Gospel Prayer Ministry

📖 Passage

Matthew 27:1–31
Read Matthew 27:1–31 (NKJV)

🧠 Context & Background

At daybreak, the religious leaders officially condemn Jesus and hand Him over to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, since only Rome could authorize capital punishment. Judas, filled with remorse, returns the thirty silver coins but meets a tragic end. Pilate questions Jesus, finds no guilt, yet yields to the crowd's demands for crucifixion, releasing Barabbas, a known criminal. This passage shows both the fulfillment of prophecy and the collision of human sin with God's sovereign plan.

🌿 Key Themes

Prophecy Fulfilled – Judas' betrayal money fulfills Zechariah 11:12–13.
Innocence of Christ – Pilate repeatedly affirms Jesus' lack of guilt.
Human Responsibility – Leaders, crowd, and Pilate each play a role in Christ's death.
Substitution – Barabbas' release pictures Christ's substitution for sinners.
Sovereignty in Suffering – God's redemptive plan unfolds through human injustice.

📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

Matthew 27:1–2 – Handed Over to Pilate

"They bound him and led him away…"

Morning Council – Formalizes the illegal nighttime verdict.
Political Maneuvering – Leaders use Roman law to achieve their ends.

Matthew 27:3–5 – Judas' Remorse and Death

"I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."

False Repentance – Judas feels regret but does not turn to Christ.
Blood Money – The payment becomes a testimony of his guilt.
Tragic End – His suicide fulfills the despair of rejecting grace.

Matthew 27:6–10 – Field of Blood

"They bought with them the potter's field…"

Hypocritical Scruples – Leaders reject the coins for the treasury but not the crime.
Prophetic Fulfillment – Echoes Zechariah 11:13 and Jeremiah 19:1–13.

Matthew 27:11–14 – Jesus Before Pilate

"You have said so."

King of the Jews – Pilate questions the political claim; Jesus affirms it without defense.
Silence in Trial – Echoes Isaiah 53:7.

Matthew 27:15–23 – Barabbas Chosen

"Release for us Barabbas!"

Passover Custom – The release of a prisoner becomes a choice between the guilty and the innocent.
Inversion of Justice – The crowd demands the murderer's release and Christ's death.
Moral Weakness – Pilate caves to pressure despite knowing the truth.

Matthew 27:24–26 – Pilate's Verdict

"I am innocent of this man's blood…"

Symbolic Washing – Pilate's act cannot remove guilt.
Corporate Guilt – The crowd's cry, "His blood be on us and on our children," underscores responsibility.
Substitutionary Picture – The innocent condemned so the guilty go free.

🔍 Trusted Insight

"Spurgeon notes: 'Men may wash their hands, but not their hearts. Pilate's basin could not cleanse his conscience.'" This underscores that outward rituals cannot remove inward guilt—only the blood of Christ can.

Summary: Jesus, though declared innocent, is condemned in the place of the guilty, fulfilling prophecy and accomplishing redemption.

🧩 Review Questions

🔍 Definitions

Pontius Pilate – Roman governor of Judea (AD 26–36).
Barabbas – An insurrectionist and murderer released instead of Jesus.
Blood Money – Payment obtained through wrongdoing, especially betrayal or murder.

🙋 Application Questions

Have you ever tried to justify or excuse sin instead of repenting?
In what ways does Barabbas' release mirror your own salvation story?
How does Christ's silence under false accusation challenge your response to unfair treatment?

🔤 Greek Keywords

ἀθῷος (athoios) – "Innocent, guiltless," used of Jesus.
μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai) – "To feel remorse," not necessarily leading to repentance.
ἀντί (anti) – "Instead of, in place of," highlighting substitution.

📚 Cross References

Zechariah 11:12–13 – Betrayal price and potter's field.
Isaiah 53:7 – Silent before accusers.
Acts 3:14–15 – The Righteous One rejected, murderer released.
Romans 5:8 – Christ died for the ungodly.
2 Corinthians 5:21 – He became sin so we might become righteousness.

📦 Next Study

Next Study → Matthew 27:27–44

Matthew 27:1–26 – Jesus Before Pilate and Judas' Death