The Currency of Jesus
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Matthew 27:1-26
Point: The world uses the currency of Jesus to buy what they desire, but yet no one will take the responsibility for the curse of God and Jesus’ innocent shed blood.
Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders.
“I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”
Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself. The leading priests picked up the coins. “It wouldn’t be right to put this money in the Temple treasury,” they said, “since it was payment for murder.”
After some discussion they finally decided to buy the potter’s field, and they made it into a cemetery for foreigners. That is why the field is still called the Field of Blood.
This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says, “They took the thirty pieces of silver— the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel, and purchased the potter’s field, as the Lord directed.”
Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him. Jesus replied, “You have said it.” But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent.
“Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise.
Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.
As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.)
Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”
Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death.
So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?” The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!” Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!”
“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”
Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”
And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!” So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.
Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment.
Deuteronomy 27:25 ““ ‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” Do we take responsibility for the death of Jesus?
We would be right in saying ‘no’, because we were not around when Jesus was put to death; most of us were not even born …well maybe except for Dick, Dick knows everybody (smile…joking). Unless our name is Judas Iscariot, we are innocent of Jesus’ shed blood. We did not receive thirty silver pieces to sell out Christ and result in his false condemnation and crucifixion. But are we innocent?
Judas tried to absolve himself of any responsibility by tossing the thirty pieces of silver in the temple, but the chief priest refused to take the blood money back because it would defile the temple (v.6). Instead they purchased a potter’s field to bury foreigners in called it Akeldama - “The Field of Blood” (v.7). The same place where Jeremiah the prophet would smash a newly purchased pottery jar and announce the Babylonian incursion (Jer 19:6) in the “Valley of Slaughter”. The same location where Molech the god of the Ammonites, Canaanites and Phoenicians was worshiped with child sacrifice in the days of Kings Ahaz and Manasseh (2 Kgs 23:10). The same valley location that was used as a refuse dump for the city of Jerusalem in the 1st century AD (Mk 9:47). It tells you what the Israelite religious leaders thought of foreigners in that day. A reflection of how corrupt and unjust Israel and the governing religious persons and system had become.
Judas comes to the temple to absolve himself of the guilt of betraying Jesus, and the condemnation of Jesus. The priests response should have been to pardon the repentant sinner, who was ready to make restitution. Instead the chief priests respond with indifference, Judas says, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They [chief priests] said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”” The chief priests say, “That’s your responsibility. It has nothing to do with us.”
Their response confirms the indictment of Jesus against them, “white-washed tombs” and the temple was no longer a place where a sinner could be reconciled to God. The veil would be ripped in half (27:51), the abomination of desolation would confirm the absence of God (24:14-16), and eventually the temple would be destroyed because the people and the temple no longer produced “fruit” (Mt 21:18-22). Is trading the currency of Jesus worth it for empty wants and desires?
Judas trades Jesus for money, ends in suicide. The chief priests paid silver to have Jesus executed, the temple is destroyed and Jerusalem laid waste. Pilate is forever haunted by placating a stirred up, uninformed mob, demanding payment of crucifixion for their Creator and King who only had good for them, you and me. Using Jesus as currency to get what you want is a deadly and dangerous proposition because you get stained by the innocent blood of Jesus (vv 4, 6, 19, 24-25).
“ ‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’
Have I been stained by the blood of Jesus because I have accepted a bribe to betray Jesus? Lets not be too hard on Peter because we have been in the same boat. Have we never denied Jesus? Made a commitment to Jesus and not kept it?
Lets not be too hard on Judas. Have we never betrayed Jesus for something we figure would bring us salvation? Profit? Enjoyment? Make things a little bit easier? Move us a little more a head in the game than everyone else?
Lets not be too hard on the chief priests. Have we never wanted to have control, hold on to power? Have we never condemned or judged someone mistakenly or knowingly? Never wanted to be treated and thought of as more important or of more value than another? Have we never hated someone or something? Murder is not only and always physical, Jesus reminds us, hate is a matter of the heart.
Lets not be too hard on Pilate. With great power comes great responsibility; how do we handle power? How would we handle power? Is there a good reason why we do not wield it? Pilate wanted to set Jesus free, but fear overtook him. The people would riot if he did so. He would be seen as a traitor to the throne for allowing Jesus to walk, a foreign power, a foreign king usurping the authority of Ceasar. Have we ever usurped someones power and authority, their position? Their value as a child of God?
Pilate tried to avoid responsibility for Jesus’ blood, by stating so and washing his hands; but he had the power to let him go, and instead gave into fear. The fear of losing control, power, and authority. Have we ever absolved ourselves of any responsibilities? Any duties because of fear? Fear of reprisals, fear of losing face, respect, friends or family?
Tell me… Just who will take responsibility for the curse of God because Jesus’ innocent blood was shed?
The people of Israel did, the people of Jerusalem.
And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”
Ignorance, ego, and pride are harsh masters. They tend to bring us to our knees. Jerusalem, the City of Peace, would be destroyed in 70 AD for shedding Jesus; innocent blood, for shedding much innocent blood of the prophets and disciples sent to it (Matthew 23:37). The more things change, the more things stay the same. Nations, societies, and culture still seek to kill and wound the people and persons of God. Believers and followers are still crucified for holding onto faith in Jesus and following His ways. Laws have even been passed to censor and silence the Word of God and those who would speak what should not be spoken about.
We all are guilty of having used and traded, of using and trading, the currency of Jesus to get what we want. We have all been stained of shedding the innocent blood of Jesus. A simple denial, an act of disobedience, a refusal to love as He loves and loved. We look for absolution in the wrong places, in the wrong things instead of coming to Christ, confessing our failure and sin, and being forgiven by the only one who can forgive and wipe out the stain! Make us clean and white as snow (Ps 51:7; 1 Jn 1:9; 1:7).
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but the innocent blood that was shed, is the antidote to our guilt. The blood that stains, is the blood that saves!
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood
The temple of God is restored in you. But alas that is a message for Easter Sunday. Friday is good because the stain of trading Jesus is wiped out by the shed blood of Jesus. May the Lord Jesus be blessed because of His sacrifice for us. Trade the currency of Jesus no more. Walk in a new direction, following Jesus. Be reminded of Jesus’ goodness and sacrifice. Be holy as he is holy. Be perfect as he is perfect. For His innocent blood that stains, also saves. Come to Jesus and be made new.
