Matthew 27:15-23 “Let Him be Crucified!”

“Why, what evil has He done?” Pilate to the crowd concerning Jesus, Matthew 27:23

Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, the blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere the ceremony of innocence is drowned; the best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity. (Irish poet W. B. Yeats, 1865-1939, The Second Coming)

…the God of our fathers glorified His servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.  But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you.  (Peter to the crowd at the temple, Acts 3:13b-14)

Pilate, who is convinced Jesus is innocent (see John 18:38), is appealing to the crowd to have them choose Jesus as the one prisoner to be released  according to a custom practiced at the Passover feast during this time in Israel’s history (see v. 15).  But instead of choosing Jesus, the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas (v. 20).   

When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowd yelled, “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!” (21:9).   Now less than a week later, they want Pilate to destroy Jesus (v. 20). Scripture is silent as to why the crowd so quickly turned on Jesus.   But perhaps Scripture does offer some clues.   

Maybe the crowds who welcomed Him when He entered Jerusalem were pilgrims from Galilee while the whole city of Jerusalem, witnessing this event, was stirred up saying, “Who is this?”(21:10). Here in the early morning (see John 18:28) it was the locals who were up starting their day, not the weary pilgrims, demanding Christ be crucified.  Maybe when the Council condemned Him (26:66) and humiliated Him (26:67-68), the crowd realized that this was not the political messiah who would overthrow Rome and free Israel.   Their hopes were dashed and before them was just another pretender to the throne of David.    

 

Whatever the reason, the crowd wanted Jesus crucified.  The governor, both confused and amazed, again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?”  And they said, “Barabbas.”  Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”  They all said, “Let Him be crucified!”  Pilate, still unsure about their choice, retorted, “Why, what evil has He done?”   But they shouted all the more, “Let Him be crucified!”  (v. 21-23).  

 

The lost sheep of the house of Israel, the very ones to whom Jesus was sent (see 15:24) have considered Him “cut off from the land of the living,” (Isaiah 53:8).  Like us all, the sheep of Israel have now “gone astray; each has turned to his own way,” (Isaiah 53:6).     Satan believed he has successfully condemned to death the “beloved Son” of God in whom the Lord is “well-pleased,” (see 3:17 and 17:5). 

 “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him,” (Isaiah 53:10).   Satan and his minions are not in control but are mere pawns in the hands of God.  They are being used to bring about a supreme triumph and an eternal glory for His beloved Son.    God’s plan of redemption and restoration is unfolding just as He desires and in His timing.  

We are broken people living in a broken world.   A gunman executes a classroom of children; tsunamis and earthquakes kill hundreds of thousands.  Pain is the human experience.  And eventually death captures us all.  Yet soon “He will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away,”  (Revelation 21:4).  He will make all things new.  This is the glorious hope of our faith.     Lets us remember that for now the path to that renewal must go through Pilate’s courtyard.    



On the facade of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Church in Barcelona, Spain is this depiction of Pilate (on the right) confused and amazed.

Matthew 27:15-19: Peer Pressure and Pilate

“Who do you want me to release for you?” Pilate to the crowd, Matthew 27:17

“I'm putting tinfoil up on the windows, lying down in the dark to dream.  I don't want to see their faces; I don't want to hear them scream.” (Warren Zevon, “Splendid Isolation”)

“When a million people believe in a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.”  (Anatole France, 1844-1924, French Author)

There is a break in the timeline between Matthew 27:14 and 15.  In between these two verses, Jesus appeared before Herod, who, after mocking Jesus, sent Him back to Pilate, finding nothing in Him deserving death (see Luke23:6-16).    

Now is the time of the Passover feast in Jerusalem and Jerusalem was overflowing with Jewish pilgrims wanting to observe the Passover.   It was also a time when nationalistic fervor ran high and riots against the occupying Roman government were always a possibility.  As governor, one of Pilate’s chief responsibilities was to keep the peace.  One way the governor was accustomed to accomplishing this was to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted (v. 15).  Perhaps, thought Pilate, this was a way to release this Jesus in whom he found no guilt.

And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas (v. 16), “who had committed murder in the insurrection,” (Mark 15:17).    So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (v. 17).    Some older manuscripts of Matthew have the name “Jesus” in front of “Barabbas” in verses 16 and 17.  So literally Pilate was asking, “Whom shall I release: Jesus Barabbas or Jesus Christ?”

For Pilate knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him up (v. 18).   It was envy that had “the chief priests and elders of the people gathered…together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him,” (26:3-4).  It was envy that made the chief priests and the Pharisees seek to arrest Him but could not because of the crowds (see 21:46).   It was envy that demanded from Jesus a sign (see 16:1).  They were jealous of Jesus and His popularity; Jesus was a threat to their power and comfort.  Not even God Himself can find space between man and his worship of self.

 Besides, while Pilate 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,” (v. 19).  The NIV translation refers to Jesus in this verse as that “innocent man.”   Church father Origen, in his 2^nd century document Homilies on Matthew, suggests that Pilate’s wife became a Christian.   Some say she is the “Claudia” of 2 Timothy 4:21.  Some churches (i.e., Eastern Orthodox Church and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) go as far as naming her a saint. 

Pilate now finds himself between a Rock and a hard crowd.   Pilate must choose.  He knows Jesus is innocent.  But if the crowd riots, Pilate fears Caesar’s response since it will show he is unable to control Jerusalem.    The crowd knows this and manipulates Pilate by proclaiming, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend,” (John 19:12). Reluctantly, Pilate makes his choice.  “Wishing to satisfy the crowd,” (Mark 15:15) Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified.

Like most of us men, Pilate should have listened to his wife.   More importantly, Pilate should have listened and believed Jesus’ own testimony (see John 18:36-37).    But other peoples’ opinions were more important to Pilate than Jesus.   We all have known people like this.  We may even be like this.  The seed of the gospel may spring up but “the cares of the world…and the desire for other things enter in and choke the word and it proves unfaithful “(Mark 4:19).  

What seed are you?   Do you want to please men or be a servant of Christ?  (see Galatians 1:10).  May we learn from Pilate: one cannot simultaneously serve two masters; for he will love one and will crucify the other.    

Matthew 27:11-14: The Truth Gives No Answer

“You have said so.” (Jesus’ reply when Pilate asked Him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” in Matthew 27:11)

Hungarian artist Mihály Munkácsy’s "Christ Before Pilate," 1882

“Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.  He will not cry aloud or lift up His voice, or make it heard in the street.” (Isaiah 42:1-2)

One day I'm sure you’ll break your silence and speak just to me. But I feel like time's running out.  My heart is, my heart is filling with doubt…others seem to have your ear but never will I.  Have I displeased you somehow?  Can't help, can't help feeling left out.  (Todd Rungren, God Said)

The scene shifts again and continues where Matthew left off after verse 2.  Having been bound, led away and delivered, now Jesus stood before the governor (v. 11).  It was probably in the pre-dawn hours (see John 18:28).  We learn from Luke’s account that “the whole company” of chief priests and elders “brought Jesus before Pilate,” (Luke 23:1).

They had already determined that Jesus was worthy of death (26:65-66) but by law they could not execute Jesus, only the occupying Roman government could (see John 18:31).  And secular Rome would not execute a man for the charge of blasphemy.  So the chief priests and elders had to persuade Pilate that Jesus was a threat to Roman rule. 

 “And they began to accuse him, saying, ‘We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a king,’” (Luke 23:2). In fact, the exact opposite had happened.  In spite of their efforts to trap Him earlier in the week, Jesus had said, “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” (22:21).   And when the crowd wanted to make Jesus their king, he declined and withdrew (see John 6:15).  Exactly like earlier before Caiaphas, in order to have Jesus accused of a capital offense, the chief priests and elders broke the Law of Moses and bore false witness (see Exodus 20:16).   It is no wonder He gave no answer (v. 12) to these totally bogus accusations.

Then Pilate the governor turned to Jesus and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus, finally being confronted with a true accusation, broke His silence and said, “You have said so,” (v. 11).  (These same words Jesus said in 26:64 to Caiaphas and in 26:25 to Judas.) Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” (v. 13).  Pilate was used to others desperately countering the charges against them or begging for mercy or even for their lives.    But when Jesus gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, Pilate was greatly amazed (v. 14).

Now John picks up the narrative chronologically.   Pilate then pulls Christ aside for a private conversation (John 18:33).   It was a one-way conversation; all the significant talk comes from Jesus.  Pilate hears quite an advanced Christology from Jesus in John 18:36-37.  He speaks of Himself as the warrior Messiah and King (see Psalm 110) and the conquering heavenly Messiah of Revelation 19.  Jesus also speaks of Himself as the Incarnate Truth of John 1:14 and John 14:6. 

Pilate has no categories for these kinds of claims; his pagan mind cannot grasp what Jesus has said.  The one charged with deciding truth in this matter is confused and not even sure if truth exists.  Pilate turns to the Truth and ironically asks, “What is truth?” (John 18:38).  Pilate, in his spiritual blindness, does not wait for the answer. 

Luke tells us what happened next.  When Pilate heard Jesus was from Galilee and therefore part of Herod’s jurisdiction, Pilate sent Jesus over to Herod who happened to then be in Jerusalem (see Luke 23:7-11).  Herod was very glad to see Jesus because “he was hoping to see some sign done by Him,” (Luke 23:8). Once again, a whole gaggle of chief priests and scribes followed and were vehemently accusing Jesus.  Herod questioned Jesus at some length but Jesus “made no answer,” (Luke 23:9).  Then Herod and his soldiers mockingly put a fine robe on Jesus and sent Him back to Pilate.   

We worship not a criminal, not a mere man, not a mere prophet.   But we worship the Way the Truth and the Life.   He need not answer to hard-hearts and lies.   His miracles, His claims, His resurrection and soon His return, all prove He is who He claims to be.     God’s plan is unfolding in His timing.  Wait.  Let not your heart be troubled.   Believe on Him.   

Matthew 27:5-10; The Deadly Fruit of Idolatry

Throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple…[Judas] went and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:5)

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24)

“And I know the moment's near and there's nothing you can do.  Look through a faithless eye; are you afraid to die?  It scares …me; and the end is all I can see.” (Muse, “Thoughts of a Dying Atheist”)

A Christ-less disciple seeks a Christ-less repentance from Christ-less men in a Christ-less religion.   It is a tragedy but it is not a surprise that after throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, Judas departed and he went out and hanged himself (v. 5).    Judas was probably unsuccessful in his attempt to hang himself and either jumped to his death or he fell into a ravine after the rope broke, according to Acts 1:18.  

The chief priests during the trials of Jesus vacillated back and forth between obeying the Law and breaking it, whichever best served their evil schemes.   Here, taking the pieces of silver, suddenly they postured as righteous men and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money,”(v. 6).   They had no such qualms when they used treasury money to arrest Jesus (see 26:15) and to silence the guards who witnessed the resurrection (see 28:12).

So they took counsel and bought with them the potter's field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day, (vv. 7-8).  The Ryrie Study Bible says the potter’s field is “where potters dug clay for making pottery vessels.  It may have been full of holes so as to make it easy to bury people there….” 

Matthew continues: Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me,” (vv. 9-10).

Scholars have noted that Matthew attributes this quote to Jeremiah but it is actually a quote from Zechariah 11:13: “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’— the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.”  Matthew also reaches into Jeremiah 19:1-3 and borrows for his quote but clearly Zechariah is the primary source.   What do we do with this difficulty?

Gleason Archer, in the book Inerrancy (p. 63, edited by Norm Geisler) offers this explanation: “In such cases, where more than one Old Testament author is quoted, the general practice of New Testament writers was to refer only to the one who was more famous.”   Archer also cites Mark 1:2-3 where this same pattern can be found.  Both Malachi 1:3 and Isaiah 40:3 are quoted there but Isaiah, the more well-known of the two, is the source mentioned. 

Many scholars believe that Judas’ motive for betraying Jesus was his love of money.  He was stealing money from the disciples and complained the loudest when Mary poured costly perfume on the Lord (see John 12:3-6).   Judas was forced to choose between two masters.  He chose the love of money over the love of Christ.  Judas’ life negatively illustrates Romans 8:6: “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”   Satan exploited the Christ-less Judas.   He tried also to exploit Peter but he ran into a Rock.  Satan demanded to sift Peter “like wheat” (Luke 22:31). And Peter did fall.  But his fall was not permanent; he turned again and strengthened his brothers.

Rembrandt's painting of Judas returning the thirty pieces of silver. 

Much of our spiritual journey as believers is about confronting the idols in our lives.  An idol, simply put, is anything that rivals our love for God.  My most stubborn idols can be the love of family, the pursuit of leisure, and the protection of my fragile ego.  Maybe these idols seem innocuous compared to the love of money.  But all idols can be deadly and allow Satan a foothold if they flourish unchecked.  What are the idols in your life?  Like Josiah did with the idols of Asherim and Baal in 2 Chronicles 34:3-4 may we tear down our idols and guard diligently the treasure we have in Jesus.