马太福音 27
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
耶稣被交给彼拉多
27 到了早晨，众祭司长和民间的长老大家商议要治死耶稣， 2 就把他捆绑，解去交给巡抚彼拉多。
犹大的结局
3 这时候，卖耶稣的犹大看见耶稣已经定了罪，就后悔，把那三十块钱拿回来给祭司长和长老，说： 4 “我卖了无辜之人的血，是有罪了。”他们说：“那与我们有什么相干？你自己承当吧！” 5 犹大就把那银钱丢在殿里，出去吊死了。 6 祭司长拾起银钱来，说：“这是血价，不可放在库里。” 7 他们商议，就用那银钱买了窑户的一块田，为要埋葬外乡人。 8 所以那块田直到今日还叫做“血田”。 9 这就应了先知耶利米的话说：“他们用那三十块钱，就是被估定之人的价钱，是以色列人中所估定的， 10 买了窑户的一块田，这是照着主所吩咐我的。”
在彼拉多前受审
11 耶稣站在巡抚面前，巡抚问他说：“你是犹太人的王吗？”耶稣说：“你说的是。” 12 他被祭司长和长老控告的时候，什么都不回答。 13 彼拉多就对他说：“他们作见证告你这么多的事，你没有听见吗？” 14 耶稣仍不回答，连一句话也不说，以致巡抚甚觉稀奇。 15 巡抚有一个常例，每逢这节期，随众人所要的释放一个囚犯给他们。 16 当时有一个出名的囚犯叫巴拉巴。 17 众人聚集的时候，彼拉多就对他们说：“你们要我释放哪一个给你们？是巴拉巴呢，是称为基督的耶稣呢？” 18 巡抚原知道他们是因为嫉妒才把他解了来。 19 正坐堂的时候，他的夫人打发人来说：“这义人的事你一点不可管，因为我今天在梦中为他受了许多的苦。” 20 祭司长和长老挑唆众人，求释放巴拉巴，除灭耶稣。 21 巡抚对众人说：“这两个人，你们要我释放哪一个给你们呢？”他们说：“巴拉巴！” 22 彼拉多说：“这样，那称为基督的耶稣，我怎么办他呢？”他们都说：“把他钉十字架！” 23 巡抚说：“为什么呢？他做了什么恶事呢？”他们便极力地喊着说：“把他钉十字架！” 24 彼拉多见说也无济于事，反要生乱，就拿水在众人面前洗手，说：“流这义人的血，罪不在我，你们承当吧！” 25 众人都回答说：“他的血归到我们和我们的子孙身上！” 26 于是彼拉多释放巴拉巴给他们，把耶稣鞭打了，交给人钉十字架。
戏弄耶稣
27 巡抚的兵就把耶稣带进衙门，叫全营的兵都聚集在他那里。 28 他们给他脱了衣服，穿上一件朱红色袍子， 29 用荆棘编做冠冕，戴在他头上，拿一根苇子放在他右手里，跪在他面前，戏弄他，说：“恭喜，犹太人的王啊！” 30 又吐唾沫在他脸上，拿苇子打他的头。 31 戏弄完了，就给他脱了袍子，仍穿上他自己的衣服，带他出去，要钉十字架。
32 他们出来的时候，遇见一个古利奈人，名叫西门，就勉强他同去，好背着耶稣的十字架。
耶稣被钉十字架
33 到了一个地方名叫各各他，意思就是“髑髅地”； 34 兵丁拿苦胆调和的酒给耶稣喝。他尝了，就不肯喝。 35 他们既将他钉在十字架上，就拈阄分他的衣服， 36 又坐在那里看守他。 37 在他头以上安一个牌子，写着他的罪状说：“这是犹太人的王耶稣。”
讥诮主不能救自己
38 当时，有两个强盗和他同钉十字架，一个在右边，一个在左边。 39 从那里经过的人讥诮他，摇着头说： 40 “你这拆毁圣殿、三日又建造起来的，可以救自己吧！你如果是神的儿子，就从十字架上下来吧！” 41 祭司长和文士并长老也是这样戏弄他说： 42 “他救了别人，不能救自己。他是以色列的王，现在可以从十字架上下来，我们就信他！ 43 他倚靠神，神若喜悦他，现在可以救他！因为他曾说：‘我是神的儿子。’” 44 那和他同钉的强盗也是这样地讥诮他。
45 从午正到申初，遍地都黑暗了。 46 约在申初，耶稣大声喊着说：“以利！以利！拉马撒巴各大尼？”就是说：“我的神！我的神！为什么离弃我？” 47 站在那里的人，有的听见就说：“这个人呼叫以利亚呢！” 48 内中有一个人赶紧跑去，拿海绒蘸满了醋，绑在苇子上，送给他喝。 49 其余的人说：“且等着，看以利亚来救他不来。” 50 耶稣又大声喊叫，气就断了。
耶稣死的景象
51 忽然，殿里的幔子从上到下裂为两半，地也震动，磐石也崩裂， 52 坟墓也开了，已睡圣徒的身体多有起来的。 53 到耶稣复活以后，他们从坟墓里出来，进了圣城，向许多人显现。 54 百夫长和一同看守耶稣的人看见地震并所经历的事，就极其害怕，说：“这真是神的儿子了！” 55 有好些妇女在那里远远地观看，她们是从加利利跟随耶稣来服侍他的。 56 内中有抹大拉的马利亚，又有雅各和约西的母亲马利亚，并有西庇太两个儿子的母亲。
安放耶稣于新墓
57 到了晚上，有一个财主，名叫约瑟，是亚利马太来的，他也是耶稣的门徒， 58 这人去见彼拉多，求耶稣的身体。彼拉多就吩咐给他。 59 约瑟取了身体，用干净细麻布裹好， 60 安放在自己的新坟墓里，就是他凿在磐石里的。他又把大石头滚到墓门口，就去了。 61 有抹大拉的马利亚和那个马利亚在那里，对着坟墓坐着。
封石妥守
62 次日，就是预备日的第二天，祭司长和法利赛人聚集来见彼拉多，说： 63 “大人，我们记得那诱惑人的还活着的时候曾说：‘三日后我要复活。’ 64 因此，请吩咐人将坟墓把守妥当，直到第三日，恐怕他的门徒来把他偷了去，就告诉百姓说他从死里复活了。这样，那后来的迷惑比先前的更厉害了。” 65 彼拉多说：“你们有看守的兵，去吧，尽你们所能的把守妥当。” 66 他们就带着看守的兵同去，封了石头，将坟墓把守妥当。
Matthew 27
1599 Geneva Bible
27 2 He is delivered bound to Pilate. 5 Judas hangeth himself. 19 Pilate’s wife. 20 Barabbas is asked. 24 Pilate washeth his hands. 29 Christ is crowned with thorns. 34 He is crucified. 40 Reviled. 50 He giveth up the Ghost. 57 He is buried. 62 The soldiers watch him.
1 When the (A)morning was come, all the chief Priests, and the Elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to put him to death.
2 And led him away bound, and delivered him unto Pontius Pilate the governor.
3 ¶ [a]Then when Judas which betrayed him, saw that he was condemned, he repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief Priests, and Elders,
4 Saying, I have sinned, betraying the innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou to it.
5 And when he had cast down the silver pieces in the Temple, he [b]departed, and went, (B)and hanged himself.
6 And the chief Priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for us to put them into the [c]treasure, because it is the price [d]of blood.
7 And they took counsel, and bought with them a potter’s field, for the burial of [e]strangers.
8 Wherefore that field is called, (C)The field of blood, until this day.
9 (Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by [f]Jeremiah the Prophet, saying, (D)[g]And they took thirty silver pieces, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel valued.
10 And they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.)
11 ¶ (E)[h]And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou that King of the Jews? Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest it.
12 And when he was accused of the chief Priests, and Elders, he answered nothing.
13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they lay against thee?
14 But he answered him not to one word, insomuch that the governor marveled greatly.
15 [i]Now at the feast the governor was wont to deliver unto the people a prisoner whom they would.
16 And they had then a notable prisoner called Barabbas.
17 When they were then gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whether will ye that I let loose unto you Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
18 (For he knew well, that for envy they had delivered him.
19 Also when he was set down upon the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream by reason of him.)
20 (F)But the chief Priests and the elders had persuaded the people that they should ask Barabbas, and should destroy Jesus.
21 Then the governor answered, and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I let loose unto you? And they said, Barabbas.
22 Pilate said unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ? They all said to him, Let him be crucified.
23 Then said the governor, But what evil hath he done? Then they cried the more, saying, Let him be crucified.
24 [j]When Pilate saw that he availed nothing, but that more tumult was made, he took water and [k]washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the [l]blood of this just man: look you to it.
25 Then answered all the people, and said, [m]His blood be on us, and on our children.
26 Thus let he Barabbas loose unto them, and scourged Jesus, and delivered him to be crucified.
27 ¶ (G)Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered about him the whole band,
28 [n]And they stripped him, and [o]put about him a [p]scarlet robe,
29 And platted a crown of thorns, and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand, and bowed their knees before him, and mocked him, saying, God save thee, King of the Jews,
30 And spitted upon him, and took a reed, and smote him on the head.
31 Thus when they had mocked him, they took the robe from him, and put his own raiment on him, and let him away to crucify him.
32 (H)And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon: him they [q]compelled to bear his cross.
33 (I)[r]And when they came unto the place called Golgotha (that is to say, the place of dead men’s skulls)
34 [s]They gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.
35 ¶ [t]And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, and did cast lots, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet, (J)They divided my garments among them, and upon my vesture did cast lots.
36 And they sat and watched him there.
37 ¶ [u]They set up also over his head his cause written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
38 ¶ [v]And there were two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
39 [w]And they that passed by, reviled him, wagging their heads,
40 And saying, (K)Thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
41 Likewise also the high Priests mocking him, with the Scribes, and Elders, and Pharisees, said,
42 He saved others, but he cannot save himself: if he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in him.
43 (L)He trusted in God, let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.
44 The self same thing also the [x]thieves which were crucified with him, cast in his teeth.
45 [y]Now from the sixth hour was there darkness over all the land, unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with loud voice, saying, (M)Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou [z]forsaken me?
47 And some of them that stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth [aa]Elijah.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took (N)a sponge and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 Others said, Let be: let us see if Elijah will come and save him.
50 [ab]Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up the ghost.
51 [ac]And behold, (O)the [ad]veil of the Temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom, and the earth did quake, and the stones were cloven.
52 And the [ae]graves did open themselves, and many bodies of the Saints, which slept, arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
54 When the Centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earth quake, and the things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
55 ¶ And many women were there, beholding him afar off, which had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him.
56 Among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
57 ¶ [af](P)And when the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who had also himself been Jesus’ disciple.
58 He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
59 So Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 And put it in his new tomb, which he had hewn out in a rock, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.
61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulcher.
62 ¶ [ag]Now the next day that followed the Preparation of the Sabbath, the high Priests and Pharisees assembled to Pilate,
63 And said, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, Within three days I will rise.
64 Command therefore, that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest his Disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so shall the last error be worse than the first.
65 Then Pilate said unto them, Ye have a [ah]watch: go, and make it sure, as ye know.
66 And they went, and made the sepulcher sure, with the watch, and sealed the stone.
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:3 An example of the horrible judgment of God, as well against them which sell Christ, as against them which buy Christ.
- Matthew 27:5 Out of men’s sights.
- Matthew 27:6 The treasury of the Temple.
- Matthew 27:6 Of life and death.
- Matthew 27:7 Strangers and guests, whom the Jews could not abide to be joined unto, no not after they were dead.
- Matthew 27:9 Seeing this prophecy is read in Zech. 11:12, it cannot be denied, but Jeremiah’s name crept into the text, either through the Printer’s fault, or some other’s ignorance: it may be also that it came out of the margin, by reason of the abbreviation of the letters, the one being iou, and the other zou, which are not much unlike: but in the Syrian text the Prophet’s name is not set down at all.
- Matthew 27:9 The Evangelist doth not follow the Prophet’s words, but his meaning, which he showeth to be fulfilled.
- Matthew 27:11 Christ holdeth his peace when he is accused, that we may not be accused: acknowledging our guiltiness, and therewithall his own innocence.
- Matthew 27:15 Christ is first quitted of the same Judge, before he be condemned, that we might see how the just died for the unjust.
- Matthew 27:24 Christ being quit by the testimony of the Judge himself, is notwithstanding condemned by the same to quit us before God.
- Matthew 27:24 It was a manner in old time, when any man was murdered, and in other slaughters, to wash their hands in water, to declare themselves guiltless.
- Matthew 27:24 Of the murder; an Hebrew kind of speech.
- Matthew 27:25 If there be any offence committed in slaying him, let us and our posterity smart for it.
- Matthew 27:28 Christ suffereth that reproach which was due to our sins; notwithstanding in the meantime by the secret providence of God, he is entitled King by them which did him that reproach.
- Matthew 27:28 They cast a cloak about him, and wrapped it about him, for it lacked sleeves.
- Matthew 27:28 John and Mark make mention of a purple robe, which is also a very pleasant red. But these profane and malapert saucy soldiers clad Jesus in this array, to mock him withall, who was indeed a true King.
- Matthew 27:32 They compelled Simon to bear his burdensome cross, whereby it appeareth that Jesus was so sore handled before, that he fainted by the way, and was not able to bear his cross throughout: for John writeth that he did bear the cross, to wit, at the beginning.
- Matthew 27:33 He is led out of the city, that we may be brought into the heavenly kingdom.
- Matthew 27:34 Christ found no comfort anywhere, that in him we might be filled with all comfort.
- Matthew 27:35 He is made a curse, that in him we may be blessed: he is spoiled of his garments, that we might be enriched by his nakedness.
- Matthew 27:37 He is pronounced the true Messiah, even of them of whom he is rejected.
- Matthew 27:38 Christ began then to judge the world, when after his judgment he hung betwixt two thieves.
- Matthew 27:39 To make full satisfaction for us, Christ suffereth and overcometh, not only the torments of the body, but also the most horrible torments of the mind.
- Matthew 27:44 This is spoken by the figure Synecdoche, for there was but one of them that did revile him.
- Matthew 27:45 Heaven itself is darkened for very horror, and Jesus crieth out from the depth of hell, and in the meanwhile he is mocked.
- Matthew 27:46 To wit, in this misery: and this crying out is proper to his humanity, which notwithstanding was void of sin, but yet felt the wrath of God which is due to our sins.
- Matthew 27:47 They allude to Elijah’s name, not for want of understanding the tongue, but of a profane impudence and sauciness, and he repeated these words, to the end that this better harping upon the name might be understood.
- Matthew 27:50 Christ after he had overcome other enemies, at length provoked and setteth upon death itself.
- Matthew 27:51 Christ, when he is dead, showeth himself to be God almighty, even his enemies confessing the same.
- Matthew 27:51 Which divided the holiest of all.
- Matthew 27:52 That is to say, the stones clave asunder, and the graves did open themselves, to show by this token, that death was overcome: and the resurrection of the dead followed the resurrection of Christ, as appeareth by the next verse following.
- Matthew 27:57 Christ is buried, not privately or by stealth, but by the governor’s consent by a famous man, in a place not far distant, in a new sepulcher, so that it cannot be doubted of his death.
- Matthew 27:62 The keeping of the sepulcher is committed to Christ’s own murderers, that there might be no doubt of his resurrection.
- Matthew 27:65 The soldiers of the garrison, which were appointed to keep the Temple.
Matthew 27
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 27
Jesus Is Handed Over to Pilate.[a] 1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in council to decide how to put him to death. 2 They bound him and led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
Judas Hangs Himself.[b] 3 When Judas discovered that Jesus, whom he betrayed, had been condemned he was seized with a sense of remorse, and he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” They replied, “Of what importance is that to us? That is your responsibility.” 5 Flinging the silver pieces into the temple, he departed. Then he went off and hanged himself.
6 The chief priests retrieved the silver coins and said, “It is not lawful for us to deposit this into the temple treasury, for it is blood money.” 7 They conferred together, and then used it to purchase the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 This is the reason why that field to this very day is called the Field of Blood.
9 Thus was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:[c]
“And they took the thirty pieces of silver,
the price set on his head by the people of Israel,
10 and they used them to purchase the potter’s field
as the Lord had commanded me.”
11 Jesus Is Questioned by Pilate.[d]Meanwhile, Jesus was brought into the presence of the governor, who asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus replied, “You have said so.”[e] 12 And when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he offered no reply. 13 Pilate then said to him, “Have you not heard how many charges they have brought against you?” 14 But he did not offer a single word in response, much to the governor’s amazement.[f]
15 Jesus Is Sentenced to Death. Now on the occasion of the feast, the governor’s custom was to release to the people one prisoner whom they had designated. 16 At that particular time, they had in custody a notorious prisoner named Barabbas. 17 Therefore, after the people had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which man do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?” 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.
19 While he was still seated on the judge’s bench, his wife sent him a message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man. I have been greatly troubled today by a dream that I had about him.”[g]
20 Meanwhile, the chief priests and the elders had persuaded the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. 21 Therefore, when the governor asked them, “Which of the two men do you want me to release to you?” they shouted, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate asked them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” All of them shouted, “Let him be crucified!” 23 He asked, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they only screamed all the louder, “Let him be crucified!”
24 When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and that a riot was about to occur, he took some water and washed his hands[h] in full view of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. It is your responsibility.” 25 With one voice the entire crowd cried out, “Let his blood be on us and on our children!”[i] 26 He then released Barabbas to them, and after Jesus had been scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.
27 Jesus Is Crowned with Thorns.[j] Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they placed it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. Then, bending the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 They also spat upon him and, taking the reed, used it to strike him on the head. 31 And when they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the robe, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him away to crucify him.
32 The Way of the Cross. As they went out, they encountered a man from Cyrene,[k] named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.
33 Jesus Is Crucified on Calvary. When they came to a place called Golgotha, which means the Place of the Skull,[l] 34 they offered him some wine to drink that had been mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink the mixture.[m] 35 And after they had crucified him,[n] they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down there to keep guard over him. 37 Above his head was inscribed the charge against him: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two thieves were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left.[o]
39 Those people who passed by jeered at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who claimed you could destroy the temple and rebuild it within three days, save yourself! If you truly are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
41 In much the same way, the chief priests, together with the scribes and the elders, joined in the mockery, saying, 42 “He saved others, but he cannot save himself. If he is the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusted in God; now let God deliver him if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 The thieves who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.
45 Jesus Dies on the Cross.[p] Beginning at midday, there was darkness over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 46 And about three o’clock[q] Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”—that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47 On hearing this, some of the bystanders said, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48 One of them immediately ran off to get a sponge, which he soaked in vinegar, put on a stick, and gave to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait! Let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 Then Jesus again cried out in a loud voice and gave up his spirit.
51 And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and rocks were split apart. 52 The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.[r] 54 Now when the centurion and those who were keeping watch over Jesus with him witnessed the earthquake and all that was happening, they were terrified, and they said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.”
55 Many women were also present, looking on from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee and ministered to him. 56 Among these were Mary Magdalene,[s] Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
57 Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb.[t] When evening came, there arrived a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. So Pilate ordered that it be handed over to him.
59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, 60 and laid it in his own new tomb that he had hewn out of the rock. He then rolled an immense stone against the entrance of the tomb and departed. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the sepulcher.
62 The Guard at the Tomb. The next day, on the morning after the preparation day,[u] the chief priests and the Pharisees came to Pilate in a group 63 and said to him, “Your Excellency, we recall that while he was still alive, this impostor said, ‘After three days I will be raised up.’ 64 Therefore, issue orders that the tomb be kept under surveillance until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may go there and steal his body, and then tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead.’ This final deception would be worse than the first.”
65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard. Go and make the grave as secure as you can.” 66 And so they went forth and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.
Footnotes
- Matthew 27:1 According to Matthew and Mark, the members of the Sanhedrin came together officially for a second time in the morning to pronounce the sentence of condemnation. In the light of a different scenario found in Luke and John, scholars believe it is more probable that during the night Jesus appeared before Annas for a private interrogation and then was brought to Caiaphas. In the morning he appeared before the Sanhedrin, where he was declared deserving of death. The Jewish tribunal did not have the power over life and death. Therefore, Jesus was led before Pontius Pilate, who from A.D. 26 to 36 was the governor (procurator) in Judea, which passed into the direct dominion of Rome in A.D. 6.
- Matthew 27:3 This story is typical of Matthew’s style; the sad incident suggests to him various references to the Scriptures (Zec 11:12-13; Jer 18:2-3; 32:6-15). The memory of Judas was a burden to the early Christians (see Acts 1:16-20).
- Matthew 27:9 Spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: the statement actually comes from Zec 11:12, 13. However, the Hebrew canon of Scripture was divided into three sections: The Law, The Writings, and The Prophets (see Lk 24:44). Since Jeremiah came first in the order of the Prophetic Books, the Prophets were at times collectively referred to by his name.
- Matthew 27:11 For a second time (the wise men were the first to use the title, Mt 2:1-12), Jesus is called “King of the Jews,” and once again it is a pagan who gives him the title. The governor says he is convinced of the innocence of Jesus (see Deut 21:6), but he yields to the insistence of the Jewish authorities.
- Matthew 27:11 The members of the Sanhedrin had condemned Jesus because of his claim to be a transcendent and superhuman Messiah. Now before Pilate, they cleverly laicize the accusation, portraying Jesus as a dangerous political instigator opposed to the Roman domination. The whole trial is begun on the alleged kingship of Jesus.
- Matthew 27:14 The silence of Jesus recalls the attitude of the Servant of the Lord, who like a lamb does not open his mouth in the face of those who shear him (Isa 53:7).
- Matthew 27:19 A Gentile woman declares Jesus’ innocence. By a dream: for Matthew, dreams are the means of communication from God (1:20; 2:12, 13, 19, 22).
- Matthew 27:24 Washed his hands: this gesture of Pilate was in use among the Jews (see Deut 21:6) and among other peoples. However, this symbolic action does not exempt the Roman procurator of his responsibility. He has acknowledged the innocence of the accused yet has condemned him.
- Matthew 27:25 The nation accepts the responsibility for Jesus’ death. The Second Vatican Council has declared that the guilt for Jesus’ death is not attributable to all the Jews of his day or to any Jews of later times. We are responsible for Jesus’ death. He died for our sins.
- Matthew 27:27 Jesus is delivered up to suffering, misunderstanding, ridicule. “He was despised and shunned by others, a man of sorrows, who was no stranger to suffering”; “I did not shield my face from insults and spitting” (Isa 53:3; 50:6). The praetorium was the residence of the Roman governor.
- Matthew 27:32 Cyrene: a Greek colony on the Libyan coast; a large Jewish community lived there. See note on Mk 15:21.
- Matthew 27:33 Skull (Latin: calvaria): a rounded, rocky elevation, about fifteen feet high. It was a former quarry that functioned as a garbage dump.
- Matthew 27:34 The wine mixed with gall was meant to alleviate suffering.
- Matthew 27:35 Crucified him: crucifixion was an excruciating means of execution that the Romans had borrowed from Persians, Phoenicians, and Carthaginians. The victims were nailed to a cross by means of heavy wrought-iron nails driven through their wrists and heels. Most hung on the cross for days before dying of suffocation (when the legs were no longer able to support the body, the diaphragm was constricted and breathing became impossible). Although the pain would be unbearable as the hours dragged on, some did linger and had to have their legs broken to hasten death (see Jn 19:33). The recent discovery of the bones of a crucified man, near Jerusalem, dating between A.D. 7 and 66, sheds light on the position of those nailed to the cross. A few late manuscripts add here: “lots,” so that the word spoken by the Prophet might be fulfilled: ‘They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots’ ” (Ps 22:19).
- Matthew 27:38 The crucifixion between two thieves recalls the prophecy of Isa 53:12: “He was counted among the transgressors.”
- Matthew 27:45 Everything proclaims that the Son of God, dying on the cross, is triumphant over the forces of the world and of death; the old covenant is finished, and the time is coming when the kingdom will be open to all human beings (see Heb 9:12; 10:20; Ezek 37; Dan 12:2; Rev 21).
- Matthew 27:46 Midday . . . three o’clock: literally, “the sixth hour” . . . “the ninth hour.” Psalm 22, whose first verse is here invoked by Jesus, recapitulates all the sufferings of the just people in the Old Testament. It clearly expresses their extreme anguish but also their certainty of final vindication.
- Matthew 27:53 The phenomena that accompany the death of Jesus evoke the apocalyptic literary genre of the Day of the Lord. In fact, according to the evangelists, that day corresponds with the day of the death of Jesus, which signals the beginning of the new era. Because of the obscurity of this language it is difficult to determine the historicity of the resurrection of some dead people mentioned here. Some Fathers of the Church and exegetes believe this passage refers to the liberation from limbo of the just of the Old Testament, who then enter with Jesus into the glory of the heavenly Jerusalem.
- Matthew 27:56 Magdalene: “Of Magdala,” a place on the west side of Lake Tiberias, near Capernaum.
- Matthew 27:57 The story of the burial provided by a rich man certainly recalls Isaiah’s prophecy of the Servant (53:9 LXX). See also note on Mk 15:42-47.
- Matthew 27:62 Preparation day: this was Friday, the day on which the meal was prepared for the Sabbath, which was a day of complete rest.
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
