Matthew 27

There is so much in this chapter. It’s the climax of the entire gospel of Matthew. Yet I find it difficult to find anything to say. The text itself is so powerful, I have little to add. I will just point out some things that I found interesting.

Judas is overcome with remorse at his betrayal of Jesus. He tries to rewind everything he’s done by giving back the money, but it doesn’t help. He took the first step by admitting he had sinned, but he left it at that. I believe if he had asked for forgiveness, it would have been granted. Instead, Satan who had overtaken Judas killed him by suicide. This follows the full progression from James 1:14-15. Temptation gives way to desire, desire leads to sin, and sin leads to death.

Is Pilate innocent? I think not. He did all he could to avoid making a decision about Jesus, but no one can avoid that. We all have to come to a decision about Jesus. 16:15 - “Who do you say I am?”

A man named Simon became the first person to literally take up a cross for Jesus.

I love how Matthew still fills his narrative with OT references proving the fulfillment of scripture in Jesus. Everything that happens to Him does so for a reason.

Right up to the moment He died, Jesus was totally committed to doing the Father’s will. He was in constant communication with God, praying and crying out while He hung there. At the moment of His greatest pain and despair, He called out to the only One who could comfort Him.

Obviously, the events in the chapter are not new to me except one thing. Verse 52-53 “The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” Wow! I have never heard that before. Dead people came back to life? But they didn’t do anything until Jesus had resurrected. What is that all about? I don’t find this mentioned in any of the other gospels.

An interesting point from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary on the chapter - after Jesus died He was not touched again by enemy hands. He was taken down from the cross, prepared for burial, and placed in the tomb by those who loved and followed him.