11 Now Jesus stood before the governor , and the governor questioned Him, saying , "Are You the King of the Jews ?" And Jesus said to him, " It is as you say ." 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders , He did not answer . 13 Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" 14 And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge , so the governor was quite amazed .
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted . 16 At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner , called Barabbas . 17 So when the people gathered together , Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas , or Jesus who is called Christ ?" 18 For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat , his wife sent him a message, saying , "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man ; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him." 20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death . 21 But the governor said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said , "Barabbas ." 22 Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ ?" They all said , "Crucify Him!" 23 And he said , "Why , what evil has He done ?" But they kept shouting all the more , saying , "Crucify Him!" 24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing , but rather that a riot was starting , he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd , saying , "I am innocent of this Man's blood ; see to that yourselves ." 25 And all the people said , " His blood shall be on us and on our children !"
26 Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged , he handed Him over to be crucified . 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. 28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 And after twisting together a crown of thorns , they put it on His head , and a reed in His right hand ; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying , " Hail , King of the Jews !" 30 They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head . 31 After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.
32 As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon , whom they pressed into service to bear His cross .
33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha , which means Place of a Skull , 34 they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall ; and after tasting it, He was unwilling e to drink . 35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots . 36 And sitting down , they began to keep watch over Him there . 37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read , " THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS ." 38 At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left . 39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying , " You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days , save Yourself ! If You are the Son of God , come down from the cross ." 41 In the same way the chief priests also , along with the scribes and elders , were mocking Him and saying , 42 " He saved others ; He cannot e save Himself . He is the King of Israel ; let Him now come down from the cross , and we will believe in Him. 43 " HE TRUSTS IN GOD ; LET GOD RESCUE Him now , IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said , 'I am the Son of God .' " 44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. 45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour . 46 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 And some of those who were standing there , when they heard it, began saying , "This man is calling for Elijah ." 48 Immediately one of them ran , and taking a sponge , he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed , and gave Him a drink . 49 But the rest of them said , "Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him."
50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice , and yielded up His spirit . 51 And behold , the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom ; and the earth shook and the rocks were split . 52 The tombs were opened , and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised ; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many . 54 Now the centurion , and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus , when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening , became very frightened and said , "Truly this was the Son of God !" 55 Many women were there looking on from a distance , who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. 56 Among them was Mary Magdalene , and Mary the mother of James and Joseph , and the mother of the sons of Zebedee .
57 When it was evening , 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 ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth , 60 and laid it in his own new tomb , which he had hewn out in the rock ; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away . 61 And Mary Magdalene was there , and the other Mary , sitting opposite the grave .
62 Now on the next day , the day after the preparation , the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate , 63 and said , "Sir , we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said , ' After three days I am to rise again .' 64 "Therefore , give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day , otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people , 'He has risen from the dead ,' and the last deception will be worse than the first ." 65 Pilate said to them, "You have a guard ; go , make it as secure as you know how ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 27:11-65
Commentary on Matthew 27:11-25
(Read Matthew 27:11-25)
Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own consciences. O do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates! is what we may hear said to us, when we are entering into temptation, if we will but regard it. Being overruled by the priests, the people made choice of Barabbas. Multitudes who choose the world, rather than God, for their ruler and portion, thus choose their own delusions. The Jews were so bent upon the death of Christ, that Pilate thought it would be dangerous to refuse. And this struggle shows the power of conscience even on the worst men. Yet all was so ordered to make it evident that Christ suffered for no fault of his own, but for the sins of his people. How vain for Pilate to expect to free himself from the guilt of the innocent blood of a righteous person, whom he was by his office bound to protect! The Jews' curse upon themselves has been awfully answered in the sufferings of their nation. None could bear the sin of others, except Him that had no sin of his own to answer for. And are we not all concerned? Is not Barabbas preferred to Jesus, when sinners reject salvation that they may retain their darling sins, which rob God of his glory, and murder their souls? The blood of Christ is now upon us for good, through mercy, by the Jews' rejection of it. O let us flee to it for refuge!
Commentary on Matthew 27:26-30
(Read Matthew 27:26-30)
Crucifixion was a death used only among the Romans; it was very terrible and miserable. A cross was laid on the ground, to which the hands and feet were nailed, it was then lifted up and fixed upright, so that the weight of the body hung on the nails, till the sufferer died in agony. Christ thus answered the type of the brazen serpent raised on a pole. Christ underwent all the misery and shame here related, that he might purchase for us everlasting life, and joy, and glory.
Commentary on Matthew 27:31-34
(Read Matthew 27:31-34)
Christ was led as a Lamb to the slaughter, as a Sacrifice to the altar. Even the mercies of the wicked are really cruel. Taking the cross from him, they compelled one Simon to bear it. Make us ready, O Lord, to bear the cross thou hast appointed us, and daily to take it up with cheerfulness, following thee. Was ever sorrow like unto his sorrow? And when we behold what manner of death he died, let us in that behold with what manner of love he loved us. As if death, so painful a death, were not enough, they added to its bitterness and terror in several ways.
Commentary on Matthew 27:35-44
(Read Matthew 27:35-44)
It was usual to put shame upon malefactors, by a writing to notify the crime for which they suffered. So they set up one over Christ's head. This they designed for his reproach, but God so overruled it, that even his accusation was to his honour. There were crucified with him at the same time, two robbers. He was, at his death, numbered among the transgressors, that we, at our death, might be numbered among the saints. The taunts and jeers he received are here recorded. The enemies of Christ labour to make others believe that of religion and of the people of God, which they themselves know to be false. The chief priests and scribes, and the elders, upbraid Jesus with being the King of Israel. Many people could like the King of Israel well enough, if he would but come down from the cross; if they could but have his kingdom without the tribulation through which they must enter into it. But if no cross, then no Christ, no crown. Those that would reign with him, must be willing to suffer with him. Thus our Lord Jesus, having undertaken to satisfy the justice of God, did it, by submitting to the punishment of the worst of men. And in every minute particular recorded about the sufferings of Christ, we find some prediction in the Prophets or the Psalms fulfilled.
Commentary on Matthew 27:45-50
(Read Matthew 27:45-50)
During the three hours which the darkness continued, Jesus was in agony, wrestling with the powers of darkness, and suffering his Father's displeasure against the sin of man, for which he was now making his soul an offering. Never were there three such hours since the day God created man upon the earth, never such a dark and awful scene; it was the turning point of that great affair, man's redemption and salvation. Jesus uttered a complaint from Psalm 22:1. Hereby he teaches of what use the word of God is to direct us in prayer, and recommends the use of Scripture expressions in prayer. The believer may have tasted some drops of bitterness, but he can only form a very feeble idea of the greatness of Christ's sufferings. Yet, hence he learns something of the Saviour's love to sinners; hence he gets deeper conviction of the vileness and evil of sin, and of what he owes to Christ, who delivers him from the wrath to come. His enemies wickedly ridiculed his complaint. Many of the reproaches cast upon the word of God and the people of God, arise, as here, from gross mistakes. Christ, just before he expired, spake in his full strength, to show that his life was not forced from him, but was freely delivered into his Father's hands. He had strength to bid defiance to the powers of death: and to show that by the eternal Spirit he offered himself, being the Priest as well as the Sacrifice, he cried with a loud voice. Then he yielded up the ghost. The Son of God upon the cross, did die by the violence of the pain he was put to. His soul was separated from his body, and so his body was left really and truly dead. It was certain that Christ did die, for it was needful that he should die. He had undertaken to make himself an offering for sin, and he did it when he willingly gave up his life.
Commentary on Matthew 27:51-56
(Read Matthew 27:51-56)
The rending of the veil signified that Christ, by his death, opened a way to God. We have an open way through Christ to the throne of grace, or mercy-seat now, and to the throne of glory hereafter. When we duly consider Christ's death, our hard and rocky hearts should be rent; the heart, and not the garments. That heart is harder than a rock that will not yield, that will not melt, where Jesus Christ is plainly set forth crucified. The graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose. To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how they disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise above what is written. The dreadful appearances of God in his providence, sometimes work strangely for the conviction and awakening of sinners. This was expressed in the terror that fell upon the centurion and the Roman soldiers. We may reflect with comfort on the abundant testimonies given to the character of Jesus; and, seeking to give no just cause of offence, we may leave it to the Lord to clear our characters, if we live to Him. Let us, with an eye of faith, behold Christ and him crucified, and be affected with that great love wherewith he loved us. But his friends could give no more than a look; they beheld him, but could not help him. Never were the horrid nature and effects of sin so tremendously displayed, as on that day when the beloved Son of the Father hung upon the cross, suffering for sin, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Let us yield ourselves willingly to his service.
Commentary on Matthew 27:57-61
(Read Matthew 27:57-61)
In the burial of Christ was nothing of pomp or solemnity. As Christ had not a house of his own, wherein to lay his head, while he lived, so he had not a grave of his own, wherein to lay his body, when he was dead. Our Lord Jesus, who had no sin of his own, had no grave of his own. The Jews designed that he should have made his grave with the wicked, should have been buried with the thieves with whom he was crucified, but God overruled it, so that he should make it with the rich in his death, Isaiah 53:9. And although to the eye of man the beholding a funeral may cause terror, yet if we remember how Christ by his burial has changed the nature of the grave to believers, it should make us rejoice. And we are ever to imitate Christ's burial in being continually occupied in the spiritual burial of our sins.
Commentary on Matthew 27:62-66
(Read Matthew 27:62-66)
On the Jewish sabbath, the chief priests and Pharisees, when they should have been at their devotions, were dealing with Pilate about securing the sepulchre. This was permitted that there might be certain proof of our Lord's resurrection. Pilate told them that they might secure the sepulchre as carefully as they could. They sealed the stone, and set a guard, and were satisfied that all needful care was taken. But to guard the sepulchre against the poor weak disciples was folly, because needless; while to think to guard it against the power of God, was folly, because fruitless, and to no purpose; yet they thought they dealt wisely. But the Lord took the wise in their own craftiness. Thus shall all the rage and the plans of Christ's enemies be made to promote his glory.