Matthew 27
Encyclopedia
Matthew 27 is the 27th chapter in the Gospel of Matthew
, part of the New Testament
.
Jesus
is taken to Pontius Pilate
, the Roman governor of Judea
. At the same time, Judas Iscariot
, who had betrayed Jesus, sees his former teacher and is overcome by remorse. Judas brings back the 30 pieces of silver which had been offered to him by the priests of Judea as recompense for identifying his master to Caiphas, throwing them down in the temple, and then leaves to commit suicide. Meanwhile, Jesus impresses Pilate, who is taken aback by Jesus's silent dignity at his questioning. Pilate begins to address the crowd, and asks them to choose between freeing a vindictive prisoner known as Barabbas
, or Jesus. The crowd respond passionately, repeating "Let Him (Christ) be crucified"! Pilate, bewildered by this, asks the crowd for a reason for their choice. Instead, they continue to call ever more loudly for the crucifixion of Jesus.
Pontius comes to see that he cannot reason with the crowd. Instead, he tries to absolve himself of his responsibility in the case, washing his hands in a basin and saying to the crowd: "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."
Jesus
is led away to Golgotha (place of a skull), he is offered wine mingled with gall, but does not drink it. The soldiers cast lots for his garments once he is crucified
. Those who passed him deride him, taunting him to come down from the cross, saying "He trusts in God, let God deliver him now".
At three o'clock Jesus cries "My God, why have you forsaken me?", and starts to give up on his life. One passer-by offers Jesus some wine to drink but the group tell him "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him". They misunderstand Jesus's pleas, as he is in tremendous physical pain. Jesus cries out once more, but eventually dies.
Suddenly, rocks start to split, and an earthquake occurs, and there follows, after Jesus' resurrection, a resurrection of the dead saints, who enter the holy city. This indicates how the earth has been shaken by the death of the Son of God. Centurions stare on at Jesus in disbelief, as do other bystanders.
On the night following Jesus's death, Joseph of Arimathea
, a disciple
of Jesus, asks for the body of Jesus. Pilate permits this, and Joseph, wrapping the body in a linen cloth, buries the body and rolls a stone against the entrance of the tomb, sealing it from looters and gravediggers.
Meanwhile, the priests and pharisees remember Jesus's remark that "After three days I will rise". The chapter concludes with Pilate sending a Roman detachment of troops to guard the tomb, in case of an invasion of the tomb by Christ's disciples.
Matthew's crucifixion story draws many parallels to Mark's crucifixion story. However, Matthew follows the recurring theme throughout his gospel by providing deeper descriptions than Mark.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
, part of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
.
Overview
Matthew describes the trial, crucifixion and burial of Jesus.Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
is taken to Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilate
Pontius Pilatus , known in the English-speaking world as Pontius Pilate , was the fifth Prefect of the Roman province of Judaea, from AD 26–36. He is best known as the judge at Jesus' trial and the man who authorized the crucifixion of Jesus...
, the Roman governor of Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
. At the same time, Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
, who had betrayed Jesus, sees his former teacher and is overcome by remorse. Judas brings back the 30 pieces of silver which had been offered to him by the priests of Judea as recompense for identifying his master to Caiphas, throwing them down in the temple, and then leaves to commit suicide. Meanwhile, Jesus impresses Pilate, who is taken aback by Jesus's silent dignity at his questioning. Pilate begins to address the crowd, and asks them to choose between freeing a vindictive prisoner known as Barabbas
Barabbas
Barabbas or Jesus Barabbas is a figure in the Christian narrative of the Passion of Jesus, in which he is the insurrectionary whom Pontius Pilate freed at the Passover feast in Jerusalem.The penalty for Barabbas' crime was death by crucifixion, but according to the four canonical gospels and the...
, or Jesus. The crowd respond passionately, repeating "Let Him (Christ) be crucified"! Pilate, bewildered by this, asks the crowd for a reason for their choice. Instead, they continue to call ever more loudly for the crucifixion of Jesus.
Pontius comes to see that he cannot reason with the crowd. Instead, he tries to absolve himself of his responsibility in the case, washing his hands in a basin and saying to the crowd: "I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it."
Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
is led away to Golgotha (place of a skull), he is offered wine mingled with gall, but does not drink it. The soldiers cast lots for his garments once he is crucified
Crucifixion
Crucifixion is an ancient method of painful execution in which the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross and left to hang until dead...
. Those who passed him deride him, taunting him to come down from the cross, saying "He trusts in God, let God deliver him now".
At three o'clock Jesus cries "My God, why have you forsaken me?", and starts to give up on his life. One passer-by offers Jesus some wine to drink but the group tell him "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him". They misunderstand Jesus's pleas, as he is in tremendous physical pain. Jesus cries out once more, but eventually dies.
Suddenly, rocks start to split, and an earthquake occurs, and there follows, after Jesus' resurrection, a resurrection of the dead saints, who enter the holy city. This indicates how the earth has been shaken by the death of the Son of God. Centurions stare on at Jesus in disbelief, as do other bystanders.
On the night following Jesus's death, Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea
Joseph of Arimathea was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion. He is mentioned in all four Gospels.-Gospel references:...
, a disciple
Disciple (Christianity)
In Christianity, the disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry. While Jesus attracted a large following, the term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to "the Twelve", an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel...
of Jesus, asks for the body of Jesus. Pilate permits this, and Joseph, wrapping the body in a linen cloth, buries the body and rolls a stone against the entrance of the tomb, sealing it from looters and gravediggers.
Meanwhile, the priests and pharisees remember Jesus's remark that "After three days I will rise". The chapter concludes with Pilate sending a Roman detachment of troops to guard the tomb, in case of an invasion of the tomb by Christ's disciples.
Matthew's crucifixion story draws many parallels to Mark's crucifixion story. However, Matthew follows the recurring theme throughout his gospel by providing deeper descriptions than Mark.