24 When G1161 Pilate G4091 saw G1492 that G3754 he could prevail G5623 nothing, G3762 but G235 that rather G3123 a tumult G2351 was made, G1096 he took G2983 water, G5204 and washed G633 his hands G5495 before G561 the multitude, G3793 saying, G3004 I am G1510 innocent G121 of G575 the blood G129 of this G5127 just person: G1342 see G3700 ye G5210 to it.
Saying, G3004 I have sinned G264 in that I have betrayed G3860 the innocent G121 blood. G129 And G1161 they said, G2036 What G5101 is that to G4314 us? G2248 see G3700 thou G4771 to that.
I will wash H7364 mine hands H3709 in innocency: H5356 so will I compass H5437 thine altar, H4196 O LORD: H3068
And all the elders H2205 of that city, H5892 that are next H7138 unto the slain H2491 man, shall wash H7364 their hands H3027 over the heifer H5697 that is beheaded H6202 in the valley: H5158 And they shall answer H6030 and say, H559 Our hands H3027 have not shed H8210 this blood, H1818 neither have our eyes H5869 seen H7200 it. Be merciful, H3722 O LORD, H3068 unto thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 whom thou hast redeemed, H6299 and lay H5414 not innocent H5355 blood H1818 unto thy people H5971 of Israel's H3478 charge. H7130 And the blood H1818 shall be forgiven H3722 them.
But G1161 they said, G3004 Not G3361 on G1722 the feast G1859 day, lest G3363 there be G1096 an uproar G2351 among G1722 the people. G2992
If I wash H7364 myself with H7950 snow water, H4325 H1119 and make my hands H3709 never H1252 H1253 so clean; H2141 Yet H227 shalt thou plunge H2881 me in the ditch, H7845 and mine own clothes H8008 shall abhor H8581 me.
Saying H559 to a stock, H6086 Thou art my father; H1 and to a stone, H68 Thou hast brought me forth: H3205 for they have turned H6437 their back H6203 unto me, and not their face: H6440 but in the time H6256 of their trouble H7451 they will say, H559 Arise, H6965 and save H3467 us.
Yet thou sayest, H559 Because I am innocent, H5352 surely his anger H639 shall turn H7725 from me. Behold, I will plead H8199 with thee, because thou sayest, H559 I have not sinned. H2398
Then G5119 was fulfilled G4137 that which G3588 was spoken G4483 by G1223 Jeremy G2408 the prophet, G4396 saying, G3004 And G2532 they took G2983 the thirty G5144 pieces of silver, G694 the price G5092 of him that was valued, G5091 whom G3739 they of G575 the children G5207 of Israel G2474 did value; G5091
When G1161 he G846 was set down G2521 on G1909 the judgment seat, G968 his G846 wife G1135 sent G649 unto G4314 him, G846 saying, G3004 G2532 Have thou G4671 nothing G3367 to do with that G1565 just man: G1342 for G1063 I have suffered G3958 many things G4183 this day G4594 in G2596 a dream G3677 because G1223 of him. G846
Now G1161 when the centurion, G1543 and G2532 they that were with G3326 him, G846 watching G5083 Jesus, G2424 saw G1492 the earthquake, G4578 and G2532 those things that were done, G1096 they feared G5399 greatly, G4970 saying, G3004 Truly G230 this G3778 was G2258 the Son G5207 of God. G2316
For G1063 he hath made G4160 him to be sin G266 for G5228 us, G2257 who G3588 knew G1097 no G3361 sin; G266 that G2443 we G2249 might be made G1096 the righteousness G1343 of God G2316 in G1722 him. G846
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 27
Commentary on Matthew 27 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 27
It is a very affecting story which is recorded in this chapter concerning the sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus. Considering the thing itself, there cannot be a more tragical story told us; common humanity would melt the heart, to find an innocent and excellent person thus misused. But considering the design and fruit of Christ's sufferings, it is gospel, it is good news, that Jesus Christ was thus delivered for our offences; and there is nothing we have more reason to glory in than the cross of Christ. In this chapter, observe,
Mat 27:1-10
We left Christ in the hands of the chief priests and elders, condemned to die, but they could only show their teeth; about two years before this the Romans had taken from the Jews the power of capital punishment; they could put no man to death, and therefore early in the morning another council is held, to consider what is to be done. And here we are told what was done in that morning-council, after they had been for two or three hours consulting with their pillows.
Now, in this story,
This buying of the potter's field did not take place on the day that Christ died (they were then too busy to mind any thing else but hunting him down); but it took place not long after; for Peter speaks of it soon after Christ's ascension; yet it is here recorded.
The giving of the price of him that was valued, not for him, but for the potter's field, bespeaks,
Mat 27:11-25
We have here an account of what passed in Pilate's judgment-hall, when the blessed Jesus was brought thither betimes in the morning. Though it was no court-day, Pilate immediately took his case before him. We have there,
Now,
The reason why Pilate laboured thus to get Jesus discharged was because he knew that for envy the chief priests had delivered him up (v. 18); that it was not his guilt, but his goodness, that they were provoked at; and for this reason he hoped to bring him off by the people's act, and that they would be for his release. When David was envied by Saul, he was the darling of the people; and any one that heard the hosannas with which Christ was but a few days ago brought into Jerusalem, would have thought that he had been so, and that Pilate might safely have referred this matter to the commonalty, especially when so notorious a rogue was set up as a rival with him for their favours. But it proved otherwise.
Now, as to this demand, we are further told,
Now Pilate endeavours to clear himself from the guilt,
Mat 27:26-32
In these verses we have the preparatives for, and prefaces to, the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus. Here is,
When he was delivered to be crucified, that was enough; they that kill the body, yield that there is no more that they can do, but Christ's enemies will do more, and, if it be possible, wrap up a thousand deaths in one. Though Pilate pronounced him innocent, yet his soldiers, his guards, set themselves to abuse him, being swayed more by the fury of the people against him, than by their master's testimony for him; the Jewish rabble infected the Roman soldiery, or perhaps it was not so much in spite to him, as to make sport for themselves, that they thus abused him. They understood that he pretended to a crown; to taunt him with that gave them some diversion, and an opportunity to make themselves and one another merry. Note, It is an argument of a base, servile, sordid spirit, to insult over those that are in misery, and to make the calamities of any matter of sport and merriment.
Observe,
Mat 27:33-49
We have here the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus.
Two things the priests and elders upbraided him with.
Well, thus our Lord Jesus having undertaken to satisfy the justice of God for the wrong done him in his honour by sin, he did it by suffering in his honour; not only by divesting himself of that which was due to him as the Son of God, but by submitting to the utmost indignity that could be done to the worst of men; because he was made sin for us, he was thus made a curse for us, to make reproach easy to us, if at any time we suffer it, and have all manner of evil said against us falsely, for righteousness' sake.
Note,
Mat 27:50-56
We have here, at length, an account of the death of Christ, and several remarkable passages that attended it.
Two things are here noted concerning the manner of Christ's dying.
Mat 27:57-66
We have here an account of Christ's burial, and the manner and circumstances of it, concerning which observe,