Innocent Blood Condemned & The Lord's Supper

Matthew 27:1-26

Amen! Thank you Sjoerd, thank you Bonnie, so very much for that wonderful hymn and thank you church family, it is always a blessing to sing hymns with you each week. Today, we come as a family to remember, rejoice, and reflect on the greatest act of love the world has, and will ever know: the crucifixion and resurrection of the King of Kings, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Turn with me once more to the Gospel of Matthew, as we start a new chapter together, Matthew 27. We have a lot of rich material to cover today, as Lord willing, we will cover 26 verses, as we reflect together on the subject of Innocent Blood Condemned today. May we open our hearts to His eternal truth, as we journey back in time to that moment where we will indeed behold as a family Innocent Blood Condemned, for your sins and mine, dear friends, church family. It is yes, okay to shed tears as we read this, but let them not just be tears of pain, but tears of joy. We serve a Risen Savior this morning, even though He was condemned, He lives, even now, for you and I.

The Gospel of Matthew, chapter 27, verses 1 through 26, the precious word of God tells us:

King James Version Chapter 27

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.

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.

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.

11 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.

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?

18 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.

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.

25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

Amen and Amen! As we start chapter 27 of our journey through the Gospel of Matthew today, may we together afresh reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your sins and mine there that day at Calvary’s cross, as we consider Innocent Blood Condemned this morning. Would you pray with me?

We have some very bittersweet but beautiful content to look into this morning so I will hold off on the recap that often happens here, but suffice it to say our King Jesus Christ has just in chapter 26 condemned to death by the Sanhedrin, and the plan for our eternal redemption continues to accelerate rapidly. Together, let us therefore start Matthew chapter 27 with humility and joy, as we see Innocent Blood Condemned for you, for me, for all of us, dear friends, church family.

Therefore, as we embark on this new section of our journey in the Gospel of Matthew, we will consider together four compelling truths about these poignant scenes in our text this morning.

Notice, dear friends, the first truth, and that is…

The Remorse Of Judas in verses 1 through 5

To set the stage for the events that we are going to unveil and consider this morning, I begin with a quote from the wonderful book The Suffering Savior by German preacher F.W. Krummacher that will give us a picture in our mind of what we are going to start to look at in God’s word today.

“THE DAY HAS JUST DAWNED - the most momentous, decisive, and eventful in the world. It greets our Lord with dreadful insignia. It approaches in a blood-stained robe, a crown of thorns to encircle His brow, in the one hand, and in the other, the scourge, the fatal cup, and the accursed tree; while it rises upon us with the olive-branch of peace, the divine acquittal, and the crown of life. O sacred Friday, day of divine compassion, birthday of our eternal redemption, we bless thee, we greet thee on our knees!”

Our text thus begins this morning in verses 1 and 2 by telling us, “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.”

Remember dear friends from our study in chapter 26 last week that the trial of Jesus had been a farce from the outset, and now, the farce is compounded even further., as we see a further sham trial being conducted as the morning dawns.

It is early morning, probably

To give the appearance of legality, the chief priests and elders of the people of Israel who sit on the Sanhedrin convene once more and condemn our King to death once again, but they don’t carry out His execution.

Keep in mind that in that time period, with Roman rule oftentimes violently enforced, the Jewish leadership did not have the power to carry out capital punishment.

Thus, as the morning breaks, the Jewish authorities have Jesus bound like a criminal once again, and escorted to the Roman governor of Judea at the time, Pontius Pilate.

Secular historians record Pilate having served as governor for a decade long tenure, from 26 to 36 AD, and was recorded as being brutal, violent, and cruel.

It is to this man that the King of Kings is now escorted to, bound as a criminal, He, who was innocent of any real crime, but who the Jewish authorities were desperate to eliminate, once and for all.

However, even in that moment, a dramatic moment occurs, as even as innocent blood is condemned by the Sanhedrin, one of the last individuals you would expect is seized with remorse and guilt.

Matthew records for us in verse 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,”

Judas Iscariot enters the scene as Good Friday morning dawns, perhaps shortly after 5 or just before 6 o’clock in the morning.

Matthew reminds us that Judas is the one that had betrayed our Savior, and now he sees Him condemned to death, and it fills him with remorse and guilt over his actions.

This was not an act of full repentance dear friends, keep that in mind, there is a massive difference between sincere repentance of sin and guilt over one’s sinful actions.

Judas in that moment felt tremendous regret and guilt, and seeing Jesus condemned to death somehow makes him realize his betrayal had indeed been the wrong course of action.

Jesus had predicted at the Last Supper in Matthew 26:24, “The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Under this fateful declaration of woe, Judas Iscariot, stricken with guilt, brings the money that he had been paid for his dark deed back to the priests and elders who had just condemned our King to die.

We read in verse 4 therefore of what happened further with Judas, as it has him, “Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.”

Even as Jesus is being led away bound to the presence of Pilate, Judas tries to return the money paid to him for his dark deed of betrayal.

But not only that dear friends, Judas also confesses his guilt and sinful actions as having been sinful and wicked before God and man.

However, the religious leadership of Israel, who have seen the King revealed, and now recently rejected, rebuff Judas’s confession of his betrayal of the innocent blood of Jesus, casting the responsibility back on him.

These religious leaders could have accepted Judas’s confession and reversed course that awful morning, but they didn’t, thus further accelerating the plan for our eternal redemption to take place.

Instead, they coldly tell him in a modern day sense of the words, “That is not our problem, deal with it on your own,” brushing the conscience of Judas aside, their plot to commit regicide-royal murder, had been enacted, and would soon be carried out, to them, who cares if the the one they used to start this plot was filled with guilt and remorse now?

Broken by his conscience and remorse, Matthew records the next actions of Judas Iscariot that Friday morning in verse 5, as we read: “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

Judas Iscariot meets a terrible fate indeed following his casting down of the money that he betrayed our King with the night before.

He then departs the temple precincts and chooses to commit suicide, hanging himself, either from a ledge or a tree with rope or the girdle he would have worn as part of his outfit in that culture.

While holding your hand in Matthew, turn over with me to Acts for a moment, Acts 1:18, as we read further about Judas: “Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.”

It seems that at some point, the traitor’s rope broke, and his body shattered on the rocks below, so much that his insides gushed out onto the ground.

The one who had perhaps unwittingly condemned innocent blood to the death reserved by the Romans for the worst of criminals now meets a traitor’s death-a primitive form of hanging, drawing and quartering, you might say.

What a brutal, and chilling warning that is to us this morning, dear friends, to have sincere repentance, and not just mere remorse and guilt when we sin against our Holy God.

As we consider the remorse and fate of Judas Iscariot, consider with me this morning our first question for application and growth:

Have you sincerely repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior today?

We transition to truth 2 then this morning, as we consider together...

The Potter’s Field Purchased in verses 6 through 10

Even as Judas Iscariot casts the thirty pieces of silver down in the temple precincts and departs for suicide, a further dramatic scene takes place early that Good Friday morning.

In this moment, we see a further example of why Jesus rightly called these priests and elders, these religious elitists and politicians-hypocrites.

We read together in verse 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. “

In a cruel and hypocritical irony, the very ones who had paid this money out to Judas so that Jesus could be captured and His innocent blood then be shed, now call the money given blood money unfit for the temple treasury.

Their legalistic tendencies once more take over, and they decide to follow the law in this case when laws about how Jesus’s trial were conducted have already been broken.

Not only that, but they scorn the one who has committed treason against the King of Kings, when they had reaped from their perspective a greater reward than what they had initially paid His betrayer.

Thus, Matthew records in verses 7 and 8, “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.”

In a further act of cruel irony, the money that would bring about the murder of the King of Kings is used to purchase a cemetery for strangers, or as some translations would render it, foreigners, dear friends.

We don’t know for sure why this field was called the potter’s field, dear friends, but the late Reverend R.T. France of the Church of England wrote in his commentary on Matthew a possible explanation:

“The traditional site of Akeldama is in the valley of Hinnom, which was a source of potter’s clay (hence the previous name, ‘potter’s field’?). “

Akeldama is the name in Aramaic of this place that has been known as the field of blood, to this day just outside of Jerusalem, is still a site that can be seen to this day and was even used as a burial place until the 19th century.

Thus, the price that was dealt to purchase innocent blood now becomes the price paid for a cemetery just outside of Jerusalem, carved out of a potter’s field of land, located in the Hinnom Valley, a place also known as Gehenna, which was often used by our King as a picture of Hell-for there children burned in the fire during idolatrous worship, and later refuse, and the corpses of criminals and dead animals were thrown for destruction.

Matthew writes thus in verses 9 and 10 that such cruelly ironic behaviors are in fact, fulfillment of prophecies made centuries earlier.

“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.”

In fulfillment of prophecy once again, the King is revealed, and the King is rejected, and the money used for his betrayal purchases the potter’s field.

Louis Barbieri wrote in his commentary on Matthew something very interesting:“But the prophecy Matthew quoted was primarily from Zechariah, not Jeremiah. There is a close resemblance between Matthew 27:9–10 and Zechariah 11:12–13. But there are also similarities between Matthew’s words and the ideas in Jeremiah 19:1, 4, 6, 11. Why then did Matthew refer only to Jeremiah? The solution to this problem is probably that Matthew had both prophets in mind but only mentioned the “major” prophet by name. (A similar situation is found in Mark 1:2–3, where Mark mentioned the Prophet Isaiah but quoted directly from both Isaiah and Malachi.) In addition, another explanation is that Jeremiah, in the Babylonian Talmud (Baba Bathra 14b), was placed first among the prophets, and his book represented all the other prophetic books.”

In fact, for a moment turn over to Zechariah 11:12-13 with me this morning, and let’s read these verses together, Zechariah 11, verses 12 and 13: “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.”

And then, let’s turn and look at Jeremiah 19:1, “Thus saith the Lord, Go and get a potter’s earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;” , then Jeremiah 19:4 “Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;” , Jeremiah 19:6 “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.” , and Jeremiah 19:11 “And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter’s vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.”

There are no contradictions in scripture, remember that, dear friends, Matthew has welded the prophecies of Zechariah and Jeremiah together in one cohesive fulfillment here, showing once more, how all of Scripture fits together as one coherent text.

Let God’s word always speak for itself, dearly beloved friends, even as we consider this sobering truth, that the money, aptly named for what it is, blood money, is put to use to in fulfillment of prophecy, purchase a potter’s field as a burial place located most likely in the area where centuries before child sacrifice had taken place in heathen worship.

Thus, as we consider this second truth, and realize how Scripture was fulfilled that day with the purchasing of the potter’s field, consider with me this second question for application and growth:

Do you trust the authority and cohesiveness of God’s word today for your daily life?

We transition thus dear friends, to our third truth this morning on this subject of Innocent Blood Condemned and that is...

The King Before Pilate in verses 11 through 18

Even as the potter’s field is being purchased with blood money used to facilitate the betrayal of the King of Kings by Judas Iscariot, the regicidal plot continues to accelerate.

Bound and led away like a common malefactor, or criminal, Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God is taken before Pilate for judgement and condemnation.

The Jewish leadership has already condemned Him to death, but remember once more dear friends, they cannot carry out the death penalty, only the Romans can, and thus, they hand our King over to them, the Gentiles whom Jesus had warned He would be delivered to several times during His ministry.

Matthew records for us in verse 11, “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. “

Tied, chained, and bound, Jesus stands like a criminal before Pilate, and his asked right away if He is in fact the King of the Jews.

Turn to Luke 23:1-2 with me and read this, Luke 23:1-2 “And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.”

What a farce this is dear friends on that early Friday morning, as Jesus’s own words are once more misquoted, during His ministry, He had never forbade the giving of tribute to Caesar.

Remember what Matthew 22:21 says when Jesus was asked if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, “Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

Oh think of it dear friends, that even then so they have some leg to stand on that would merit Pilate’s condemnation of Jesus, they twist His words and lie that He opposed the payment of taxes to Caesar, a potential treasonable offense.

Not only that, they allege Jesus claimed to be Christ, the Messiah, a King, which is closer to the truth, dear friends.

However, remember that Jesus, though He was and remains this, the Messiah, King revealed, the Messiah, look at John 18:33-36 for a moment, “Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.”

Jesus made it clear in that moment even as He affirmed, “Thou sayest,” that He was indeed a King, but He was not seeking to be a political Messiah in that moment, but one who would atone for your sins and mine, His kingdom was indeed not of this world.

There will come a day when Jesus is indeed King of the entire world in His millennial reign, but in that moment, He had come as the Suffering Servant-King, to give His life for you and for me.

Matthew 20:28 “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Through this, and all of the accusations heaped upon Him, Jesus, the innocent Son of God, Matthew records in verse 12, “And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. “

Just as in His trial before the Sanhedrin, so now does the King of Kings remain silent to their accusations, knowing that the plan of God is for His looming death on the cross for your sins and mine that very day.

He has no need to plead His case, or desire to do so, His enemies willingly lie so regicide can be carried out, so He simply chooses to not respond to them.

And thus, Matthew records in verses 13 and 14, “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.”

Pilate is bewildered and flabbergasted that Jesus will not attempt to answer the charges that have been leveled against Him.

Remember though dear friends, what Isaiah foretold in chapter 53 of his book, I won’t have you turn there, but remember what he predicted: Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.”

In fulfillment of prophecy made some 700 years prior, Jesus keeps silent in the face of such heated opposition and malevolent accusations, making no effort to defend Himself that Friday morning, which causes Pilate to marvel greatly our text tells us.

To paraphrase the classic movie The Princess Bride, “Jesus won’t defend Himself? Inconceivable,” but we know this is all part of the plan for our eternal salvation, dear friends.

Matthew then records in verse 15 a very interesting custom indeed, as we read together: “Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.”

It seems that at the time there was a custom that during the Passover feast, the Roman governor of Judea would release a prisoner as an act of amnesty during that time, and the people would have at least some input into who it would be.

Under Roman law, such actions could be carried

Matthew notes therefore in verse 16 “And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.”

We know very little about Barabbas, but what we do know from the scriptures is from Mark 15:7 “And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection.” and Luke 23:19 , which speaking of Barabbas says: “(Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)”

This guy is in essence a modern day terrorist, a violent revolutionary, who under Roman law would have been sentenced to the cross, dear friends, the choice could not be more stark in that moment,

Would the crowd choose to release as an act of Passover clemency the innocent Son of Almighty God, or a violent, murderous revolutionary?

Thus we read in Matthew 27:17 “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?”

With the people gathered together, Pilate presents the choice of prisoners for the Passover amnesty: will the innocent Jesus, called Christ be released, or Barabbas, the guilty murderer?

What a contrast was presented on that bittersweet Friday morning, dear friends, as we see God’s Holy innocent Son, your Savior and mine, offered for clemency alongside a murderer.

Matthew makes it clear that Pilate knew what was going on here in verse 18: “For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.”

Knowing Jesus had been handed over to him to be a means to an end for these envious religious elitists, Pilate feels the best way out of this pickle so to speak is to let the crowds gathering have the final say.

As we will see, under God’s plan for our eternal salvation, this would prove to be a fatal oversight by the Roman governor that bittersweet Friday morning, dear friends.

Therefore, as we consider this third truth together this morning, consider this third question from an old hymn that we have also considered in the past:

“Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall, friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all: Hearken! What meaneth the sudden call? What will you do with Jesus?”

We transition therefore to our fourth and final truth before we sing a hymn to prepare our hearts for The Lord’s Supper this morning, dear friends, and that is:

The Rejection Of The King in verses 19 through 26

Even as Pilate presents the choice of Jesus or Barabbas to the crowds, a dramatic moment occurs, as we read in Matthew 27:19 “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.”

What a dramatic moment this is indeed, dear friends, keep in mind that in those days, dreams were dwelt on with perhaps much greater significance then they are now.

We don’t know what Pilate’s wife’s name was, or even what her dream was, only what the Bible records here, but whatever it was enough to trouble her about Jesus, who stood before her husband in that moment.

She called him “that just man” in her warning, showing very clearly she knew Jesus was innocent, and thus warns her husband to not have anything to do with Him.

I often think-can you imagine the conversation those two had later that day, dear friends? Regardless, may God’s precious word speak for itself, always!

Yet, Matthew records in verse 20 despite a warning being given to Pilate from his wife, “But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.”

Knowing Pilate’s inclinations are to release Jesus and send Barabbas to the cross, the religious leadership of Israel works quickly, inciting the crowds gathering that day to have Jesus destroyed and the violent murderer Barabbas freed to go his way that bittersweet Friday morning.

The crowds having been persuaded to carry out such actions, Matthew 27:21 records, “The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.”

Pilate poses the fateful question to the multitudes assembled that day, perhaps not knowing they had been influenced by the religious leadership of Israel that morning.

The multitude, according to the desire of the religious leadership of Israel, and under God’s plan, calls out for Barabbas to be released.

Matthew 27:22 tells us what happens next, “Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.”

If Barabbas is to be granted Passover amnesty, what then is to become of Jesus, dear friends?

The answer is one we have heard since Sunday school, and it is nevertheless stabbing, as the multitude cries out “Let him be crucified!”

As we well know, crucifixion is perhaps, the most humiliating and vile method of capital punishment ever devised by man’s hands.

John 19:6 tells us speaking of Jesus and Pilate, “When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.”

Pilate knows Jesus is innocent, but the crowds still cry for His blood nevertheless, remember Matthew’s theme throughout our journey: The King revealed, and the King is rejected in that moment.

For the last time, Pilate attempts to uphold what is true justice, but to no avail, dear friends, as we read in verse 23, “And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.”

Knowing Jesus’s innocence, and under warning from his wife, Pilate inquires as to what Jesus has done that is deserving of such a hideous death.

Yet, the crowds gathered there still do not heed the question of Pilate and cry out even further: “Let him be crucified!”

Under tremendous pressure therefore, according to God’s plan dear friends, we know that justice is not carried out in the truest sense of the words.

The King is revealed clearly, but the King is still rejected, as Pilate succumbs to the pressures of religious leaders and crowd alike, as we read in verse 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.”

Symbolically, Pilate literally tries to wash his hands of the entire affair, trying to thrust the responsibility for Jesus’s execution back in the face of the Jewish leadership, and the crowds gathered there.

Yet, even this dramatic gesture and declaration of innocence both of himself and Jesus does not absolve Pilate of his role in the Passion narrative.

His signature will seal Jesus’s execution warrant, the Jewish leaders and crowds condemn him as well, and by way of application, we all condemned him that day to the cross in our sinful state dear friends.

Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

And thus, we read a chilling declaration from the crowds, both religious leaders and common people alike that bittersweet Friday in Matthew 27:25 “Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.”

This very dark statement made that day shows just how darkened their hearts were, and had we been there, we would likely have had the same response.

Romans 3:9-10 “What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

This chilling statement however does not condone anti-semitism in the least, dear friends, far from it, God still loves the Jewish people, and they have a glorious future ahead of them.

We are not called to persecute or hate the Jewish people for this statement declaring the blood of Christ would be on them and their children, let us rather choose to pray for them.

Romans 11:26 “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:”

And thus, we read of Pilate’s final actions as our text concludes this morning in Matthew 27:26 “Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.”

As Krummacher wrote in speaking of Barabbas, “His ruin is thy redemption; from His death springs thy life.”

This quote could rightly be applied to each one of us as well dear friends, for by the amnesty given to Barabbas, we have eternal life dear friends.

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Barabbas is released, Jesus is condemned to be scourged, and crucified that day on Mount Calvary.

On that dark, bittersweet Friday morning, the King was indeed revealed, and the King was indeed rejected, but for us, for the crowd that day, for your sins and mine.

He was thus escorted forth, stripped of His garments, and tied to a post, where a Roman soldier would take the flagrum, a vicious braided whip knotted with weights, shards of bone, metal, hooks, and glass shards, and beat our Savor barbarically across the back, which could expose organs and cause Him to bleed profusely.

This brutal act before our Savior was crucified thus further accelerates the plan for our eternal redemption: Barabbas is released, Jesus is condemned, and next week God willing, we will see Him drink to the last drop the fatal cup of divine wrath for you and for me on Golgotha.

May God help us therefore now as we prepare for The Lord’s Supper, to consider this final question today:

How much does Jesus’s suffering mean to you today?

We therefore transition to preparing our hearts for communion this morning, having meditated on Matthew 27:1-26 this morning.

Let us together as we see the remorse of Judas, be sure we have repented of our sins and trusted in Jesus Christ and Him alone this morning for as Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Let us trust the authority of God’s word for our daily lives, even as we see The Potter’s Field purchased in fulfillment of prophecies made centuries before, with the blood money Judas betrayed our King with.

May we dear friends, consider who Jesus is, and ask ourselves what we will do with Him in our lives, as we see Him stand before Pilate.

And finally, let us reflect on His suffering, and ponder anew how much it means to us, as we Him, the King of Kings revealed and rejected for you and for me.

Therefore, consider once more with me dear friends, these questions for application and growth:

1...Have you sincerely repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus Christ as your Savior today?

2...Do you trust the authority and cohesiveness of God’s word today for your daily life?

From the hymn, 3...”“Jesus is standing in Pilate’s hall, friendless, forsaken, betrayed by all: Hearken! What meaneth the sudden call? What will you do with Jesus?”

And finally 4...How much does Jesus’s suffering mean to you today?

May Jesus the King of Kings, our crucified and risen Savior be praised today, and let these truths sink deep, that they might challenge us, encourage us, strengthen us for trials yet to come, and if necessary, allow His Holy Spirit to work and convict us, so that we may grow closer to Him, and to each other, dear friends, church family, my brothers and sisters whom He loves, and I least of all, love so dearly.

Would you join me in prayer as Bonnie and Sjoerd come to lead us in a hymn of reflection?

Thank you both so very much.

Let us remember and reflect together on the suffering of Jesus Christ for you and for me today on Golgotha.

And as we do so, rejoice that the tomb is empty, we serve a risen Savior, and a coming King!

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.”

In taking the bread, we remember Jesus’s broken, scourged and nailed body, for your sins and mine.

In taking the cup, we remember Jesus’s shed blood, poured out for the remission of our sins, and the sins of all who repent and trust in Him as their Savior, and we drink as a sign of betrothal and commitment to Him, our Heavenly bridegroom.

If you are here and have trusted in Christ, but are not a member of this church, come and join with us, the table is open to you.

If you have not however, done this, please, out of respect, abstain from taking The Lord’s Supper with us this morning.

But, let us who are His, remember, rejoice, and reflect, my brothers and sisters, will my brothers come to help me prepare the elements?

Before we distribute and take the bread as a family, Brother Adam would you lead us in prayer?

Thank you Bonnie, Scripture tells us, Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”

Before we distribute and take the cup as a family, Brother Jeff would you lead us in prayer?

Thank you Bonnie, Scripture tells us in 1st Corinthians 11:25 “After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Scripture tells us our Savior said in Luke 22:18 “For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.”

From now until He returns therefore, let us resolve to never forget His suffering and rejoice in His resurrection, for you and for me, and look forward to the day when we at last, see Him face to face.

Before we sing our closing hymn, Brother Orla, would you lead us in prayer?

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:13–14.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:12.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:11.

Louis A. Barbieri Jr., “Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 86–87.

Louis A. Barbieri Jr., “Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 86–87.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:9–10.

R. T. France, Matthew: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 1, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 391.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:7–8.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:6.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:5.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:4.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 2

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:3.

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Mt 27:1–2.