Matthew 27:11-26 (ESV)

Matthew 27:11-26 (ESV) Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.”

But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.

Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?”

But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.

And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.

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?”

For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.

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.”

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

The governor 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!”

And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

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.”

And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Matthew 26:69-70, ESV

Trial Jesus is brought before Pilate Pilate cared little for Jewish customs Some tend to think the Gospels paint him in a positive light, but the truth is he was being more diplomatic than anything Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” It was not permitted for the Sanhedrin to enforce capital punishment Therefore they needed to present Jesus in a particular light in order for Jesus to receive this punishment

Trial (2) The Sanhedrin know Pilate, and know he will not care if Jesus blasphemes Also, blasphemy is not worthy of capital punishment in Roman law anyway So they need to present Jesus as an insurrectionist Jesus simply responds with, “you have said so” This reflects his response to Judas during the last supper (26:25…exact same phrase) It also reflects his response during the Sanhedrin trial (26:64…also the same)

Trial (3) While in front of the Sanhedrin, however, Jesus presented a counter understanding “It’s as you say...but more like this” Jesus is acknowledging Pilate’s terminology, but rejecting the way Pilate, and the people themselves, understand it

But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Matthew 27:12-14

Accusations The chief priests and elders accuse Jesus Probably include statements made by Jesus, though twisted (see Matthew 26:57-68) Pilate is intrigued (impressed?) with Jesus Jesus’ lack of response reminds us of Isaiah 53 After intrigue comes amazed This terminology has been used previously when describing peoples reaction to Jesus, especially for his teachings (7:28, 13:54, 19:25, and 22:33 for astonished and 12:23 for amazed) Jesus’ lack of response gives Pilate a sense of awe at this man It may also be one of the reasons Pilate goes in the direction he does later in the narrative

Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 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?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. (Matthew 27:15-18)

An Exchange Only in the Gospels do we find a governor releasing a prisoner to the crowd during this ceremony It is likely not a Roman statute, but one which was adopted from the Hasmoneans We are then introduced to Barabbas There’s historical evidence which supports the idea that Barabbas’ first name was actually Jesus as well As time progressed copyists began to drop Barabbas’ first name, believing Barabbas should not have the same name as Jesus This neglects, however, the popularity of Jesus’ name (which is Yeshua/Joshua)

An Exchange (2) We learn Barabbas was a notorious prisoner Barabbas was a notorious in a sense of famous To the people, he was likely a notorious hero, whereas to the Romans a notorious criminal More than likely Barabbas was an insurrectionist, which would be a reasonable enough offense for death The common belief that he was a thief does not have much weight, since thievery would not sentence a man to death Pilate presents Barabbas and Jesus to the crowds It seems likely Pilate would of presented, “Jesus Barabbas” or “Jesus who is called the Christ” in this way he would distinguish between the two

An Exchange (3) Pilate also uses the term, “Christ” which implies he knows some of Jewish thought It is interesting to consider if Barabbas was an insurrectionist calling Jesus the “Christ” is interesting The common belief was that the real Christ would bring insurrection against the Romans By presenting Barabbas and Jesus, we see Jesus who is the true Christ, and Barabbas who is the Christ people want Jesus to be

An Exchange (4) Pilate is a shrewd politician He presents this knowing the chief priests are envious of Jesus’ renown Pilate knows the chief priests are only trying to use Pilate’s authority to be rid of Jesus It is also for this renown that they are trying to be rid of Him

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.” (Matthew 27:19, ESV)

The Dream This brief interlude informs us one of what else may be influencing Pilate It is likely Pilate received this early on during the trial This message may be another reason he is going against the Sanhedrin By offering Barabbas versus Jesus he assumes they will choose Jesus He may present this because of the acclamation during Jesus’ arrival Unfortunately, the majority of that commotion came from Galilean Jews, not Judean Jews The irony is in the dream itself A gentile woman is able to see Jesus’ innocence, yet the chief priests and the people are not

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor 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!” And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” (Matthew 27:20-23, ESV)

Power of Persuasion While Pilate is offering this, the chief priests and elders are persuading the people to choose Barabbas It is likely they are spreading the reports of Jesus’ blasphemy, which would be a strong motivator in listening to the Jewish authorities Pilate asks again who they want released They choose Barabbas Knowing of the great Jewish nationalism at this time it makes sense they would do this

Pilate Responds Pilate then asks about Jesus It is possible Pilate recognizes Jesus’ guilt is not worthy of capital punishment according to Roman law He asks this, then, as a goal of a lighter sentence for Jesus Pilate misfires, however, as the people desire the death penalty What support Jesus had among the Judean Jews has been destroyed by the chief priests and the elders Jesus is a blasphemer against God and the people follow their leaders in their choice

Pilate is Perplexed Pilate really wonders what Jesus has done Pilate was not expecting the Jews to demand one of their own be crucified This then mixes Jewish zeal against Blasphemy with the Roman method of execution It also shows a failure of the Jewish authorities to see the outcome is not one of justice, or even based upon pagan Roman law, but politics

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.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (Matthew 27:24-26, ESV)

Sentencing Pilate realizes things are not going as planned So, he takes the blame off of himself There is an irony in Pilates method, as we consider Deuteronomy 21:6-9 “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, and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed. 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.’ So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.”

Sentencing (2) Washing hands then symbolizes one not being guilty He washes his hands knowing Jesus is not guilty of a crime worthy of death Pilate, though, is still culpable as we will see later on We then have an interesting moment Throughout the Gospel whenever Matthew would describe the crowd he would use the word ὄχλος (Och-Lahs) Now, however, we find him use the term λαός (Lay-Os) which the ESV translates not as “Crowd” but “all the people”

Sentencing (3) There may very well be a reason for the change in terminology In the Greek translation of the Old Testament (called the Septuagint or LXX), the word most commonly used to describe the people of Israel was λαός (Lay-Os) Therefore, it is possible to see that at this moment the entire Jewish people reject their Messiah This eventually translates into God making a people for Himself, which will consist of Jews (like Matthew himself) and Gentiles

Sentencing (4) Another thought comes by their proclamation “His blood is on us and our children” This points us to the future, but first we must look at what Jesus has said previously Consider what Jesus has said previously, what will occur within this generation? The major event would be the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D. (predicted by Jesus in Matthew 24:3-28) While these verses have been sadly used as persecution against the Jewish people The truth is the emphasis is not on the Jewish people as a whole, but specifically on this generation and the next, which will see the collapse of the Jewish nation, and much bloodshed in the process

Sentencing (5) With the previous teaching in mind, we are able to see that Jesus’ prophecy concerning the temple and Jerusalem comes true When the temple is destroyed the people will know Jesus was and is the Messiah So the statement made by the people, placing Jesus’ blood on their hands, reflects this upcoming event Pilate releases Jesus to be scourged and crucified The whips would have multiple ends and often have bones or pieces of glass tied in Sometimes the scourging would be enough to kill The beating would be enough that their bones would be seen, and in the worst scenario their entrails would spill out

Final Points Gentiles In Matthew there is an interesting trend It begins with the coming of the Magi (see chapter 2), and continues throughout the Gospel The magi, for example, are the first to welcome the new king We also find after Jesus feeds the 5000 Jews, he feeds the 4000 Gentiles (see chapters 14 and 15) Throughout the Gospel Gentiles have been seen positively In today’s text we see the same thing occur It is not the Jewish population which tries to free Jesus or reduce His sentence, it is the Gentile Pilate and his Gentile wife God was using these Gentiles to proclaim Jesus’ innocence to the people

Final Points Gentiles (2) God can use anyone to fulfill His purposes God using Gentiles to proclaim this is further evidence of His Sovereignty God is God of both those who believe and who do not believe God remains in control and sovereign even among those who do not acknowledge Him

Final Points A New People This should lead us to consider the λαός (Lay-Os) The people who rejected God, and consider the Gospel which brings both Jews and Gentiles together to form a new λαός It is interesting to see in the book of Acts how this new people came into existence The Jews did not consider them Jews, but the Gentiles didn’t see them as Gentiles either! (see Acts 18:12-17 esp.) No longer were there only Jews and Gentiles in the world, but Jews, Gentiles, and Christians

Final Points A New People (2) As Christians we recognize our own grafting into the Jewish tree (Romans 11) So in a sense it is right for the Gentile rulers to believe Christianity is merely a sect of Judaism (see again Acts 18:12-17) Christianity, however, transcends Judaism to include not only the ethnically Jewish, but any (whether Jew or Greek/see Galatians 3) who repent of their sins and place their faith in Jesus

Final Points A New People (3) Christianity fulfills Judaism in a way which was unforeseen by many of the Jewish people during Jesus’ earthly life It was not expected that God would send His Son as a propitiation for sins (see Romans 3:25, Hebrews all, I Peter 2:2, I John 4:10) They did not foresee how God would have one sacrifice as a fulfillment for all sacrifice (see Hebrews) Through this there is now a new λαός A people who will not fall away because they are His (see Jeremiah 31:31) A people of a new covenant sealed by the blood of Jesus (see Matthew 26:28)

Final Points A New People (4) A people who stand against the Darkness and during the storms, though bend, do not break Though stumble, do not fall It is not their ability to overcome, but the grace and mercy of God, the power of God, in them that allows this new people to stand (II Corinthians 4:7)

Final Points Seek Justice We see how Pilate appeases rather than goes with his instincts When Pilate washes his hands clean, we can see why he would think this sufficient The Jews were the ones who wanted Jesus crucified, not him Still, the washing of his hands is not enough Consider what Jesus has said previously in 23:23-24 which says, “[23] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. [24] You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!”

Final Points Seek Justice (2) What are the weightier matters of the law? Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness While Pilate washes his hands clean, he remarkably breaks all of these weightier matters of the law Pilate is fully aware that Jesus has not done anything worthy of capital punishment Yet instead of speaking out against the crowds and doing what was just, he seeks appeasement God is a God of justice, a righteous God, a God who expects His people to seek justice because He is just (Isaiah 45:21, Psalm 116:5, Daniel 9:14, Psalm 7:11, and Isaiah 1:17)

Final Points Seek Justice (3) Many will applaud this and then go out and support an organization which furthers social justice While social justice is a good thing, it fails to grasp the full justice found in Jesus Christ It is interesting when we consider Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.”

Final Points Seek Justice (4) Two words are found in this verse and in Matthew 23…Righteousness (which interchanges with Justice) and Faith It is almost as though in order for us to promote justice we must do these acts of social justice While this is understandable, the greatest promotion of Justice is not in acts of social justice, but the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ True justice is only found in Jesus Christ the Righteous One (see I John 2:1) We end up robbing the world of justice when we refuse to proclaim the Gospel When we do not speak up, instead of seeking justice, we end up seeking appeasement

Matthew 27:11-26 (ESV)