Matthew 27

Verses 1-10

• Again, Scripture is fulfilled even in the remorse and suicide of Judas (Acts 1:15-20).

  • Judas was remorseful, but also felt hopeless. He killed himself because he did not want to live any longer knowing that he had sinned so gravely.

    • Understand that believers who fall into sin, and stay there, will experience greater turmoil, and can in some cases, although rare, be influenced toward suicide.

      • Bring hope to these believers and help them to know that they can always repent. Hopelessness kills.

 

Verses 11-14

• Jesus was, again, silent in the face of accusation. He knew that He must be killed, and so He did not utter a word.

  • Jesus was confident to affirm that He was the King, knowing His identity, but He felt no need to defend Himself against those who falsely accused Him. 

    • Godly confidence and Christ-like dignity do not fear false accusation. 

    • Like Jesus, live obediently, know your identity in Christ, and you will not be afraid!

 

Verses 15-26

• By this time, his intuition also affirmed by his wife, Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent and that He was accused simply because the Jewish leaders envied Him.

• But rather than releasing Jesus, He tried to justify himself by openly washing his hands. This was a way of gesturing that he did not want Jesus to be crucified.

  • However, Acts 4:27 states that Pilate was indeed gathered with the others against Christ. He was counted among those guilty of the blood of Christ, even though he wanted to be seen as innocent. 

    • Even if a person claims to be in support of Christ, they are against Him if they do not take action in His defense. Pilate was not for Jesus, so he was against him all the same (Matthew 12:30).

    • Don't merely claim to support Jesus, or you are no better than total unbelievers. Act in support of Christ in obedience to His Word and speaking for Him around others!

• Verse 25. This crowd had no idea what they were saying. They knew neither the power of Jesus' blood to save them, nor the impending judgment that awaited them for their murder of the Messiah.

  • But those who received the gospel, later, could still be forgiven because they acted in ignorance (Acts 3:14-15,17-19).

    • So, have mercy and compassion on unbelievers who seem to curse Jesus because most don't know what they're saying. 

 

Verses 27-32

• As the soldiers did, many people pretend to worship Christ, but when all is said and done, they will still deliver Him to crucifixion.

  • Let your worship to Christ be real and heartfelt, and show the sincerity of your worship by being carrying His cross and suffering with Him. How so?

  • Stand by Christ, pray to Him, and speak for His name in the face of beating and/or mockery.

    • When you suffer for your faith in Him, you suffer with Him. And if in suffering you still worship Him, that is true worship!

 

Verses 33-49

• Verses 33-44. This passage shows that everyone around Jesus mocked and reviled Him. He had no comfort from anyone.

• Verses 45-50. Even God Himself had to forsake Jesus, since He became sin and its wretchedness on that cross (2 Corinthians 5:21).

  • Jesus suffered His Father leaving Him (which had never happened before this point) and the outpouring of the Father's wrath on Him. This was His greatest suffering; but in it God and Christ still had joy (Hebrews 12:2), knowing the redemption for us that would come (Isaiah 53:10).

    • Understand that Jesus was separated from God so that you would never have to be, and have joy that now nothing can separate you from His love(Romans 8:39). 

 

Verses 50-56

• Jesus' death, along with an earthquake and rocks being split, caused the veil of the temple to be torn in two. This is the most significant of the phenomena recorded here. 

  • Behind the veil of the temple is where the presence of God resided, and it separated man from the presence God. 

  • Now in this time, because of what Jesus did, we are no longer separated from the presence and Spirit of God, and God comes to live in us. We are now His temple! Believe this and thank God for His Spirit living in you!

• Verses 52-53. After Jesus' resurrection it is known that others were also resurrected. The point is that Jesus' resurrection is our resurrection. The power of His life gives life to us. Right now, His resurrection pulls us from the deadness of sin (Romans 6:4).

  • We also know that when Christ returns, we also will be physically resurrected and meet the Lord in the air. There will be resurrections at His return, just as there was at His own death and resurrection 2,000 years ago.

 

Verses 57-61

• See teaching for John 19.

 

Verses 62-66

• What stands out most, here, is that the Pharisees, ironically, remembered Jesus' claim to resurrection (three days after His death) better than His own disciples did.

  • Don't let it be said that the enemies of Christ know His Word better than His own followers. Know your Bible!

• And yet, although they did everything they could to seal and guard the tomb, the resurrection could not be stopped.

  • Even though the disciples did not remember what Jesus said about His resurrection (Luke 24:7-8), and so did not think to even sow up at the tomb, the resurrection still happened. Truly, it is a sad thing that the enemy might be resisting the work of God more than some believers are supporting it, but take courage in remembering that whatever God has said will surely come to pass!