Matthew 27:1-26 "The Civil Trials"

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Please turn in your Bibles to Matthew 27. Today, we are looking at VSS 1-26.

There were 6 trials of Jesus altogether. Last week we looked at the first 3 trials… The Religious Trials.

Jesus stood first before Annas, who was the High Priest, but deposed by Rome.

Then, Jesus stood before Caiphas, Annas’ son-in-law, and the Roman appointed High Priest.

Last, Jesus stood before all the Sanhedrin… the Jewish high council.

These trials were illegal… for various reasons, as we discussed last week.

And, Jesus allowed it… so mankind’s redemption would be completed.

It was Father’s will that the Son would die for the sins of mankind.

In Acts 2:23, Peter spoke to men of Israel and testified of this plan, “Him [Jesus], being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death...”

Lawless hands… they illegally arrested, tried, and crucified Jesus Christ.

Yet, God was still in control. Redeeming mankind through Jesus’ blood was His determined purpose… a predetermined plan and it was His foreknowledge or forethought.

“...foreordained before the foundation of the world...”

He took our sin, we inherited His righteousness. The Great Exchange.

This is how God expressed His love for us… Jesus was the ultimate atoning sacrifice… His blood satisfied God’s wrath on sin.

1 John 4:9-10 “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Keep this in mind, as we look at the final three Trials of Jesus… twice before Pontius Pilate, and once before Herod Antipas.

Terrible trials pressed by the Religious Leaders…

And, terrible physical torture at the hand of Rome.

The title of today’s sermon is “The Civil Trials.”

Let’s Pray!

Matthew 27:1-2 “When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted 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.”

This was an early Friday Passover morning unlike any other in history.

Let’s unpack a couple things…

V1 reflects Jesus’ 3rd Religious Trial before the Sanhedrin (the Jewish Supreme Court)… at one of their Halls of Justice… like the Chamber of Hewn Stone… which we looked at last week.

This trial was a formality. The guilty decision was already made.

Notice… right in this verse… the Sanhedrin “plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.” NOT a fair trial.

And, since they were seeking the death penalty, this explains why they led Jesus to Pontius Pilate the governor in V2.

At this point in history… the Jews did NOT have the authority to enact the death penalty.

In the year 6 A.D., Israel became a Roman province, and many scholars think shortly after, the right to capital punishment was revoked from Israel, because it had been revoked from other provinces… namely Greece.

Jesus would have been around 12 at this time… around the time He spoke with the priests at the Temple.

There are other scholars who think capital punishment was revoked later.... because the Jewish Talmud in several books… states, "Forty years before the Temple was destroyed, the Sanhedrin was exiled from the Chamber of Hewn Stones and sat in the stores on the Temple Mount. ...they no longer judged capital cases. The authority to impose the death penalty was stripped from the Sanhedrin, and therefore they willingly left the Chamber of Hewn Stone."

This was around 30 A.D. … right around the time of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Whatever the date, this caused a crisis of faith for many rabbis of the time who were reported to cry out in the streets in mourning saying, “Woe unto us, for the scepter has been taken away from Judah, and Shiloh has not come.”

They thought scripture was broken because in Gen 49:10 it was promised, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes...”

But, scripture was not broken. Messiah was there in their midst. They just needed to be more like Simeon… who it was revealed… he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

When Simeon saw the young Child Jesus, Luke 2:28-32 records, “...he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation 31 Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, 32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Sad, that Jesus the Messiah… Shiloh… was present, and so many did not recognize him.

And, yet there were those like Simeon… who it was said “the Holy Spirit was upon him.”

Simeon recognized Jesus as Savior… even as a young child… no miracles… no teachings…

And, still today… Jesus is missed by many… and recognized by His own.

Well, back in Matthew… the Jews plot to put Jesus to death, which leads us to V2… they lead Jesus to Pontius Pilate… the Roman Governor who had the power of capital punishment.

Pilate is now part of their plot.

A little background on Marcus Pontius Pilatus…

For 10 years, from 26-36 A.D., he was the Roman prefect or governor of Judaea… serving under Tiberius Caesar Augustus… the 2nd Roman Emperor.

He was a real person… despite a time when critics doubted his existence. In 1961, the Pilate Stone was discovered… engraved with “Pontius Pilate Prefect of Judea.”

Then, in 1969, Pilate’s Ring was discovered at the Herodium linking Pilate and Herod Antipas.

Pilate was a Roman equestrian (a knight) of the Samnite clan of the Pontii (hence “Pontius”).

He was a warrior, and likely came into power through his marriage with Claudia Procula who is thought Emperor Augustus’ granddaughter.

And, I know you know all this already… this is just a refresher course.

His time in Judea came with much criticism from the Jews… Pilate was an authoritarian, and came under criticism for his display of images or symbols of the Emperor on banners and coins… idolatry in Jewish law. He was known to provoke Jews and Samaritans to riot, and Pilate was about one riot more from losing his job.

There was a history of tension and mutual discord between Pilate and the Jews.

Remember this as we read this chapter… .

After the crucifixion, Pilate became increasingly resentful and brutal, culminating in 36 A.D. when he stood on trial for cruelty and oppression.

It is thought he was banished to Gaul where, ultimately… he killed himself.

Which seems somewhat thematic today as we also look at Judas and how he kills himself.

I’m not sure what to make of this, but how interesting… 2 men who encounter Jesus… and neither yield to Him… neither abide in Him… both have tragic ends to their lives.

Still today, it’s a tragedy when one encounters Christ and rejects Him.

With that background, let’s continue to V3…

Matthew 27:3-5 “Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” [“Not our problem… that’s your problem”]. 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

So, here’s Judas… after the garden… after the religious trials… now seeing Jesus condemned… and knowing Jesus was innocent…

The religious trials should have been a mis-trial based on Judas’ profession here, but the Jews only entertained false witnesses… rejecting the truth.

We read… Judas was remorseful… some translations say he repented.

The Gk word here for remorse or repent is “mĕtamĕllŏmai” and by def. means “to care afterwards, i.e. regret.”

This is the kind of regret one feels after they get caught. This is just a feeling with no true change of heart… no action of change.

Like a repeat traffic offender who stands before the judge, pleads for mercy, and then speeds on the way home.

Christian repentance is different. It’s Gk. mĕtanŏia- meaning “a change of mind.” A u-turn.

Judas should have prayed for forgiveness, but instead… attempts to return the blood money to the priests, but they want nothing to do with him or the money.

So, Judas forces them to take the money back by throwing the money in the temple… and not the temple courts, but the naŏs...the Holy Place of the Temple.

I have a slide of the Holy Place for Herod’s temple, and you can see on the roof of the large Temple structure, it is labeled the Holy Place.

Like where Zacharias served in Luke 1:9 “… according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple [naŏs] of the Lord.”

I have another slide of the Holy Place for Solomon’s temple, and you notice the division… behind the veil was the Holy of Holies…

I don’t think that is where Judas threw the money. I think it was outside the veil with the altar of incense, the table of showbread, and the lampstands.

In throwing the money, Judas rid himself of the blood money, but he could not rid himself of the knowledge of what he did.

So, he goes and hangs himself. It’s difficult to say exactly how Judas died, but the word hang by def. means “to choke or strangle oneself.”

And, while Judas death seems clear… Acts 1:18… speaking about Judas states, “Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.”

Nice picture… so how did he die? A hanging or a falling… really both could be true.

Have you ever seen the movie, “Cast Away?” My wife’s least favorite movie.

Remember the scene where Tom Hanks goes to the top of the mountain to get the extra 30’ of rope? He had considered suicide by hanging from a tree off the side of a cliff.

But, the weight of the “test dummy”… a log... broke the branch.

I picture a similar scene with Judas… a failed attempt at hanging that resulted in a fall.

2 Cor 7:10 nicely captures Judas’ end… “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.”

Peter experienced true godly sorrow after he denied Christ… he wept bitterly… repented… he was a saved man… restored and became a major part of the early church. He bore much fruit.

Judas felt only worldly sorrow… no true change of heart and mind… no fruit… only death.

And, don’t forget this about Judas… “Satan entered him.” The devil is not our friend. Jesus said, “He was a murderer from the beginning...” (Jn 8:44)… and Judas became his pawn… and was destroyed.

Judas was a thief… he stole money from the offering box… betrayed Christ… Satan entered him… and death was his end.

And, to this day his name is synonymous with treachery and betrayal.

“Don’t be a Judas.” … as the saying goes. Tragic.

Well, Judas throws the coins in the Holy Place, and let’s see the priests response…

Matthew 27:6-10 “But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”

The hypocrisy of the priests is astounding. They had no problem paying the blood money, but now that it is returned they need to consult their law.

Dt 23:18 states, “You shall not bring the wages of a harlot or the price of a dog [slang for a male prostitute] to the house of the LORD your God for any vowed offering, for both of these are an abomination to the LORD your God.”

God knows the source of the money. For ex., dropping drug money into the tithe box is hated by God.

Carson stated, “Whatever is acquired by evil means as well as what is evil in itself is not to be offered to the Lord.”

Not that I think Judas was making an offering, but still the priests would not allow this blood money into their treasury.

So, they buy a relatively worthless piece of land… a Potter’s field.

This was basically a trash heap of broken clay pots… the failed attempts of a Potter.

This field would be used as a grave site for strangers… foreigners… Gentiles.

And, this blood money being used to purchase the potter’s field was in fulfillment of scripture.

Matthew points to Jeremiah who has the most weight in OT in writing about the potter, and some of the principles from Jeremiah 18, 19 & 32… even some of the words could apply here in Matthew, but this is a difficult verse, because this seems a direct quote from Zech 11:12-13.

We could spend the day unpacking this… or you can just ask Matthew in heaven. That’s my plan!

It seems to me that he thinking about both prophets and just mentioned the more prominent, as was customary.

Though, there are a lot of thoughts on Matthew’s reasoning.

I don’t think this was an error. The very fact that there is difficulty here helps me know the Bible is not a man manufactured book.

It would be easier to just change this verse to reflect Zechariah and remove the difficulty, but it stands. The Bible is honest.

The Bible is the authoritative word of God… we yield to God’s word, not God’s word to us.

Cults do the opposite. Mormons have changed the Book of Mormon some 4-5k times.

Listen to this quote about Jehovah Witnesses and their false bible... “The New World Translation is unique in one thing – it is the first intentional, systematic effort at producing a complete version of the Bible that is edited and revised for the specific purpose of agreeing with a group’s doctrine. The Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Watchtower Society realized that their beliefs contradicted Scripture. So, rather than conforming their beliefs to Scripture, they altered Scripture to agree with their beliefs.”

When you encounter difficulties in the Bible, rejoice… press in… study and search for the reasoning, but don’t doubt the truth of God’s word.

Well, this brings us to the First Civil Trial before the Roman Governor- Pontius Pilate…

Matthew 27:11-14 “Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders [the Sanhedrin], He answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.”

Jesus now stands before Pilate, and John tells us they were at the Praetorium or the Antonia Fortress.

I have a slide of this Roman headquarters…the Antonia fortress stood just next to Herod’s Temple… I have a second slide zoomed out where you can see the Antonia Fortress towards the back right of the Temple courtyard.

Typically, this was a living quarters of the Roman Governor, though Pilate had his headquarters at Caesarea Maritima… by the sea… and only came to Jerusalem to keep order during the feasts… when the population swelled.

John tells us… the Jews stand outside the fortress, so as not to defile themselves by entering a Gentile home… gotta stay Kosher as they cast accusations against Jesus…

During the Religious trials, there was one key accusation… Matthew 26:63 “… Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!”

And, this will later come out in the trials. Pilate goes back and forth with the Jews, and they eventually state in John 19:7 “We have a law [Lev 24:16], and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”

An accusation of blasphemy.

But, Pilate would not issue a death penalty for a violation against Jewish religious law. He was only concerned for Rome, and he was wise in discerning truth.

So, the Jews present to Pilate charges they hope will stick…

Luke 23:2, “And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

The Sanhedrin brings three charges before Pilate:

Perverting the nation meaning… corrupting Israel… but, internal Jewish strife was only a concern to Rome if it escalated.

Jesus did state His ministry would cause strife, Matt 10:35 “For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’…”

But, not political strife, the strife was from Jews breaking from tradition and following truth.

Second: Forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar… a false charge… Jesus said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Mark 12:17

The final accusation… Jesus’ claim He is Christ, a King. Turn to John 18…

This charge has Pilate’s ear, so he investigates if Jesus is claiming to be a King… a revolutionary… a threat to Roman sovereignty?

Pilate moves past the first two accusations… and focuses on the third. John 18:33-38 states, “Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus and said to Him, Are You the King of the Jews?” 34 “Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” 38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.”

“What is truth?” Quid est veritas?

A question that has echoed through the centuries… whatever Pilate’s intent in asking this question...

Be it an honest question, a snide remark, a cynical expression… reality is Pilate stood before “THE Truth,” and he turned away.

Jn 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Every person stands before Jesus in their lifetime and must acknowledge or deny The Truth.

Judas and Pilate walked away… and we know their end.

What is truth? Jesus is THE truth, above all truths.

Now, turn to Luke 23... Luke is the only writer to record the second trial before Herod Antipas...

Pilate proclaims to the Sanhedrin, “I find no fault in this Man.”

Then, we read, Luke 23:5-12 “But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.” 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the Man were a Galilean. 7 And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. 8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. 9 Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing. [Again recalling the account of the Suffering Servant Isa 53:7… “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth...”] 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him. 11 Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.”

With this we get a glimpse into the heart of Pilate… more interested in politics than truth.

Sad that wicked politicians united in this moment, but the disciples were scattered.

This is Herod Antipas… the Tetrarch who beheaded John the Baptist… after John rebuked him for marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias.

How difficult it must have been for Jesus… standing before the man who killed His cousin?

Spurgeon… upon reflecting on this scene before Herod said, “Herod had already silenced the voice [John the Baptist], and no wonder that he could not hear the word. For what was John? He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (John 1:23). What was Jesus but the word (John 1:1)? He that silences the voice may well be denied the word.”

Yet another example of one who stood before Jesus and did not receive Him…

Herod only wanted to see parlor tricks… miracles upon demand just to entertain…

In A.D. 39, Herod Antipas would be stripped of power and banished to exile, where he died in obscurity.

Well, let’s wrap up, back in Matt 27, looking at Jesus’ Third Civil Trial… His sixth trial altogether…

Let’s look first at Luke 23:14-18 where Pilate addresses the Jews saying, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. [a nod to their first accusation] And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; 15 no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. 16 I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” 17 (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast). 18 And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas…”

Matt 27:15-26 picks up there... “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.”

Pilate found Jesus innocent and his intent and desire was to release Jesus.

But the Sanhedrin and the people cried out, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas.”

The Gospel accounts tell us, Barabbas was a notorious prisoner… imprisoned for a rebellion made in the city (he was a revolutionary) and he was a robber and murderer… which often go hand in hand with insurrection.

Barabbas. His name… Bar Abbas… meaning “son of a father” or “son of the father.”

In ancient copies of Matthew, his name is recorded “Jesus Barabbas.”

The Jews have to chose between... King Jesus the true Son of the Father -or- the criminal Jesus son of the father.

Again, a choice! Thematic for today. The Jews were granted to release one prisoner on feasts as some sort of Roman mercy accommodation.

And, the Nation denied the true Christ… and chose the counterfeit.

And, 40 some years later… 70 A.D.... the whole Nation falls.

V17 “Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.”

Interesting note on Pilate’s ability to discern… and the true motives of the Sanhedrin… envy… jealousy.

V19 “While he was sitting on the judgment seat [bēma], his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

Pilate’s wife… again her name is Claudia Procula… for receiving this dream, and interceding with Pilate on Jesus’ behalf… she has been venerated as a saint by Eastern Orthodox churches…

And, the traditions and legends that surround her … they go too far!

For Pilate… now even his own wife testifies of Jesus’ innocence.

The Law of Two or Three Witnesses… Judas, Pilate, and Claudia all now profess Jesus’ innocence… recorded in Scripture.

V20 “But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” 23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” [Luke records they shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”] 24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, [now the multitudes are in an uproar & Pilate fears a riot. So, as a result...] he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” 25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.”

The washing of hands to profess innocence was more of a Jewish custom than Roman custom. There are OT references to this custom such as Dt 21:6 & Ps 26:6.

Perhaps Pilate adopted this custom during his time in Israel.

And, while Pilate washed his hands, and tried to claim innocence... little did he know that he would be written into the Apostles’ Creed some 400 years later…

“...who suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried...”

Guilty as charged.

Listen, whether you torture Jesus, or simply turn your back on Him… no washing of hands will make you innocent before God in heaven.

Though Pilate found Jesus innocent, he still had Him chastised… scourged… highly feared and for good reason.

I have a slide depicting various scourges… called the “flagrum” in Roman terminology.

It was a leather whip knotted with bones, metal, glass… even hooks.

The victims arm would be stretched out making the skin of their back tight, and more susceptible to the whip.

As the whip hit their back, buttocks, and legs… flesh would be ripped off… bones and organs were sometimes exposed.

Many prisoners died during scourging… bleeding out.

Roman scourging often preceded crucifixion, but it seems Pilate’s intent was scourging only… to satisfy the blood lust of the crowd… and then to release Jesus… which obviously failed.

Scourging was intended not just to be cruel, but to extract truth.

A scribe would be positioned to take names of accomplices or any confessions of the accused.

But, Jesus was silent. There was no confession… and He gave up no one. Not His disciples… nor you and I.

Isa 50:6 reads, “I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.”

The NLT renders Isa 52:14 “But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.”

He endured for us.

Rom 5:8-9 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

Jesus took the worst wrath man could offer in His trials. And, next week, we will see He takes on the wrath of God.

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Self-sacrifice is the greatest demonstration of love, and everything that Jesus took in His passion and on the cross was for us.

After the scourging… the terrible account of the crown of thorns, the purple robe, the Roman soldiers beating Christ… and the cross.

ALL FOR US. We will pick up there next week...

Let’s Pray!

Judas, Pilate, the Nation of Israel as a whole… they denied Christ… and history records a tragic end for all of them.

In life, all of us must answer this question, “What is truth?” If you have not connected the answer to that question to Jesus… please… let me know.

I’d love to buy you coffee and talk with you… hear your heart… and tell you more about Jesus and why He loves you more than you can imagine.

We have much to praise Him for. Go tell the world!