271 Now when morning came , all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred e together against Jesus to put Him to death ; 2 and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor .
3 Then when Judas , who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned , he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders , 4 saying , "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood ." But they said , "What is that to us? See to that yourself !" 5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed ; and he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said , "It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury , since it is the price of blood ." 7 And they conferred e together and with the money bought the Potter's Field as a burial place for strangers . 8 For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day . 9 Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled : " AND THEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER , THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel ; 10 AND THEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER'S FIELD , AS THE Lord DIRECTED
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!"
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Matthew 27:1-22
Commentary on Matthew 27:1-10
(Read Matthew 27:1-10)
Wicked men see little of the consequences of their crimes when they commit them, but they must answer for them all. In the fullest manner Judas acknowledged to the chief priests that he had sinned, and betrayed an innocent person. This was full testimony to the character of Christ; but the rulers were hardened. Casting down the money, Judas departed, and went and hanged himself, not being able to bear the terror of Divine wrath, and the anguish of despair. There is little doubt but that the death of Judas was before that of our blessed Lord. But was it nothing to them that they had thirsted after this blood, and hired Judas to betray it, and had condemned it to be shed unjustly? Thus do fools make a mock at sin. Thus many make light of Christ crucified. And it is a common instance of the deceitfulness of our hearts, to make light of our own sin by dwelling upon other people's sins. But the judgment of God is according to truth. Many apply this passage of the buying the piece of ground, with the money Judas brought back, to signify the favour intended by the blood of Christ to strangers, and sinners of the Gentiles. It fulfilled a prophecy, Zechariah 11:12. Judas went far toward repentance, yet it was not to salvation. He confessed, but not to God; he did not go to him, and say, I have sinned, Father, against heaven. Let none be satisfied with such partial convictions as a man may have, and yet remain full of pride, enmity, and rebellion.
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!