Matthew 28:1-4

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1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. ~ Matthew 28:1-4

Today, we begin our study of Matthew 28 where the Lord Jesus has been crucified, pronounced dead and buried by two members of the Jewish ruling council. Friday and Saturday had come and gone and now it is early Sunday morning. The disciples had come through the darkest two days of their lives. All of redemptive history had come to its apex and the disciples of the Lord Jesus were no where to be found. Undoubtedly, they were hiding out for fear of their lives. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb."

It was a Jewish custom to visit the grave for three days after the loved one had died. But by the fourth day, since the body would have been well into the decaying stage, they believed the spirit of the person would have departed. It was six o'clock on Sunday morning and the Sabbath was over. The women mentioned in today's passage were the last at the cross after His death and the first to the tomb after His resurrection. As they approached the tomb, they wondered how they would be able to get into the tomb to apply the spices to address the decomposition of the body of the Lord Jesus. 

None of the followers of the Lord expected to discover a risen Savior when they arrived at the tomb. These women came with spices because they did not expect the resurrection. They came looking for a dead man. And, they would not have brought spices had they made the story up. All of these details underscore the fact that during that weekend, despair triumphed over hope. Like those very first followers of the Lord Jesus, we struggle as well. We struggle not only remembering His promises, we also struggle to believe in His promises. While waiting to see the promises of God fulfilled in our lives, we understandably struggle. The struggle is a part of the process of being convinced that we need the Lord so desperately. We struggle to believe God is working when we can’t see progress and we struggle to remain faithful when God’s timeline doesn't match ours. Like the caterpillar in the cocoon, our struggle serves a purpose. As the struggle aids the development of the wings of the caterpillar which soon is a butterfly, our struggle aids the development of our faith which is our heart's ability to see God. The key is continuing to be faithful. 

Closely connected to faithfulness is loyalty. The disciples had just been given the most intense example of faithfulness and loyalty through the death of their Savior. But, He was dead. Martin Luther once said, "Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved." Loyalty is a profound virtue that not only strengthens our bonds with others but also nurtures our own sense purpose. On the heels of the death of the Lord Jesus, the disciples had absolutely no reason to be purposeful. Their whole world had been turned upside down. 

In v.2-3 of today's passage we read, "2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow."

With the earthquake everything changed. This was the second earthquake in as many days. The first was when our sin was overcome and the second is when death was overcome. When the women arrived, they were shocked to discover that the stone had been rolled away. At the moment the second earthquake took place an angel had come and rolled back the stone. The stone was not rolled away so that the Lord Jesus could exit the tomb, it had been rolled away so that His followers could see inside. 

Unbelievers would not have stolen the body of the Lord Jesus, if they had, they would have played right into the resurrection story. And, if they had, they would have gladly produced it in order to disprove the resurrection. The believers would not have taken the body of the Lord Jesus, for there were guards stationed at the tomb, and the stone was sealed. And, they would not have knowingly died for a lie.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men."

The guards shook for fear. The word translated "shook" is the Greek word also translated "earthquake." They shook not only due to the earthquake. They shook because in the human body are two glands attached to the kidneys called the adrenal glands and they secrete the chemical adrenalin. The reason adrenalin is secreted during such times of fear is for the purpose of enabling us to manage the moment. Adrenalin is pumped into the human bloodstream causing the heart to beat faster. This in turn causes more oxygen to be available to our muscles. It also causes the pupils to dilate in the eyes so that if we're in darkness we'd be able to see better. In addition, glucose is released into the muscles giving necessary energy in case we have to run. All of this was the experience of the guards the moment the earthquake happened and they saw the angel. 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single greatest event in human history. It is the cornerstone and foundation of our faith. The message of all of the Scriptures that death is not the end is merely the doorway into eternity. And everyone goes through that doorway and everyone lives forever. Those who reject the free gift of salvation through the Lord Jesus will spend their eternity in hell and those who believe in the Lord Jesus will spend eternity in heaven. It is not easy to believe in a resurrection, but there is very clear evidence that it happened. 

In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only person in history who was pre-announced starting a thousand years before He was born. There were over 100 prophetic accounts from 18 different prophets from the Old Testament predicting the specifics of His coming birth, life, death and resurrection. Hundreds of years later, the details of His birth, life, betrayal, and death validated those prophecies in surprisingly accurate and minute detail. There is far more reliable historical evidence for His life, teachings, miracles, death, and resurrection than for any other who has ever lived.

Matthew 27:62-66

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62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. ~ Matthew 27:62-66

Today, we conclude our study of Matthew 27. In our most recent studies of this gospel, the Lord Jesus had been crucified, taken down from the cross and buried in a borrowed tomb. While the disciples were locked away by their fear, three women stood stunned as they witnessed Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus bury the Lord Jesus. While the Lord had made it abundantly clear to them that He was going to Jerusalem to die His followers should not have been so shocked when it happened. 

The Jewish religious leaders, on the other hand, were rather gleeful once they thought they had finally stopped this threat from Galilee. That is until they remembered His words that He would rise from the dead. It was then that they scrambled to make their way back to Pilate to make another request of him. It is at this point that we pick up the narrative today. The Jewish religious leaders referenced two deceptions that the Lord Jesus was supposedly guilty of: the first was His declaration that He was the Messiah and the second that He would raise from the dead. Both of these turned out to be true and it was the reason He came to this earth in the first place.

For the followers of the Lord Jesus Friday was filled with much confusion and many questions. The intense suffering of the Lord Jesus brought for them the most excruciating of pain. They were stunned due to the fact that this One whom they had followed for three years was dead. As a result they were all scattered and afraid. The man they left everything to follow was now dead and sealed behind a two ton stone. All of their hopes had been dashed and buried with Him. Our most critical moments in life is when we are most hopeless because it is then that we are convinced that we need the Lord the most. 

In v.62-64 of today's passage we read, "62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, 'Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.'"

It was now the Sabbath. This was not just any Sabbath, it was the Passover Sabbath, the holiest day of all of the Jewish calendar. Over night the religious leaders of first century Israel had remembered that the Lord Jesus had said that He would rise from the dead. This made them hurry over to Pilate's residence very early in the morning requesting that he make the tomb secure by placing Romans soldiers at the entrance of the tomb. I find it very interesting that the enemies of the Lord Jesus remembered that He predicted His own resurrection, yet His followers had forgotten that He made such a prediction.

These religious leaders were so afraid of the Lord Jesus they referenced Him as "that deceiver." By using the pronoun "that" these so-called leaders communicated their contempt for the Lord Jesus. Their hostility, hatred, fear, and brutality led to His death because He was a threat to their will. This was the proposition of the enemy in the Garden of Eden and Adam concluded: "Not your will but my will be done." Satan doesn't try to get unto follow him directly because he deceives us to follow him indirectly by following ourselves.

The religious leaders of Israel made this request of Pilate because they feared that the followers of the Lord Jesus would steal His body and fake His resurrection. But, there was a problem because the stone that had been rolled in front of the tomb was about two tons. This stone was round and it had been rolled into a channel in front of the tomb. The channel was on an inclined so that the stone was rolled down into the channel and the only way to move a two-ton stone in this case is to move it up hill. Needless to say the tomb was pretty secure. It could have been moved with the help of many people and the leverage of wooden implements. But, it was not.

In v.65-66 of today's passage we read, "65 Pilate said to them, 'You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.' 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard."

The religious leaders of Israel made this request of Pilate because they feared that the followers of the Lord Jesus would steal His body and fake His resurrection. According to the other gospel writers, there were between 10 to 16 well-armed Roman soldiers there guarding the tomb. Also, there was a Roman seal at the entrance of the tomb. The seal had a clay pack on one side of the stone and a clay pack on the other side of the stone. A rope was placed between the two seals and if anybody broke the seal they were to expect death. 

In taking all of these precautions the religious leaders made sure that there was no other explanation for the absent body of the Lord Jesus except the resurrection. If there were no seal and no guards, the resurrection could have been explained as a grave robbery. But, in the end the deception of the religious leaders of Israel failed them and was overcome by the All Powerful One. Our hope becomes unbreakable once we see that God's promises are unbreakable. Even our broken existence finds great comfort in this fact that our God is so big He can overcome death with life.

Matthew 27:57-61

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57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. ~ Matthew 27:57-61

Today, we resume our study of Matthew 27 where the Lord Jesus has just been crucified on the cross. He gave His life as a ransom so that you and I could be made right with Him. After the Lord Jesus breathed His last breath all of His followers fled the scene with the exception of three women: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus, and Salome the mother of James and John.

In v.57 of today's passage we read, "Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus."

Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel, made up of 70 men and the high priest. Joseph of Arimathea is strategically mentioned by all four gospel writers. Matthew calls him a "rich man" while Luke identifies him as a "righteous and just" man. According to today's passage, Joseph of Arimathea was looking for the kingdom of God to arrive on earth. At some point along the way, Joseph believed in the Lord Jesus as his personal Savior. This explains why he was compelled to take the dead body of the Lord Jesus down from the cross. 

The Sabbath began on Friday at 6:00 pm and lasted until Saturday at 6:00 pm. The Bible tells us the Lord Jesus died at 3:00 in the afternoon. This left only three short hours for the Lord Jesus to be buried within the restrictions of the religious laws of Israel. 

In v.58 of today's passage we read, "This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him."

After the death of the Lord Jesus, Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and requested the body of the Lord Jesus. Normally, the dead bodies of the crucified were buried in mass graves along with the others who were crucified. It is believed that Pilate willingly gave the body of the Lord Jesus to Joseph as a further indication that he believed the Lord Jesus to be innocent. And, Joseph buried the Lord Jesus in his family tomb. Joseph loaned it to the Lord, as was prophesied in Isaiah 53 some 700 years before the Lord Jesus was put to death.

Nicodemus brought one hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes, both of which were used in the embalming of the dead for burial. Along with Joseph of Arimathea, by handling the dead body of the Lord Jesus, Nicodemus lost everything that day. By touching a dead body, both men knowingly made themselves "unclean" according to Numbers 19:11. This, along with helping the cause of the Lord Jesus, resulted in their banishment from the Sanhedrin or the ruling Jewish religious council.

This is the type of thing that happens when we are being defined by God. When the Lord defines us we lose certain things in this world. But, we gain so much more by losing. We do not earn our rightness with God, but once we have come into His way of thinking and choosing, we increasingly view life differently. As we increasingly think His way and obey Him, we will grow in His wisdom. And, as a result of growing in His wisdom, we will value what He values. 

In v.59-60 of today's passage we read, "59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed."

Pilate marveled that the Lord Jesus was already dead because Roman crucifixion was a method of execution designed to prolong suffering. It was not unusual for those who were crucified to hang on for days or even weeks before they died. From John's Gospel, we learn the Lord Jesus "gave up His spirit." The significance of this wording is that it shows that the Lord Jesus was in control of the timing of His death. He did not die because His body could take no more punishment or because of blood loss. He died because He decided it was time for Him to die.

In v.61 of today's passage we read, "And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb."

Although for the disciples of the Lord Jesus His death was earth shattering, His burial was of major importance. There was no doubt that He died and then He was laid in Joseph' borrowed tomb. Underscored for these women who witnessed it all was that the Lord Jesus was really dead. Real death necessitated a grave in which the Lord Jesus was laid. He could never be our Savior had He not died. For these women who looked on, they could later validate not only His death but also His resurrection. For the part of three days His death dealt to them a heavy dose of hopelessness. 

But hope came during that Sunday morning. Unbeknown to all of His followers, the Lord Jesus would be raised by His Father from the dead. Before the light had its greatest entrance onto the stage, the darkness had to be extinguished. This what happened at His cross. He conquered sin and death. It is in John 1:5 that the Lord Jesus reminded us, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it." The Greek word for "overpowered" used here by the Apostle John is actually a combination of kata and lambano. Kata means defeat while lambano means a forceful grasping. Together these two words reveal the light defeated the darkness in a most extraordinary way. The Lord Jesus not only defeated darkness, He ensured the dark forces of sin and evil have been made powerless to ever overpower Him or those who belong to Him.

Matthew 27:55-56

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55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. ~ Matthew 27:55-56

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 27 where the Lord Jesus has just died on the cross. It is an established fact that God has a heart for the broken who are viewed by most as the least. A careful study of the Bible reveals that in God's eyes those who are considered to be the least are the most blessed. Our brokenness positions us for great encounters with God only if our hearts are bent toward Him. Broken soil has been known to yield a crop while broken clouds grant rain. Broken grain has been known to be made into bread, and broken bread has been known to yield to us strength. 

What a contrast! I find it greatly instructive that in John 3 and John 4 we find such a contrast between Nicodemus and the woman at the well. Whereas Nicodemus was a man, the woman at the well was a woman. In that day men were favored much more than women. Nicodemus was named but the woman at the well was not. Nicodemus was a Jew while the woman at the well was a hated Samaritan. While Nicodemus was a part of the "right" group, the woman at the well was a part of a despised group. Nicodemus was considered righteous while the woman at the well was considered a rejected sinner. Nicodemus was honored while the woman at the well was an outcast. While Nicodemus was educated, the woman at the well was uneducated. And, while Nicodemus met with the Lord Jesus at night, the woman at the well met with Him in the middle of the day. 

As we redirect back to today's passage God accentuates the women who were at the cross just after the Lord Jesus breathed his last breath. I find it quite instructive that as the hours rolled on there were fewer and fewer of the followers of the Lord Jesus within eyeshot of His cross. These women who had been with the Lord Jesus from the beginning of His ministry were among the very few who lingered. They uttered no words because in that moment after His death they were stunned. They were trapped in arrested silence. These ladies were the faithful ones, even though they struggled immensely to understand what was happening that day. 

The first of these women mentioned in today's passage was Mary Magdalene. She was from the town of Magdala located on the northwestern shores of the Sea of Galilee. The Jewish Talmud informs us Magdala was infamous for its prostitution. We can't be sure, but many scholars believe that Mary from Magdala, before she came to Christ, was a prostitute. This has never been truly proven. Mary's attraction to the Lord Jesus was born out of the forgiveness that He extended to her on that day  when He cast out of her seven demons. Mary was most faithful at following the Lord Jesus, more faithful than any of the disciples. She was one of those who were at His cross last and she was the very first to at be His tomb to witness His resurrection.

The second Mary mentioned in today's passage was the Mother of James the Less and of Joses. A careful study of this Mary renders the discovery that she was Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus. In Mark 6 Mary is mentioned along with her sons and daughters, siblings of the Lord Jesus. When we compare the names mentioned in Mark 6 and today's passage we find that they are the exact same. The fact that "Joses" is another form of "Joseph" allows us to conclude this was a son of Joseph the husband of Mary, the carpenter of Galilee.

The next woman who was there that day but not named by Matthew was Salome. She was the wife of Zebedee, the mother of the disciples James and John, the sons of thunder. This was the same Salome who came to the Lord requesting that her sons sit in places of honor in His kingdom. In all four gospel accounts, there is a record of the presence of these women at the cross. Additionally, in each of the synoptic gospels, the detail of the women watching "from a distance" is noted. These same three women were together on the third day when they brought spices to the tomb of the Lord to anoint Him. When they encountered the angel who told them that the Lord Jesus was risen, they ran to tell the disciples the good news. Mark’s gospel is the only one that mentions Salome by name.

All of these women started out at the foot of the cross, hoping for some miracle that would make sense out of it all the events of that day. Then the Lord Jesus died, and they ended up on the fringe, discouraged and devastated. These women were last at the cross and the first at the tomb. The cross always unveils what is going on in our hearts. These women who were gathered at the cross of the Lord Jesus had been with Him during much of His earthly ministry. But, at this point of the narrative, theirs was a picture of hopelessness. As a result of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, they no longer had hope that God really was in control. In that moment of confusion, confusion reigned. Their faith was strong as long as everything went well, but when the bottom dropped out, their faith in Him appeared to disappear.

In the end of it all, we discover that those who are right with God are not right with this world. And, it is in those moments of hopelessness that we discover that at the cross God whispered to us to come closer to the window of our souls, closer to Him. As we respond to Him, we discover a deeper place with Him. The God of the Bible always desires something far more for us, He desires for us intimacy with Himself. Such is the nature of our fellowship with the God of the Bible. It is during these times that we truly get to know Him most intimately. These times when our hearts seem to be too broken that we wonder if we can be filled. It is in these most desperate moments that we struggle with reality only to discover that He is the only real one. All of this is good even though we once thought it to be the worst. It is out of such that we discover the greatest things like the fact that the light shines its brightest through the cracks created by our brokenness.

Matthew 27:51-54

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51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!" ~ Matthew 27:51-54

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 27 where we find ourselves observing the events that took place while the Lord Jesus hung on His cross. It was 9:00am on the Friday of Passover week. For the first three hours, the scene was dominated by the lesser characters in the story. At noon the focus changed. The most significant event in the history of this world took place when God entered into time and space and paid the penalty for our sin. It was during those three hours of darkness that the Son of God, the light of the world was made sin for all who believe that His death paid the debt that our sin created. The darkness surrounding His cross was reminiscent of that dark night in Egypt when the angel of death killed the firstborn of those who had not applied the blood of the sacrificial lamb to the doorposts of their homes. 

In v.51-53 of today's passage we read, "51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many."

Once the Lord Jesus breathed His last breath, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. In that moment sinful man was given an option to change the trajectory of his eternity. The tearing of the veil was God's vertical declaration that we could enjoy a personal relationship with Him through the forgiveness earned for us by His Son. And now, there is no longer any need for earthly temples, altars, sacrifices, or priests, because God has fulfilled all righteousness through the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross. 

When the Lord Jesus died, not only did the veil experience ripping, there was also a massive earthquake and graves were opened. Since it was 3:00 in the afternoon there were undoubtedly many people in the temple that day engaged in their worship of God. With the earthquake God interrupted worship at the temple with the message found in Jeremiah 31 which reads, "31 Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." 

When the Lord Jesus died believers in the God of the Bible who had died before were raised from the dead on that Sunday. There is a reason why Matthew is the only one of the gospel writers who accentuated this resurrection. He wrote his gospel account to a Jewish audience who on the basis of Daniel 12:2 expected their Messiah to be resurrected soon after His arrival to this earth. Matthew wrote to underscore the fact that with Christ's sacrifice came the end of the Jewish Law.  

In v.54 of today's passage we read, "So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, 'Truly this was the Son of God!'"

A Roman centurion was the commander of a hundred men which was called a century. When the earth quaked this centurion saw it and everything associated with it and he concluded along with his men the Lord Jesus to be the Son of God. This particular officer was in charge of the soldiers who were guarding the crucified body of the Lord Jesus. It was these soldiers who mocked the Lord Jesus and gambled for His clothing. Most importantly, they were the ones who witnessed His entire crucifixion from beginning to end. They had seen crucifixions before, yet they had never seen someone respond as the Lord did that day. These were hardened men, yet, they heard the Lord Jesus pray for His murderers. They heard His cries to His Father. They heard Him promise paradise to the repentant thief who had been cursing Him just moments before. 

And then, they experienced the impossible: darkness in the middle of the day. The skies for three hours were dark. It was then that an earthquake violently shook the earth. They could no longer ignore what was happening. The darkness, the earthquake, and then the final breath of the Lord Jesus spoke a different story from all of the other crucifixions they had witnessed. And, it had an impact on this centurion. It was at that moment he said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" 

Matthew 27:45-50

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45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" 47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!" 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. 49 The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him." 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. ~ Matthew 27:45-50

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 27 where we witnessed the miraculous conversion of one of the two thieves who hung on the cross next to the Lord Jesus. What a contrast between those two. The first was hardened by sin while the other had been broken by sin. As the hours passed on the cross, one of the two openly acknowledged his sin. Then, out of his brokenness, he confessed the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus, affirming His claim as the Son of Man. This is one of the greatest scenes ever, demonstrating how a person moves from the dark into the light. It was his brokenness that enabled him to see the Lord Jesus anew and this moment he began to see the light of eternity.

Like the prodigal, this man once ruled by sin came to the end of himself. This is where true repentance begins, when we come to the end of ourselves. The thief on the cross was made aware of his sinfulness, then he confessed it to the only One who could forgive Him. This is the picture of true repentance. He did not blame the evil influences in his life for his sinfulness. He came to the realization that he was standing on the edge of eternity and he needed the mercy and grace of God. Then, he begged for forgiveness from the only One who could give it. Earlier he had heard the Lord Jesus pray, "Father, forgive them." It was then that he saw that as soon as the blood of the Lord Jesus began to flow, he heard Him interceding which is what moved Him to ask for forgiveness. 

In v.45-46 of today's passage we read, "45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" 

Darkness covered the earth for three hours that afternoon. It was an object lesson as God judged our sin in the body of the Lord Jesus. In the Old Testament the high priest on Yom Kippur, also known as Passover, went into the holiest place through the veil in darkness to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat. In doing so, forgiveness for sin was granted by God for those willing enough to believe. The transaction was made alone, in secrecy and under the cover of darkness. It was a holy transaction between earth and heaven that took place in the dark.

The people lived in the darkness when the Lord Jesus came to this earth. He came to give us light, the light of His salvation. The physical reality of darkness pictured the spiritual reality of the reign of sin and death to that point. Darkness speaks of evil in the Bible and light speaks of all that is right. The cross of the Lord Jesus was the worst crime ever committed by humanity. They tried to extinguish the Light of the World but they failed to do it. "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it." 

Many today don't like the cross because it is a reminder of their sinfulness. But, a gospel that doesn't have at its core the cross is powerless. Its power comes from its message: There is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends. This is, of course, what the Lord Jesus did for us on that day so many years ago.

Before the Passover lamb was sacrificed in Egypt, the ninth plague was darkness over all of Egypt for three days. It was a darkness they acutely felt. It was the object lesson spelling out God's judgment on sin. And then, the tenth plague was the death of the firstborn picturing the death of God's firstborn Son. The Lord by this time had already spoken three times while hanging on the cross. This saying from the Lord Jesus, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' was the only saying of the Lord Jesus from the cross that Matthew recorded. It revealed the separation from fellowship with His Father that the Lord experienced. He was not separated from the nature of the Father, He was separated from fellowship with the Father. The Lord Jesus spoke these words as the Father was judging our sin in His body as He hung on that tree. God treated the Lord Jesus like we deserved to be treated, so that He could treat us like the Lord Jesus deserved to be treated. 

In v.47 of today's passage we read, "Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, 'This Man is calling for Elijah!'"

When the Lord Jesus said, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?,' the people thought He was calling for Elijah because it was their practice that if they were in a time of great distress, they could pray to Elijah and he would deliver them. They also knew that the Old Testament promised Elijah would also come before the Messiah, according to Malachi 4. So, when they said "This man is calling for Elijah," they were mocking Him on the notion of the joke that the Lord Jesus thought He was the Messiah. But, God the Father poured out His wrath on His Son that day, so that He would not have to pour it out upon us. The Lord Jesus was damned, so that you and I would not be damned. He was excluded so that we could be included.

In v.48-49 of today's passage we read, "48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. 49 The rest said, 'Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.'"

This scene was the fulfillment of Psalm 69:21 when they offered the Lord Jesus this sour wine. The promise of the Old Testament was that this would occur at the death of the Messiah. Earlier He had been offered gall, the Lord Jesus didn’t drink it, because gall was a pain killer to try to lessen the pain. The Lord Jesus refused the gall because he wanted the full impact of the suffering. The sour wine was a cheap wine that was there for the soldiers to quench their thirst. The soldiers offered it to the Lord Jesus because they wanted to prolong the life of the Lord Jesus. 

In Exodus 12, during the Passover night in Egypt when the death angel came, if he saw the blood of the sacrificed lamb applied on the door posts, he would not kill the firstborn therein. In obedience to God, the believing Jews applied to the doorpost the blood of the lamb using hyssop. Reminiscent of those Passover Lambs who shed their blood and secured the firstborn therein, the Lord Jesus is our Passover Lamb. 

In v.50 of today's passage we read, "And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit." 

Just before the Lord Jesus died, John tells us He cried out "Tetelestai" which means "It is finished." Tetelestai is a financial term used when a debt is paid in full. The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross was more than enough to pay the debt that our sin had created. And, in the end, God won the battle between good and evil, the war between life and death.  

The Lord Jesus bore the wrath of God for every sin ever committed. It means that the work for our salvation is fully complete. There is nothing left to do other than to receive the benefits of His work, to put our faith in the One who offered his life as a sacrifice for sin. It means His work on the cross plus nothing equals His perfection applied to us who believe in Him. The Lord Jesus came to secure for us what we could never secure for ourselves. He finished the work that God sent Him to do. The irony of it all is that a dead man overcame sin and death. While being killed as a blasphemer, the Lord Jesus made it possible for the very people who blasphemed Him to be pronounced the children of God.

Matthew 27:35-44

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35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots." 36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. 39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." 41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing. ~ Matthew 27:35-44

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 27 where we have just witnessed the Roman soldiers volunteer Simon of Cyrene to help the Lord Jesus get to Golgotha with His crossbeam. As we learned last time, what started out as something very unwanted by Simon ended up being the greatest blessing ever. Such is the case with the ways of God. If we give Him enough time, He will work miracles in and through our lives.

In v.35 of today's passage we read, "Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: 'They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.'"

At nine in the morning the Lord Jesus was nailed to the cross. He was there for six hours, from 9am until 3pm. All four gospel writers found it most difficult to go into the details of the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. None of them described the driving of the nails into His hands and feet. They all four just wrote four words to describe it: "Then they crucified him."

In this first verse of today's passage Matthew quotes Psalm 22:18, "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." All of the four Gospels offer complementary perspectives on the crucifixion rather than providing a purely chronological report. They all confirm the central event while highlighted unique details. Matthew’s focus is on the prophecy while Mark is on the suffering of the Lord Jesus. Luke focuses on the compassion shown by the Lord Jesus towards others, while John focuses us on God's sovereignty over the whole event.

The prediction written here was made hundreds of years before this event was fulfilled by the Romans. According to Roman law, the property of the victim became the property of the executioners. The Roman soldiers "cast lots" to see which of them would get the clothing of the Lord Jesus. Their hardened hearts prevented them from seeing the real narrative which was unfolding before their eyes. They had long been trained by this world's values so much so they could not see from an eternal point of view. Because of this they had no interest in the greatest story ever told.

In v.36-37 of today's passage we read, "36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

In those days the Romans included a sign above the criminal who was being crucified to explain why He was there on His cross. The sign above the Lord Jesus was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek due to where He died. Since the Lord Jesus was not guilty of any crime, Pilate simply had written above Him, "THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." Matthew's gospel records it this way. Mark, Luke, and John record part of the saying. Pilate knew that the Lord Jesus was innocent. He knew that out of envy the religious leaders had conjured up lies about Him. This explains the sign above Him that day. I find it interesting that only non-Jews ever used the title "King of the Jews" to describe the Lord Jesus. This seemingly insignificant observation magnifies the truth found in John 1:11, which reads, "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." The Apostle John used the word "own" twice. The first time it is used, it is written in the neuter. The second, it is written in the masculine. The first "own" refers to created things, whereas the second refers to the people. His creation received Him, whereas His people didn't.  

This underscores the fact that faith is not a result of being provided more miracles or more truth. No, faith is about the informed bowing of our will to the One who created us. When we place our faith in the Lord Jesus, He will go from being our Creator to being our Re-Creator. He recreates us through His choice to bow His will to the plan of the Father. At the place of the skull, He paid the penalty that separated us from God. And, it is our faith that activates His work to begin in our souls.

In v.38-40 of today's passage we read, "38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left. 39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, 'You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.'"

The word translated "robbers" can also be translated "rebels." These guys who were crucified next to the Lord Jesus were friends of Barabbas, who was himself a rebel. The Lord Jesus Christ died the death of a rebel on behalf of rebels. These criminals were equally close to the Lord Jesus. One was saved and the other was lost; one went to heaven while the other went to hell. Both just as close, same opportunity, forever separated; one in glory and the other in eternal punishment. 

The Lord Jesus is the dividing line between death and life. What makes the difference is the choice we make regarding Him. One choice results in a hard heart and the other results in a soft heart. The Lord Jesus did everything for both of these men but only one received the free gift of eternal life. That's the whole idea of Christianity; we do not get into heaven by being reformed. We get into heaven through the death of the Lord Jesus who paid the price required by God in order to make it possible for us to enter into heaven.

The prophecy found in Isaiah 53:12, "And He was numbered with the transgressors" was fulfilled as the Lord Jesus hung on His cross. Think of the possibilities of arranging this. It is simply humanly impossible. The Lord Jesus fulfilled over one hundred Old Testament prophecies when He was crucified. Had He not died the way He did, we would have no hope for eternity. The Romans and the Jews hurled their abuses at Him, but He never once defended Himself. 

Everything that day screamed for the Lord Jesus to come down from the cross. His friends had abandoned Him, the Romans were killing Him, and his countrymen were mocking Him. And, in the middle of all of this, we learn a valuable lesson from the Lord Jesus who was led by His Father to that God-forsaken place. The other voices told Him to "come down." Those voices threatened His identity. We must resist those voices for ourselves because those voices demand that we must prove our value. This is what the Lord Jesus was dealing with while on the cross. His identity was firmly rooted in His Father's love for Him so that we could know His love for us. 

In v.41-44 of today's passage we read, "41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 'He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.' 44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing."

The religious leaders wanted the Lord Jesus to come down from the cross so that they, allegedly, might believe in Him. What they didn't understand, if He had come down, their faith in Him would have been meaningless. Of course, it is very questionable that their statement about believing in Him was authentic. After all He had given them so much truth and so many miracles, had He performed one more miracle would not have made a difference. The Lord Jesus resisted the temptation to come down from that cross, so that you and I would not be resisted by God. He hung there suspended between heaven and earth, so that you and I could transcend to heaven. He was abandoned so that we would not be abandoned.

Matthew 27:32-34

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32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink. ~ Matthew 27:32-34

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 27 where the Lord Jesus Christ has just endured a horrible beating at the hands of Pontius Pilate's soldiers. The earthly journey of the Lord to the cross did not begin 33 years earlier, it began in eternity past. This was no surprise to God, it was a part of His plan to redeem rebellious mankind. C.S. Lewis once said, "It costs God nothing, so far as we know, to create nice things: but to convert rebellious wills cost Him crucifixion." As we enter back into the narrative, we discover the Lord Jesus so weak from loss of blood that He was physically unable to carry His cross. This set the stage for today's sub-story which is where God is most acutely found.

In v.32 of today's passage we read, "Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross."

From Pilate’s residence to Golgotha, the place where the Lord Jesus was crucified, was only a few hundred yards. These would be the final steps of the Lord Jesus on this earth until He returns at His Second Coming. His walk to the place of His crucifixion was a display of humiliation highlighted by Him carrying His crossbeam which was tied to Him. The cross weighed between 75 and 100 pounds. Since the Lord Jesus struggled so to carry His cross, the Roman soldiers forced a man named Simon from Cyrene to carry it for Him. 

Simon was an African from Cyrene or as we know it today, Libya. He was an African Jew who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and he just so happened to be walking by as the Lord Jesus was struggling to carry His cross. The moment Simon was ordered to carry the Lord's cross, I am sure he thought, "I am in the wrong place at the wrong time." However, things were not as they first appeared. As is always the case, in God’s providence Simon was at "the right place at the right time." There are no coincidences with God. In Mark's gospel we are given the names of Simon's two sons, Alexander and Rufus. When Mark wrote his gospel these two were still alive. As a result of today's story, Simon and his two sons came to faith in the Lord Jesus as their Savior. In addition, today's story has long been corroborated.

In Romans 16:13 we read, "Greet Rufus chosen in the Lord and his mother." This Rufus was the son of Simon from Cyrene. Also, in Acts 13:1, we read, "In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul." Simeon is a variant name for Simon who became a leader of the church in Antioch with other Christians from Cyrene.

On that day that the Roman soldier seized Simon to carry the cross for the Lord, he was ordered to do something he did want to do. In that moment, Simon could not possibly see what the Lord had in mind for him. God used the crucifixion of His Son to get to the heart of Simon the father of Alexander and Rufus. Simon thought he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but, in time the whole scenario changed. I find that to be the case in my life. If I just give God enough time, He has always been known to make sense even out of my most unwanted of moments.

In addition, it just so happened that a certain man was being crucified next to the Lord Jesus that day in Jerusalem. Perhaps for the first time in his life, this unnamed criminal had the time to talk to and to listen to God. At one point he asked the Lord Jesus to remember him when He entered into His kingdom. To that random man that awful day, the Lord Jesus gave assurance of salvation and eternal life. Again, there are no coincidences with God. That day the sovereignty of God slayed the idea of coincidences for the thief on the cross as it did for Simon.

Citing coincidence is how we humans explain unexpected events and surprise meetings. But, just because we are taken by surprise does not mean that God is shocked. Scripture is clear that God allows sinful humans to make mistakes and reap the consequences of those mistakes, but only a sovereign God could also promise that He will make "All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." In ways known only to God, He takes even our mistakes and weaves them together to fulfill His purposes which always render the best results for us. Just like Simon of Cyrene, the criminal that hung next to the Lord Jesus was not at all in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was exactly where he should have been. In response faith in the God of the Bible was born in that man that day. With our sovereign God, there are no coincidences. 

In v.33-34 of today's passage we read, "33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink."

Golgotha means "the place of the skull" and it is located just outside the Damascus gate in the northern wall of Jerusalem. It is called the place of the skull because it looks like a human skull. This is where the Roman soldiers led the Lord Jesus to be crucified. I find it most striking that God allowed little ole man to order Him around. In doing so, the Lord Jesus illustrated the greatest display of strength for He gave up the right and the ability to exact His power on the lesser. 

The Lord Jesus was offered wine at two separate times while He hung on the cross. The first wine was mixed with myrrh. It was designed to dull His pain, to keep him from having to endure the cross with full consciousness. He refused the first wine because He knew He had to endure the full wrath of God for you and me. For our sake, the Lord Jesus died the most painful of deaths, out of love for us. He drank the second wine which was given to keep Him conscious for as long as possible, and thus it prolonged His pain. Though it was a sinister attempt by the Romans to be entertained by His suffering for longer, He yielded His will yet again. When we look at the Cross we see God’s incredible faithfulness to the promises He has given. There is nothing, not even the instinct to spare His own Son, that would have turned God from keeping His word.

Matthew 27:27-31

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27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. ~ Matthew 27:27-31

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 27 where the Lord Jesus has been beaten to a pulp and Pilate has now issued a decree to have Him crucified. Unbeknown to him, Pilate was a major actor in the struggle between good and evil that day. Coming into view was the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of the events of today's passage merely led up to that most crucial moment of all of human history.

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him."

The term "Praetorium" refers to the official residence or headquarters of a Roman governor. In this case, Pontius Pilate, the prefect of Judea during the time of Jesus' trial. Pilate's praetorium was the setting for the trial and sentencing of the Lord Jesus. It was there that Pilate turned the Lord over to his soldiers who were nothing short of brutal. There was an ancient Roman game that was played in those days, and it is alluded to here. This game was called "hot hand" which was when the guards took a prisoner and blindfolded him. Then they formed a circle around the prisoner, and they placed him in the center of the circle. Then, all but one of the soldiers would take turns at hitting the prisoner. Then, they took the blindfold off him, and they asked, "Which one of us didn't hit you?" If the prisoner guessed incorrectly, they'd do it all over again until he got it right.

In v.28-29 of today's passage we read, "28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!'"

The Roman soldiers mockingly placed a scarlet robe on the Lord Jesus. Then, they placed a crown of thorns on His head. This crown was the product of the Fall of rebellious man. This crown included the curse and the honor. It has always been impossible for any human to earn the honor of a personal relationship with God by atoning for our sin. This is why the Lord Jesus came. He came to atone for our sin. And, as a result, we have the chance of being made right in God's eyes simply by believing in His sacrifice on our behalf. Only the Lord Jesus could resolve our sin and curse problem.

Bowing before the Lord Jesus, the Roman soldiers mockingly hailed Him as a king. They also beat and spat on Him. Then they mockingly placed a crown of thorns on Him. They couldn't see the irony therein because they lacked a biblical theology. It was man's sin that brought thorns into existence in the first place and in just a few hours the Lord Jesus would reverse the curse that had been illustrated by those thorns. The mistreatment of the Lord Jesus Christ was for all who would believe, because all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This means that we are all guilty of rebellion against God which has caused us to not be able to dwell in His presence.

One sign that we have come into right relationship with God is that we no longer blame someone else for our sinfulness. Personal responsibility for our sin aligns with what the Bible calls confession. Agreeing with God's assessment in all areas of our lives is a possible sign that we have been born again. And, if we do not see ourselves standing there with the fickle crowd and the cruel soldiers, full of hostility and hatred for the Lord Jesus, we really do not understand the nature and the depth of our sinfulness or the necessity of the cross. Sin was not something created or authored by God. Rather, God created a good universe and good human beings. Sin is the product of man thinking he could make it through life on his own without God.

When the soldiers took the robe off of the Lord Jesus, it was quite painful for Him. When blood coagulates it acts like glue. Once they placed that robe on His bloodied body and the blood dried, the garment adhered to His body. And, when they took the robe off, they ripped the freshly mended scabs off of His body with it. That pain only added to the misery He was going through that day. But, it would get worse when they led Him to be crucified.

In v.30-31 of today's passage we read, "30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified."

The reed with which they struck the Lord Jesus served as a symbol of mockery and humiliation. This reed was a flimsy narrow stick used symbolically by the Roman soldiers in order to belittle the Lord Jesus. In v.29 the reed was even placed in the right hand of the Lord Jesus. Inadvertently, the placing of that reed in the right hand of the Lord Jesus fulfilled a prophetic imagery given by Isaiah of the suffering servant. In Isaiah 42:3 we read, "A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice." 

Crucifixion was not invented by the Romans, the Persians invented it, but the Romans perfected it. The Persians originally invented crucifixion because they thought the earth was holy and sacred, and, they did not want to taint the earth. So, the Persians elevated the guilty ones off the sacred earth for their death. Crucifixion disappeared from man's purview until the Romans rediscovered it and when they perfected it, the Romans crucified thousands upon thousands. 

I find it most instructive that among so many crucified only One is remembered as such. The cross of the Lord Jesus Christ was made of two parts: the vertical stake and the horizontal crossbeam. The cross is the greatest axis ever known to man. It is the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ that made it possible for all of mankind to pass out of the darkness of death into the light of His everlasting life. This is done only by coming into a personal relationship with God by believing in the work of His Son on the cross. While this world grades according to the curve, God grades according to the cross. The Bible is clear that the only passage way into this personal relationship with God is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Matthew 27:20-26

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20 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!” 24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, 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. ~ Matthew 27:20-26

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 27 where we have witnessed the trials of the Lord Jesus before He was required to carry His cross to the Place of the Skull. As we have seen, the six trials the Lord Jesus endured that early morning in Jerusalem were divided into two parts, the first three were before the Jewish religious leaders, and the second set of three before two Roman governors, Pilate and Herod.

In v.20-21 of today's passage we read, "20 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!'"

Barabbas was an insurrectionist who wanted to overthrow the Roman government. Pilate wrongly believed that if he allowed the Jews to choose between the most despicable prisoner and the Lord Jesus, they would pick the Lord Jesus to be set free. And as we have seen before, such great irony is discovered in the name of Barabbas which means "son of the father." It was the Lord Jesus, the true Son of the Father, who was bound to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

Up to this point in the narrative, the crowds in Jerusalem had responded favorably to the Lord Jesus, but that changed as the deceit of the religious leaders began to spread. To the religious leaders and the people, Barabbas was the savior they chose that day. The Lord Jesus was there to give life, while Barabbas was the one who had taken life. The Lord Jesus was there to save the people from sin, while Barabbas was there to save the people from Rome. The people chose the fake over the real, and in so doing the crowd fell to the deceptive powers of darkness. The crowd didn’t free Barabbas because they liked him, they freed him because they disliked the Lord Jesus. They had taken up the offense of the religious leaders of Israel.

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "Pilate said to them, 'What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?' They all said to him, 'Let Him be crucified!'"

It was disappointment that drove the Jews to reject the Lord Jesus. They expected Him to fulfill their plans but He came with a much higher calling. It is really unwise to be defined by something like disappointment. In the economy of God, disappointment is necessary for the development of our faith in Him. Patience is a must when we are disappointed and we are making a very important decision. Change one little letter and our disappointments turn out to be His appointments. As Philip Yancey says in his book, Disappointment with God, "Where there is no longer any opportunity for doubt, there is no opportunity for faith either."

In v.23-25 of today's passage we read, "23 Then the governor said, 'Why, what evil has He done?' But they cried out all the more, saying, 'Let Him be crucified!' 24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, 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.'"

When Pilate asked the crowd about any evil the Lord Jesus had done there was nothing but chaotic words proving the point that the Lord Jesus was as a sheep led to slaughter. It wasn't that the Lord Jesus was so easy to hate. After all, He had done nothing but good for the people. All of this just underscores the incredible deceptive powers of Satan. Having said that, these things had to happen so that mankind could be redeemed back to God. It is not that God made the people choose Barabbas that day, but He allowed the deception of Satan to manipulate the outcome. 

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified."

Pilate released Barabbas and he had the Lord Jesus beaten. He didn't mean for it to go as far as it did but Pilate's men nearly beat the Lord Jesus to death. The flogging the Lord Jesus endured was bloody. Long leather cords were imbedded with bits of metal and bone, so that as the thongs whipped around the body of the Lord Jesus, the skin on His back and on His sides was cut and flayed open, until He was a bloody mess. Pilate ordered the flogging, thinking he would not have to crucify the Lord Jesus. He had hoped to awaken the sympathy of the crowd but to no avail. As a result, the Lord Jesus died a relatively quick death. Those who had been crucified before had hung on their cross for weeks at a time before they died. 

It was love that sent the Lord Jesus to the cross. Love naturally flows fully out of a heart that is itself conscious of being loved. In Gethsemane that night, the Lord Jesus communed with His Father who completely loved Him. As a result, having been strengthened and steadied, the Lord Jesus availed Himself to the cruelest form of human death, the cross. One cannot show His love further than laying down His life for another, especially when He has the power to wipe those who mean Him harm off the face of the earth in the twinkling of the eye. The Lord Jesus did not wait for us to earn His love to die for us. He knew that we were incapable of such, so, when He died on the cross, He spelled out the fact that God loves us. The cross has one horizontal beam along with another that was vertical. One represents the width of God's love and the other reflects the height of His holiness. As Max Lucado once said, "The cross is where God forgave His children without lowering His standards."

Matthew 27:15-19

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15 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. 17 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. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, 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.” ~ Matthew 27:15-19

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 27 which chronicles the trials of the Lord Jesus at the hands of the religious leaders of Israel and of Pontius Pilate governor of Judea. By now it was early Friday morning and the Lord Jesus was clearly on His way to being punished by Pilate so that the false charges against Him by the Jews would be satisfied. As we will see, there are many ironies to be found in today's narrative. An irony is a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects. Once we begin to see irony in the Bible, we will increasingly see the glory and the sovereignty of God.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished."

Somewhere just after midnight the religious leaders arrested the Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and then they put Him through a series of three trials throughout the early morning. All three of these so-called trials were unlawful according to the law of Moses and they lasted about an hour all together. After the initial three trials, the Lord Jesus endured three more trials at the hands of Pilate and Herod. According to John 19:14, when Pilate rendered his final verdict, it was 6:00 a.m.  

All of this took place at the time of the Passover which commemorated the release of an entire nation from Egypt. During the Passover, Pilate had created a tradition of releasing a prisoner. He fully expected the crowd that had gathered there to choose the Lord Jesus to be released but it didn't happen as he anticipated. According to Luke's gospel, Pilate made a noble effort at being a just judge. Three times he declared the Lord Jesus "not guilty." Pilate tried to do the right thing, but he was under tremendous pressure to be bring justice upon the One who had committed no crime. Nothing worked. Since the religious leaders of Israel led the people to be against the Lord Jesus everything Pilate tried only mounted the hostility of the masses. The crowd became more bloodthirsty and more infuriated as the minutes advanced.

In v.16-18 of today's passage we read, "16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 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."

Barabbas, having unsuccessfully plotted an insurrection against Rome, languished in Pilate's prison. Such great irony is discovered in the name of Barabbas which means "son of the father." In Exodus, God identified Israel as "the son of the Father." In Barabbas, Israel saw itself. Yet, both Barabbas and the nation of Israel were very far from being sons of the Father. Ironically, the Son of the Father in heaven took Barabbas' place so that the sons of men could become sons of the Father who in heaven.

We are always at our worst when we are defining ourselves. We have been duped by the enemy to follow him by indirectly putting ourselves on the throne of our lives. As a result, we think that we know what is best for us. Not so! We often choose the kingdoms of this world, and we reject the Father and His Son and their values. If we could only understand that even the unwanted things and events that enter into our lives on a given day, they are all part of His divine will for us for that day. And, it is through such that God defines us.

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "While he was sitting on the judgment seat, 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.'"

Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of Judea. He was given the post in 26 A.D. by Tiberius Caesar and he occupied that post for 10 years. Pilate was not a Roman. He was Spanish. He was born in Seville, Spain. Due to the fact that he loved war, when the Roman legions came to his area of the world, he decided to join the Roman army and fight for Rome. He got the position of governor over Judea by marrying a young lady by the name of Claudia Procula, the granddaughter of Augustus Caesar. 

When Pontius Pilate was sitting on his judgment throne, his wife warned him to do nothing wrong to the Lord Jesus. But, as we will later learn, the Jewish religious leaders had persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas to be released by Pilate and that the Lord Jesus should be killed. In the end, the Lord Jesus willingly gave up His power while Pilate held on to his. This narrative drips with irony. The Son of the Father laid down His life for a man whose name means "son of the father." And, the ultimate Judge/King yielded Himself to be judged by a man whom He had put into his position as king. But, the greatest irony of them all is that the wrong thing was being done at just the right moment in time.

Matthew 27:11-14

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11 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, 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. ~ Matthew 27:11-14

Today, we continue our study of Matthew 27 where the Lord Jesus has endured three trials before the religious leaders of first century Israel and now he is before Pontius Pilate for the first time. When this is over, the Lord Jesus will have endured six trials, three at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders and three at the hands of Pilate and Herod. These trials reveal mankind's wicked heart and God's gracious heart. The Lord Jesus was not crucified because evil men decided to murder Him, He was crucified in accordance with God's plan. 

In v.11 of today's text we read, "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.'" 

The entire religious ruling body of Israel, all 70 of them, escorted the Lord Jesus to Pilate's palace. They did this after they had bound Him, ridiculed Him, spit on Him, and beaten Him. The Lord Jesus was never the victim of human cruelty, though. He wasn’t the victim of the Jewish Supreme Court who condemned Him. And, as we will see, the Lord Jesus was not the victim of Pilate and Herod, who ultimately executed Him. He was God’s chosen Lamb whom God had predetermined that He would procure forgiveness for all who would believe in the kindness of the God of the Bible.  

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing."

In Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 we are given the description of the crucified Son of God long before crucifixion was even known to be a mode of death. Before His accusers He was silent just like a sheep is before its shearers. Just days before, it was the Lord Jesus who had silenced the religious leaders as He taught in the temple. He had communicated the truth with such authority that many feared confronting Him, and those who did were silenced. Yet, at this moment before Pilate He was silent because He was defined by the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus never contradicted the Word of God. Any kind of defense would have prevented the crucifixion and would have prevented our salvation. So, the Lord Jesus remained silent through it all so that He would fulfill His calling as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "Then Pilate said to Him, 'Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?'"

Pilate privately interrogated the Lord Jesus about His kingship because, for him, that was the crucial issue, and he concluded that the Lord Jesus was guilty of no crime. Three times Pilate clearly affirmed Him innocent before His accusers. In fact, Pilate publicly washed his hands as a sign that he believed in the innocence of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus wasn't a criminal but you and I are and we could not handle the weight of the penalty for our criminal status before God. It was not only the religious leaders of Israel who testified against the Lord Jesus, it was our sin.

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly."

As Pilate looked down upon the Lord Jesus who was in peasant clothes spattered with blood, he concluded that He didn't look like someone who was a threat to his kingdom. Pilate marveled greatly which means he was absolutely amazed. Pilate was taken aback that the Lord Jesus didn't even try to defend Himself. Pilate had long seem criminals who were quick to save themselves by accusing others. But, the Lord Jesus remained silent and He didn't even cry out for mercy. Amazingly, the Lord Jesus never offered a single word of defense.

His mercy and grace had to precede the Lord Jesus. He came as the gracious king who suffered the punishment that mankind rightfully deserved. And, in order to accomplish this Herculean task, He had to conquer not only sin and death, He had to conquer the stubborn and fearful human heart. It is only through His grace and mercy that the stubborn human heart is changed. He did this through His cross and His resurrection. It was through His cross that He drove a nail into sin and death, and, it was through His resurrection that He brought life to those made dead to God by their sin.

Standing before Pilate was the only One who could die for the sin of mankind because He was the only sinless One. The Lord Jesus was not a political king, He is a spiritual king. The Lord Jesus is the type king men and women invite to rule and reign in our hearts. He died the cruelest of death so that we would trust in Him enough to allow His kingdom to come into our hearts. We who have come to the end of ourselves and our own resources have turned to the Lord Jesus and we have invited Him to call the shots in our lives. The Lord Jesus is no King of any country in this world, He is the King over the hearts of humbled men and women, boys and girls. It was Martin Luther who once asked, "Is it not wonderful news to know that salvation lies outside ourselves?"

Matthew 27:3-10

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3 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!” 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 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.” ~ Matthew 27:3-10

Today, we return to our study of Matthew 27 where the Lord Jesus has just been taken by the religious leaders of Israel to the governor of the region, Pontius Pilate. This chapter is full of contrast. All of these contrasts point to the ultimate contrast between the God of the Bible and the god of this world, the God of truth and of purpose and of sacrifice, and, the god of lies and of chaos and of suicide.

In v.3-5 of today's passage we read, "3 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!' 5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself."

Here, we are provided another contrast between guilt and innocence. When Judas saw the Lord Jesus taken to the place of Pilate and condemned, his tears flowed from the deepest part of his being. He felt deep and severe pain. His pain was so agonizing and excruciating, he no longer was driven by greed. Much like Peter, Judas was devastated deeply. His choice to betray the Lord Jesus made him aware of the essential wrongness of what he had done. God has built into all of us this sense of wrong that sets off an alarm system that alerts us of the uncharted water we have entered. This is a gift from God to man in order to hold us back from evil and its ultimate end, eternal hell. 

The Greek word translated "remorseful" means to wish it had never happened. The depth of Judas' remorse was an indication that he had failed to love the Lord Jesus. Perhaps, Judas didn't experience the godly kind of sorrow that according to 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 leads to repentance. The only thing Judas knew to do was to undo what he had done. So, he went to the chief priests and the elders and threw his 30 pieces of silver at their feet. Where he failed was not seeking the Savior. In so doing, Judas sought relief within himself. He was anxious to rid himself of his pain. He knew he had betrayed the innocent Savior of sinful man. This is why he returned the money which he had before pursued. This only underscores the fact that money will never satisfy us. This is true of all sin. That which we think will satisfy us and is not allowed by God will only lead us down the rabbit hole to greater dissatisfaction. This is the narrative of sin. It looks good and then we take it and it stings us with a poison that only brings death to us.

Judas knew, according to Deuteronomy 16, that a false witness who witnesses against a person unto death is required to pay for his sin with his own life. This explains why he took his life. Most people believe Judas went to Hell and he very well may have. I only know that the difference between Judas and me is the grace of God. It is clear that Judas, just like all the other disciples, expected the Lord Jesus to set up His political kingdom. And, just like the other disciples, Judas identified the Lord Jesus as an innocent man. Could it be that he from his heart felt guilt and remorse turned back to the Lord? Maybe we will be shocked to see Judas in heaven. I hope so. I'm sure many will be surprised that I will get there.

In response to Judas' remorse the Jewish religious leaders showed no guilt or any remorse. They were hard hearted and indifferent toward Judas when they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" They were indifferent toward Judas which is a clear sign that they knew not for themselves the heart of the Father who is in heaven. Loved people love people.

In v.6-10 of today's passage we read, "6 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 chief priests took the money which had come from the temple treasury and concluded it was not lawful to put it back into the treasury because it had become "blood money." Blood money was money illegitimately paid to someone to get someone else killed. Here we have the testimony for all time and for all the world to see right out of the mouths of the chief priests themselves that the money they gave to Judas was "blood money." These sanctimonious hypocrites didn’t mind taking it out of the treasury to be used illegally, but they were too pious to put it back where it came from, because they didn't want anyone to know that they were just as guilty a Judas. Out of their own mouths, they confirmed their guilt.

So, the religious leaders of Israel took the 30 pieces of silver to purchase the potter’s field which was a place where you pick up clay. Potters mold clay. So, the potter’s field was the place that potters collected clay. The religious leaders purchased the field so that they would have a place to bury the strangers. They used polluted money to buy a polluted field to bury polluted people. It was sort of a good will gesture toward those who didn’t have enough money to pay for their own burial. 

In v.8 we are given another contrast: The hypocrisy of men and the prophecy of God. Thirty years later Matthew wrote of this field as "the field of blood to this day." It went from the Potter's field to the field of blood because it was bought with blood money. The people of Jerusalem nicknamed this field "the field of blood." This means their testimony was that the money Judas received and gave back was "blood money" underscoring the veracity of this story. The testimony of the whole population of Jerusalem 30 years later was that the field was "the field of blood" because of bribery. The religious leaders thought they were doing their work but all the while they were fulfilling God’s plan. This was the fulfillment of prophecy found in the Old Testament.