Matthew 27, Part 2
Notes
Transcript
Pilate was directly responsible to the Emperor for the administrative and financial management of the country. A man had to work himself up through the political and military ranks to become a procurator. Pilate was, therefore, an able man, experienced in the affairs of politics and government as well as the military. He had held office for ten years, which shows that he was deeply trusted by the Roman government. However, the Jews despised Pilate, and Pilate despised the Jews; in particular, he despised their intense practice of religion. When Pilate became procurator of Judaea, he did two things that aroused the people’s bitter hatred against him forever. First, on his state visits to Jerusalem, he rode into the city with the Roman standard, an eagle sitting atop a pole. All previous governors had removed the standard because of the Jews’ opposition to idols. Second, Pilate launched the construction of a new water supply for Jerusalem. To finance the project, he took the money out of the temple treasury. The Jews never forgot nor forgave this act. They bitterly opposed Pilate all through his reign, and he treated them with equal contempt (see note—Mk. 15:9). On several occasions, Jewish leaders threatened to exercise their right to report Pilate to the emperor. This, of course, disturbed Pilate greatly, causing him to become even more bitter and contemptuous toward the Jews.
Pilate was in a dilemma. He had a proven ability as a leader, BUT he was indecisive as he stood before Christ. He knew Christ was innocent, for he saw no evil in Him (see Lu. 23:22).
22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.”
Yet he had to tread carefully with the Jewish authorities lest he fall into their disfavor. If they reported him to Rome, he could lose his position and wealth.
Jesus or Barabbas?
Jesus or Barabbas?
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.
16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.
19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”
20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.
21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.”
22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!”
23 And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
Pilate saw the evidence. Jesus was innocent; the religionists were envious of Christ and His threat to their security. He wanted to declare Christ innocent, but he felt he had to satisfy the cries of these religious leaders as well. So, he put together a compromise.
Pilate had been warned by his wife to be careful how he dealt with this prisoner, for He was an innocent Man (Matt. 27:19). She had suffered a great deal through a dream concerning Jesus and shared her experience with her husband. To speculate beyond the words of the text on the content of her dream would be useless. Since Pilate believed Jesus was innocent, he tried to have Him released. It was a custom of the governor to release a prisoner each year at the Passover in order to gain acceptance with the Jews. His plan to bring about the release of Jesus involved a notorious prisoner named Barabbas, an insurrectionist (John 18:40) and murderer (Mark 15:7), SURELY they wouldn’t pick Barabbas.
40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas.
Pilate thought that surely the people of the nation loved Jesus, their King, and that only the leaders were envious of Him and of the people’s acclaim of Him (Matt. 27:18). He reasoned that if the people had a choice they surely would release Jesus, not the notorious Barabbas. One question I had, where were the crowds that had shouted “Hosanna” only days earlier? Why was there no support, or why was His support not written in scripture?
Bar - Son Of
Abba - The Father
However, Pilate failed to grasp the determination of the religious leaders to do away with Jesus, for they persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. When Pilate asked the crowd what he should do … with Jesus who is called Christ … they all answered, Crucify Him! The Greek text shows their cry was one word, “Crucify” (staurōthētō). One can almost picture this scene, somewhat like a football stadium in which the crowd shouts “Defense!” Their cheer was “Crucify, crucify!” When Pilate sought further information from the crowd as to Jesus’ crimes, the crowd simply shouted … louder, Crucify!
Crucify
1. staurós is an upright “stake” such as is used in fences or palisades.
2. The staurós is an instrument of torture for serious offenses. It may be a vertical pointed stake, an upright with a cross-beam above it, or a post with an intersecting beam of equal length.
The Persians seem to have invented this form of execution. Alexander the Great and his successors use it, and then the Romans, although not officially for citizens. Josephus mentions mass crucifixions of rebels in Judea. The condemned person carries the cross-beam to the place of execution, is fastened to it with ropes or nails, and is then hoisted on the stake, which is already erected. About the middle of the post a wooden block supports the suspended body. The height of the cross varies. A tablet hung around the victim states the cause of execution, and this is then affixed to the cross. Scourging often precedes crucifixion and the victim is exposed to mockery. Crucifixion takes place publicly, and the body may be left to rot on the cross. The death is extremely slow and agonizing. Constantine ends this form of punishment. Jewish law does not impose crucifixion. Persons stoned are hanged on trees to show that they die accursed by God. Judaism applies this principle to those who are crucified.
28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
The cross is decisive in salvation history.
Washing Didn’t Remove Consequences
Washing Didn’t Remove Consequences
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”
25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
Pilate realized he was getting nowhere with the crowd, and their threats to report him to Caesar (John 19:12) concerned him.
John 19:12 (ESV)
12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”
His record with Caesar was not good, and he did not want word of a rival king to reach Caesar’s ears, especially if Pilate had released that king. He therefore took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, symbolizing his desire to absolve himself from being involved in putting an innocent man to death (Deut. 21:6–9).
6 And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
7 and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed.
8 Accept atonement, O Lord, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’
9 So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the Lord.
But his words, I am innocent of this Man’s blood, did not make him innocent (Acts 4:27).
27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,
Such an act did not remove Pilate’s guilt from this travesty of justice.
When Pilate turned the responsibility over to the Jews (Matt. 27:24), however, they readily accepted it. They said, Let His blood be on us and on our children! Did they realize what they had just said? Did they realize the impact those words would have on their future? Is this part of the reason Jesus said (on the cross) “Father forgive them, they know not what they do”? Their words sadly came to pass as the judgment of God came on many of them and their children in a.d. 70 when the Romans destroyed the nation and the temple. In spite of Pilate’s four declarations of Jesus’ innocence (Luke 23:14, 20, 22; John 19:4),
14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him.
20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus,
22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.”
4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.”
he fulfilled his commitment to the Jews by releasing Barabbas and turning Jesus over for crucifixion after He had been flogged.
Barabbas Released, Jesus Beaten
Barabbas Released, Jesus Beaten
26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.
28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,
29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.
31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
Jesus was brought into the Praetorium, the common meeting courtyard crowded with Roman soldiers. The Praetorium may have been at Pilate’s residence, the Castle of Antonia, though others suggest Herod’s palace. The Praetorium was a large area, for 600 soldiers were there (“company of soldiers” is lit., “cohort,” one-tenth of a legion).
There they removed His clothing and mocked Him by (a) putting on Him a scarlet robe, clothing for a king, (b) placing a crown of thorns … on His head, and (c) giving Him a staff for a “scepter.” They knelt before Him and mocked Him by saying, Hail, King of the Jews! What a tragic figure Jesus presented at that moment. They degraded Him further by spitting on Him, and striking Him on the head again and again with the staff. Unknown to them, their actions fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the Savior’s marring (Isa. 52:14).
14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
Because of the known cruelty of Roman soldiers, Jesus was probably beaten to the point where few would have recognized Him. Yet He silently bore the unjust treatment, submitting to the will of His Father (cf. 1 Peter 2:23).
23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
With their sport completed, the soldiers again dressed Jesus in His own clothes and led Him away to be crucified.