54 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
But G1161 the centurion, G1543 willing G1014 to save G1295 Paul, G3972 kept G2967 them G846 from their purpose; G1013 and G5037 commanded G2753 that they which could G1410 swim G2860 should cast G641 themselves first G4413 into the sea, and get G1826 to G1909 land: G1093
And G1161 when G5613 it was determined G2919 that we G2248 should sail G636 into G1519 Italy, G2482 they delivered G3860 G5037 Paul G3972 and G2532 certain G5100 other G2087 prisoners G1202 unto one named G3686 Julius, G2457 a centurion G1543 of Augustus' G4575 band. G4686
And G2532 he called unto G4341 him G5100 two G1417 centurions, G1543 saying, G2036 Make ready G2090 two hundred G1250 soldiers G4757 to G3704 go G4198 to G2193 Caesarea, G2542 and G2532 horsemen G2460 threescore and ten, G1440 and G2532 spearmen G1187 two hundred, G1250 at G575 the third G5154 hour G5610 of the night; G3571
Now G1161 when the centurion G1543 saw G1492 what was done, G1096 he glorified G1392 God, G2316 saying, G3004 Certainly G3689 this G3778 was G2258 a righteous G1342 man. G444 And G2532 all G3956 the people G3793 that came together G4836 to G1909 that G5026 sight, G2335 beholding G2334 the things which were done, G1096 smote G5180 their G1438 breasts, G4738 and returned. G5290 And G1161 all G3956 his G846 acquaintance, G1110 and G2532 the women G1135 that followed G4870 him G846 from G575 Galilee, G1056 stood G2476 afar off, G3113 beholding G3708 these things. G5023
And declared G3724 to be the Son G5207 of God G2316 with G1722 power, G1411 according G2596 to the spirit G4151 of holiness, G42 by G1537 the resurrection G386 from the dead: G3498
And G2532 the same G1722 G1565 hour G5610 was there G1096 a great G3173 earthquake, G4578 and G2532 the tenth part G1182 of the city G4172 fell, G4098 and G2532 in G1722 the earthquake G4578 were slain G615 G3686 of men G444 seven G2033 thousand: G5505 and G2532 the remnant G3062 were G1096 affrighted, G1719 and G2532 gave G1325 glory G1391 to the God G2316 of heaven. G3772
And he sent H7971 again H7725 a captain H8269 of the third H7992 fifty H2572 with his fifty. H2572 And the third H7992 captain H8269 of fifty H2572 went up, H5927 and came H935 and fell H3766 on his knees H1290 before H5048 Elijah, H452 and besought H2603 him, and said H1696 unto him, O man H376 of God, H430 I pray thee, let my life, H5315 and the life H5315 of these fifty H2572 thy servants, H5650 be precious H3365 in thy sight. H5869 Behold, there came H3381 fire H784 down H3381 from heaven, H8064 and burnt up H398 the two H8147 captains H8269 of the former H7223 fifties H2572 with their fifties: H2572 therefore let my life H5315 now be precious H3365 in thy sight. H5869
Then G1161 Paul G3972 called G4341 one G1520 of the centurions G1543 unto him, and said, G5346 Bring G520 this G5126 young man G3494 unto G4314 the chief captain: G5506 for G1063 he hath G2192 a certain thing G5100 to tell G518 him. G846
Who G3739 immediately G1824 took G3880 soldiers G4757 and G2532 centurions, G1543 and ran down G2701 unto G1909 them: G846 and G1161 when they saw G1492 the chief captain G5506 and G2532 the soldiers, G4757 they left G3973 beating G5180 of Paul. G3972
Then G1161 he called G154 for a light, G5457 and sprang in, G1530 and G2532 came G1096 trembling, G1790 and fell down before G4363 Paul G3972 and G2532 Silas, G4609 And G2532 brought G4254 them G846 out, G1854 and said, G5346 Sirs, G2962 what G5101 must G1163 I G3165 do G4160 to G2443 be saved? G4982
G1161 There was G2258 a certain G5100 man G435 in G1722 Caesarea G2542 called G3686 Cornelius, G2883 a centurion G1543 of G1537 the band G4686 called G2564 the Italian G2483 band,
Then G1161 said G5346 they all, G3956 Art G1488 thou G4771 then G3767 the Son G5207 of God? G2316 And G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 Ye G5210 say G3004 that G3754 I G1473 am. G1510
And G2532 saying, G3004 Thou that destroyest G2647 the temple, G3485 and G2532 buildest G3618 it in G1722 three G5140 days, G2250 save G4982 thyself. G4572 If G1487 thou be G1488 the Son G5207 of God, G2316 come down G2597 from G575 the cross. G4716
But G1161 Jesus G2424 held his peace. G4623 And G2532 the high priest G749 answered G611 and said G2036 unto him, G846 I adjure G1844 thee G4571 by G2596 the living G2198 God, G2316 that G2443 thou tell G2036 us G2254 whether G1487 thou G4771 be G1488 the Christ, G5547 the Son G5207 of God. G2316
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,