The Father's Son Delivered to Pilate

Judas hangs himself, Pilate washes his hands, soldiers dress Jesus as a mock king. Darkness covers the land, and he cries out that God has forsaken him, then dies. The curtain tears. He is buried in a borrowed tomb, sealed and guarded.

Chapter 27.

At dawn, all the chief priests and elders of the people met and plotted to kill Jesus. So they bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing Jesus condemned, felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I sinned, betraying innocent blood." They said, "Not our concern. You'll see to it."

He threw the pieces of silver into the temple, went out, and hanged himself.

The chief priests took the silver and said, "We can't put this in the treasury—it was payment for blood." So they consulted, then bought the potter's field with it, to bury foreigners. That is why that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what the prophet Jeremiah spoke was fulfilled: "They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him, whom some of Israel's sons priced, and they gave them for the potter's field, as our Father directed me."

Jesus Stands Silent Before Pilate

Jesus stood before the governor; the governor asked, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so."

But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Don't you hear how many charges they're bringing against you?"

He gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so the governor was greatly amazed.

At each feast the governor would release one prisoner the crowd wanted. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. When they had gathered, Pilate asked, "Which do you want me to release—Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.

While he sat on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him: Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I suffered much today in a dream because of him.

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. The governor said, "Which of the two should I release to you?" They said, "Barabbas."

Pilate asked them, "What then do I do with Jesus called Christ?" They all said, "Have him crucified!"

He said, "Why? What wrong has he done?" But they cried out louder, "Crucify him!"

Seeing he could do nothing, but a riot was starting instead, Pilate took water, washed his hands before the crowd, and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood; you see to it."

And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" ^a

Then he released Barabbas to them, had Jesus whipped, and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock the King

Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the governor's headquarters and gathered the whole regiment around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They twisted a crown of thorns, set it on his head, put a reed in his right hand, knelt before him, and mocked him: "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit on him, took the reed, and struck him on the head again and again. After mocking him, they stripped off the robe, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him away to crucify him.

The Son of God Is Crucified

Going out, they found a Cyrenian named Simon and forced him to carry Jesus's cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they gave him wine mixed with bitter gall to drink; he tasted it and refused to drink. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among themselves by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. Over his head they posted the charge against him: "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."

Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads, saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days—save yourself! If you're the Son of God, come down from the cross!"

In the same way the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, also mocked him, saying, "he saved others; himself he can't save. He's King of Israel—let him come down from the cross now, and we'll believe in him. He trusts in God—let God save him now, if he wants him, for he said, 'I am God's Son.'" And the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him in the same way.

The Forsaken Son Gives up His Spirit

Now from noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.

About three in the afternoon, Jesus cried loudly, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?"—meaning, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "This man is calling Elijah." One of them ran at once, soaked a sponge in sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave him a drink. But the others said, "Leave him alone. Let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. Suddenly the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the holy ones who had fallen asleep were raised. After Jesus's resurrection, they left the tombs, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.

The centurion and those with him guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what happened, and were terrified, saying, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"

Many women watched from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee to serve him. Among them: Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Jesus Laid in the Tomb

At evening a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Then Pilate ordered it given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. He put it in his new tomb, cut into the rock, rolled a large stone across the tomb's entrance, and left. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The Tomb Sealed and Guarded

The next day—after Preparation Day—the chief priests and Pharisees gathered before Pilate, and said, "Sir, we remember that deceiver, while still alive, said, 'After three days I will rise.' So order the tomb secured until the third day, or his disciples may come, steal him, and tell the people, 'He has been raised from the dead.' That last deception would be worse than the first."

Pilate said to them, "You have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you can." So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and posting the guard.

❤️ FHB? Review Now

Matthew 27