into G1519 the air, G109
And G1161 when it was G1096 day, G2250 certain G5100 of the Jews G2453 banded together, G4160 G4963 and bound G332 themselves G1438 under a curse, G332 saying G3004 that they would G5315 neither G3383 eat G5315 nor G3383 drink G4095 till G2193 G3757 they had killed G615 Paul. G3972 And G1161 they were G2258 more than G4119 forty G5062 which G3588 had made G4160 this G5026 conspiracy. G4945 And they G3748 came to G4334 the chief priests G749 and G2532 elders, G4245 and said, G2036 We have bound G332 ourselves G1438 under a great curse, G331 that we will eat G1089 nothing G3367 until G2193 G3739 we have slain G615 Paul. G3972 Now G3568 therefore G3767 ye G5210 with G4862 the council G4892 signify G1718 to the chief captain G5506 that G3704 he bring G2609 him G846 down G2609 unto G4314 you G5209 to morrow, G839 as G5613 though ye would G3195 enquire G1231 something more perfectly G197 concerning G4012 him: G846 and G1161 we, G2249 or ever G4253 he G846 come near, G1448 are G2070 ready G2092 to kill G337 him. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Matthew 27
Commentary on Matthew 27 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 27
Mt 27:1-10. Jesus Led Away to Pilate—Remorse and Suicide of Judas. ( = Mr 15:1; Lu 23:1; Joh 18:28).
Jesus Led Away to Pilate (Mt 27:1, 2).
For the exposition of this portion, see on Joh 18:28, &c.
Remorse and Suicide of Judas (Mt 27:3-10).
This portion is peculiar to Matthew. On the progress of guilt in the traitor, see on Mr 14:1-11; Joh 13:21-30.
3. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned—The condemnation, even though not unexpected, might well fill him with horror. But perhaps this unhappy man expected, that, while he got the bribe, the Lord would miraculously escape, as He had once and again done before, out of His enemies' power: and if so, his remorse would come upon him with all the greater keenness.
repented himself—but, as the issue too sadly showed, it was "the sorrow of the world, which worketh death" (2Co 7:10).
and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders—A remarkable illustration of the power of an awakened conscience. A short time before, the promise of this sordid pelf was temptation enough to his covetous heart to outweigh the most overwhelming obligations of duty and love; now, the possession of it so lashes him that he cannot use it, cannot even keep it!
4. Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood—What a testimony this to Jesus! Judas had been with Him in all circumstances for three years; his post, as treasurer to Him and the Twelve (Joh 12:6), gave him peculiar opportunity of watching the spirit, disposition, and habits of his Master; while his covetous nature and thievish practices would incline him to dark and suspicious, rather than frank and generous, interpretations of all that He said and did. If, then, he could have fastened on one questionable feature in all that he had so long witnessed, we may be sure that no such speech as this would ever have escaped his lips, nor would he have been so stung with remorse as not to be able to keep the money and survive his crime.
And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that—"Guilty or innocent is nothing to us: We have Him now—begone!" Was ever speech more hellish uttered?
5. And he cast down the pieces of silver—The sarcastic, diabolical reply which he had got, in place of the sympathy which perhaps he expected, would deepen his remorse into an agony.
in the temple—the temple proper, commonly called "the sanctuary," or "the holy place," into which only the priests might enter. How is this to be explained? Perhaps he flung the money in after them. But thus were fulfilled the words of the prophet—"I cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord" (Zec 11:13).
and departed, and went and hanged himself—For the details, see on Ac 1:18.
6. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury—"the Corban," or chest containing the money dedicated to sacred purposes (see on Mt 15:5).
because it is the price of blood—How scrupulous now! But those punctilious scruples made them unconsciously fulfil the Scripture.
9. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying—(Zec 11:12, 13). Never was a complicated prophecy, otherwise hopelessly dark, more marvellously fulfilled. Various conjectures have been formed to account for Matthew's ascribing to Jeremiah a prophecy found in the book of Zechariah. But since with this book he was plainly familiar, having quoted one of its most remarkable prophecies of Christ but a few chapters before (Mt 21:4, 5), the question is one more of critical interest than real importance. Perhaps the true explanation is the following, from Lightfoot: "Jeremiah of old had the first place among the prophets, and hereby he comes to be mentioned above all the rest in Mt 16:14; because he stood first in the volume of the prophets (as he proves from the learned David Kimchi) therefore he is first named. When, therefore, Matthew produceth a text of Zechariah under the name of Jeremy, he only cites the words of the volume of the prophets under his name who stood first in the volume of the prophets. Of which sort is that also of our Saviour (Lu 24:41), 'All things must be fulfilled which are written of Me in the Law, and the Prophets, and the Psalms,' or the Book of Hagiographa, in which the Psalms were placed first."
Mt 27:11-26. Jesus Again before Pilate—He Seeks to Release Him but at Length Delivers Him to Be Crucified. ( = Mr 15:1-15; Lu 23:1-25; Joh 18:28-40).
For the exposition, see on Lu 23:1-25; Joh 18:28-40.
Mt 27:27-33. Jesus Scornfully and Cruelly Entreated of the Soldiers, Is Led Away to Be Crucified. ( = Mr 15:16-22; Lu 23:26-31; Joh 19:2, 17).
For the exposition, see on Mr 15:16-22.
Mt 27:34-50. Crucifixion and Death of the Lord Jesus. ( = Mr 15:25-37; Lu 23:33-46; Joh 19:18-30).
For the exposition, see on Joh 19:18-30.
Mt 27:51-66. Signs and Circumstances Following the Death of the Lord Jesus—He Is Taken Down from the Cross, and Buried—The Sepulchre Is Guarded. ( = Mr 15:38-47; Lu 23:47-56; Joh 19:31-42).
The Veil Rent (Mt 27:51).
51. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom—This was the thick and gorgeously wrought veil which was hung between the "holy place" and the "holiest of all," shutting out all access to the presence of God as manifested "from above the mercy seat and from between the cherubim"—"the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest" (Heb 9:8). Into this holiest of all none might enter, not even the high priest, save once a year, on the great day of atonement, and then only with the blood of atonement in his hands, which he sprinkled "upon and before the mercy seat seven times" (Le 16:14)—to signify that access for sinners to a holy God is only through atoning blood. But as they had only the blood of bulls and of goats, which could not take away sins (Heb 10:4), during all the long ages that preceded the death of Christ the thick veil remained; the blood of bulls and of goats continued to be shed and sprinkled; and once a year access to God through an atoning sacrifice was vouchsafed—in a picture, or rather, was dramatically represented, in those symbolical actions—nothing more. But now, the one atoning Sacrifice being provided in the precious blood of Christ, access to this holy God could no longer be denied; and so the moment the Victim expired on the altar, that thick veil which for so many ages had been the dread symbol of separation between God and guilty men was, without a hand touching it, mysteriously "rent in twain from top to bottom"—"the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was NOW made manifest!" How emphatic the statement, from top to bottom; as if to say, Come boldly now to the Throne of Grace; the veil is clean gone; the mercy seat stands open to the gaze of sinners, and the way to it is sprinkled with the blood of Him—"who through the eternal Spirit hath offered Himself without spot to God!" Before, it was death to go in, now it is death to stay out. See more on this glorious subject on Heb 10. 19-22.
An Earthquake—The Rocks Rent—The Graves Opened, that the Saints Which Slept in Them Might Come Forth after Their Lord's Resurrection (Mt 27:51-53).
51. and the earth did quake—From what follows it would seem that this earthquake was local, having for its object the rending of the rocks and the opening of the graves.
and the rocks rent—"were rent"—the physical creation thus sublimely proclaiming, at the bidding of its Maker, the concussion which at that moment was taking place in the moral world at the most critical moment of its history. Extraordinary rents and fissures have been observed in the rocks near this spot.
52. And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose—These sleeping saints (see on 1Th 4:14) were Old Testament believers, who—according to the usual punctuation in our version—were quickened into resurrection life at the moment of their Lord's death, but lay in their graves till His resurrection, when they came forth. But it is far more natural, as we think, and consonant with other Scriptures, to understand that only the graves were opened, probably by the earthquake, at our Lord's death, and this only in preparation for the subsequent exit of those who slept in them, when the Spirit of life should enter into them from their risen Lord, and along with Him they should come forth, trophies of His victory over the grave. Thus, in the opening of the graves at the moment of the Redeemer's expiring, there was a glorious symbolical proclamation that the death which had just taken place had "swallowed up death in victory"; and whereas the saints that slept in them were awakened only by their risen Lord, to accompany Him out of the tomb, it was fitting that "the Prince of Life … should be the First that should rise from the dead" (Ac 26:23; 1Co 15:20, 23; Col 1:18; Re 1:5).
and went into the holy city—that city where He, in virtue of whose resurrection they were now alive, had been condemned.
and appeared unto many—that there might be undeniable evidence of their own resurrection first, and through it of their Lord's. Thus, while it was not deemed fitting that He Himself should appear again in Jerusalem, save to the disciples, provision was made that the fact of His resurrection should be left in no doubt. It must be observed, however, that the resurrection of these sleeping saints was not like those of the widow of Nain's son, of Jairus' daughter, of Lazarus, and of the man who "revived and stood upon his feet," on his dead body touching the bones of Elisha (2Ki 13:21)—which were mere temporary recallings of the departed spirit to the mortal body, to be followed by a final departure of it "till the trumpet shall sound." But this was a resurrection once for all, to life everlasting; and so there is no room to doubt that they went to glory with their Lord, as bright trophies of His victory over death.
The Centurion's Testimony (Mt 27:54).
54. Now when the centurion—the military superintendent of the execution.
and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake—or felt it and witnessed its effects.
and those things that were done—reflecting upon the entire transaction.
they feared greatly—convinced of the presence of a Divine Hand.
saying, Truly this was the Son of God—There cannot be a reasonable doubt that this expression was used in the Jewish sense, and that it points to the claim which Jesus made to be the Son of God, and on which His condemnation expressly turned. The meaning, then, clearly is that He must have been what He professed to be; in other words, that He was no impostor. There was no medium between those two. See, on the similar testimony of the penitent thief—"This man hath done nothing amiss"—Luke 23. 41.
The Galilean Women (Mt 27:55, 56).
55. And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus—The sense here would be better brought out by the use of the pluperfect, "which had followed Jesus."
from Galilee, ministering unto him—As these dear women had ministered to Him during His glorious missionary tours in Galilee (see on Lu 8:1-3), so from this statement it should seem that they accompanied him and ministered to His wants from Galilee on His final journey to Jerusalem.
56. Among which was Mary Magdalene—(See on Lu 8:2).
and Mary the mother of James and Joses—the wife of Cleophas, or rather Clopas, and sister of the Virgin (Joh 19:25). See on Mt 13:55,56.
and the mother of Zebedee's children—that is, Salome: compare Mr 15:40. All this about the women is mentioned for the sake of what is afterwards to be related of their purchasing spices to anoint their Lord's body.
The Taking Down from the Cross and the Burial (Mt 27:57-60).
For the exposition of this portion, see on Joh 19:38-42.
The Women Mark the Sacred Spot that They Might Recognize It on Coming Thither to Anoint the Body (Mt 27:61).
61. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary—"the mother of James and Joses," mentioned before (Mt 27:56).
sitting over against the sepulchre—(See on Mr 16:1).
The Sepulchre Guarded (Mt 27:62-66).
62. Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation—that is, after six o'clock of our Saturday evening. The crucifixion took place on the Friday and all was not over till shortly before sunset, when the Jewish sabbath commenced; and "that sabbath day was an high day" (Joh 19:31), being the first day of the feast of unleavened bread. That day being over at six on Saturday evening, they hastened to take their measures.
63. Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver—Never, remarks Bengel, will you find the heads of the people calling Jesus by His own name. And yet here there is betrayed a certain uneasiness, which one almost fancies they only tried to stifle in their own minds, as well as crush in Pilate's, in case he should have any lurking suspicion that he had done wrong in yielding to them.
said, while he was yet alive—Important testimony this, from the lips of His bitterest enemies, to the reality of Christ's death; the corner-stone of the whole Christian religion.
After three days—which, according to the customary Jewish way of reckoning, need signify no more than "after the commencement of the third day."
I will rise again—"I rise," in the present tense, thus reporting not only the fact that this prediction of His had reached their ears, but that they understood Him to look forward confidently to its occurring on the very day named.
64. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure—by a Roman guard.
until the third day—after which, if He still lay in the grave, the imposture of His claims would be manifest to all.
and say unto the people, he is risen from the dead—Did they really fear this?
so the last error shall be worse than the first—the imposture of His pretended resurrection worse than that of His pretended Messiahship.
65. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch—The guards had already acted under orders of the Sanhedrim, with Pilate's consent; but probably they were not clear about employing them as a night watch without Pilate's express authority.
go your way, make it as sure as ye can—as ye know how, or in the way ye deem securest. Though there may be no irony in this speech, it evidently insinuated that if the event should be contrary to their wish, it would not be for want of sufficient human appliances to prevent it.
66. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone—which Mark (Mr 16:4) says was "very great."
and setting a watch—to guard it. What more could man do? But while they are trying to prevent the resurrection of the Prince of Life, God makes use of their precautions for His own ends. Their stone-covered, seal-secured sepulchre shall preserve the sleeping dust of the Son of God free from all indignities, in undisturbed, sublime repose; while their watch shall be His guard of honor until the angels shall come to take their place.