Matthew 27:1._But when it was morning. _The high priest, with his council, after having examined him at an unseasonable hour of the night, finally resolve, at sunrise, to place him at the bar of the governor. By so doing, they observe the form of judicial proceedings, that they may not be suspected... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Then Judas, perceiving that he was condemned. _By this adverb ( τότε) _then, _Matthewdoes not fix the exact point of time; for we shall find him shortly afterwards adding, that Judas, when he saw that the priests disdainfully refused to take back the reward of his treason, threw it down in the te... [ Continue Reading ]
4._What is that to us? _Here is described the stupidity and madness of the priests, since even after having been warned by the dreadful example of Judas, still they do not think about themselves. I do acknowledge that hypocrites, as they are accustomed to flatter themselves, had some plausible excus... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And he went away, and strangled himself. This is _the price for which Satan sells the allurements by which he flatters wicked men for a time. He throws them into a state of fury, so that, voluntarily cutting themselves off from the hope of salvation, they find no consolation but in death. Though... [ Continue Reading ]
6._It is not lawful for us to throw it into the treasury. _Hence it plainly appears that hypocrites, by attending to nothing more than the outward appearance, are guilty of gross trifling with God. Provided that they do not violate their _Corban, _(Mark 7:11,) they imagine that in other matters they... [ Continue Reading ]
8._For a burying-place to strangers. _The more that wicked men endeavor to conceal their enormities, the more does the Lord watch over them to bring those enormities to light. They hoped that, by an honorable disguise, they would bury their crime, were they to purchase a barren field for _burying st... [ Continue Reading ]
9._Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet. _How the name of _Jeremiah _crept in, I confess that I do not know nor do I give myself much trouble to inquire. The passage itself plainly shows that the name of _Jeremiah _has been put down by mistake, instead of Zechariah, (Zechariah... [ Continue Reading ]
10._As the Lord appointed me. _By this clause Matthew confirms the statement, that this was not done without the providence of God; because, while they have a different object in view, they unconsciously fulfill an ancient prediction. For how could it have occurred to them to _purchase a field _from... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:11._Now Jesus stood before the governor. _Though it was a shocking exhibition, and highly incompatible with the majesty of the Son of God, to be dragged before the judgment-seat of a profane man, to be tried on the charge of a capital offense, as a malefactor in chains; yet we ought to re... [ Continue Reading ]
12_He answered nothing. _If it be asked why the Evangelists say that Christ was silent, while we have just now heard his answer from their mouth, the reason is, that he had a defense at hand, but voluntarily abstained from producing it. And, indeed, what he formerly replied about _the kingdom _did n... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:15._Now the governor was wont at the festival _Here is described to us, on the one hand, the insatiable cruelty of the priests, and, on the other, the furious obstinacy of the people; for both must have been seized with astonishing madness, when they were not satisfied with conspiring to... [ Continue Reading ]
19._While he was sitting on the judgment-seat. _Although the thoughts which had passed through the mind of Pilate’s wife during the day might be the cause of her _dream, _yet there can be no doubt that she suffered these torments, not in a natural way, (such as happens to us every day,) but by an ex... [ Continue Reading ]
20._But the chief priests and elder’s persuaded the multitude. _The Evangelist points out the chief instigators of the wicked proceedings; not that the foolish credulity of the people, who were influenced by others, admits of any excuse; but for the purpose of informing us that they were not, of the... [ Continue Reading ]
22._What then shall I do with Jesus? _Perceiving that they are so blinded by madness, that they do not hesitate, to their own great dishonor, to rescue _a robber _from death, Pilate resorts to another expedient for touching them to the quick, and bringing them to a sound mind. He argues that the dea... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:24._But Pilate, perceiving that he gained nothing by it. _As sailors, who have experienced a violent tempest, at last give way, and permit themselves to be carried out of the proper course; so Pilate, finding himself unable to restrain the commotion of the people, lays aside his authority... [ Continue Reading ]
25._His blood be on us. _There can be no doubt that the Jews pronounced this curse on themselves without any concern, as if they had been fully convinced that they had a righteous cause before God; but their inconsiderate zeal carries them headlong, so that, while they commit an irreparable crime, t... [ Continue Reading ]
26_Then he released to them Barabbas. _Our three Evangelists do not mention what is related by John, (John 15:13,) that Pilate ascended the judgment-seat to pronounce sentence from it; for they only state that the clamor of the people and the confused tumult prevailed on him basely to deliver up Chr... [ Continue Reading ]
27._Then the soldiers of the governor. _It is not without reason that these additional insults are related. We know that it was not some sort of ludicrous exhibition, when God exposed his only-begotten Son to every kind of reproaches. First, then, we ought to consider what we have deserved, and, nex... [ Continue Reading ]
32._They found a man, a Cyrenian. _This circumstance points out the extreme cruelty both of the Jewish nation and of the soldiers. There is no reason to doubt that it was then the custom for malefactors to carry their own crosses to the place of punishment, but as the only persons who were crucified... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:33._And they came to the place. _Jesus was _brought to the place _where it was customary to execute criminals, that his death might be more ignominious. Now though this was done according to custom, still we ought to consider the loftier purpose of God; for he determined that his Son shou... [ Continue Reading ]
34._And they gave him vinegar. _Although the Evangelists are not so exact in placing each matter in its due order, as to enable us to fix the precise moment at which the events occurred; yet I look upon it as a probable conjecture that, before our Lord was elevated on the cross, there was offered to... [ Continue Reading ]
35._They parted his garments. _It is certain that the soldiers did this also according to custom, in dividing among themselves the clothes of a man who had been condemned to die. One circumstance was perhaps peculiar, that _they cast lots _on a _coat _which _was without seam, _(John 19:23.) But thou... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:37._And placed over his head. _What is briefly noticed by Matthew and Mark is more fully related by Luke, (Luke 23:38,) that the inscription was written in three languages. John also describes it _more _largely, (John 14:19.) Under this passage my readers will find what I pass over here f... [ Continue Reading ]
38._Then were crucified with him two robbers. _It was the finishing stroke of the lowest disgrace when Christ was executed between _two robbers; _for they assigned him the most prominent place, as if’ he had been the prince of _robbers. _If he had been _crucified _apart from the other malefactors, t... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:39._And they that passed by. _These circumstances carry great weight; for they place before us the extreme abasement of the Son of God, that we may see more clearly how much our salvation cost him, and that, reflecting that we justly deserved all the punishments which he endured, we may b... [ Continue Reading ]
40._Thou who destroyedst the temple. _They charge Christ with teaching falsehood, because, now that it is called for, he does not actually display the power to which he laid claim. But if their unbridled propensity to cursing had not deprived them of sense and reason, they would shortly afterwards h... [ Continue Reading ]
42._If he is the King, of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we shall believe him. _For they ought not to embrace as _King _any one who did not answer to the description given by the prophets. But Isaiah (Isaiah 52:14) and Zechariah (Zechariah 13:7) expressly represent Christ as devoi... [ Continue Reading ]
43._He trusted in God. _This, as I said a little ago, is a very sharp arrow of temptation which Satan holds in his hand, when he pretends that God has forgotten us, because He does not relieve us speedily and at the very moment. For since God watches over the safety of his people, and not only grant... [ Continue Reading ]
44._And the robbers also. Matthew _and _Mark, _by synecdoche, attribute to the robbers what was done only by one of them, as is evident from Luke And this mode of expression ought not to be accounted harsh; for the two Evangelists had no other design than to show that Christ was attacked on every ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:45._Now from the sixth hour. _Although in the death of Christ the weakness of the flesh concealed for a short time the glory of the Godhead, and though the Son of God himself was disfigured by shame and contempt, and, as Paul says, _was emptied, _(Philippians 2:7) yet the heavenly Father... [ Continue Reading ]
46._And about the ninth hour Jesus cried. _Though in the _cry _which Christ uttered a power more than human was manifested, yet it was unquestionably drawn from him by intensity of sorrow. And certainly this was his chief conflict, and harder than all the other tortures, that in his anguish he was s... [ Continue Reading ]
47._He calleth Elijah. _Those who consider this as spoken by the soldiers, ignorant and unskilled in the Syriac language, and unacquainted with the Jewish religion, and who imagine that the soldiers blundered through a resemblance of the words, are, in my opinion, mistaken. I do not think it at all... [ Continue Reading ]
48._And immediately one ran. _As Christ had once refused to drink, it may be conjectured with probability, that it was repeatedly offered to him for the sake of annoyance; though it is also not improbable that _the vinegar _was held out to him in a cup before he was raised aloft, and that _a sponge... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:50._Jesus having again cried with a loud voice. _Luke, who makes no mention of the former complaint, repeats the words of this second _cry, _which Matthew and Mark leave out. He says that Jesus cried, _Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit; _by which he declared that, though he was fi... [ Continue Reading ]
51._And, lo, the veil of the temple was rent. _When Luke blends _the rending of the veil _with the eclipse of the sun, he inverts the order; for the Evangelists, as we have frequently seen, are not careful to mark every hour with exactness. Nor was it proper that the _veil _should be _rent, _until t... [ Continue Reading ]
52_And graves were opened. _This was also a striking miracle, by which God declared that his Son entered into the prison of death, not to continue to be shut up there, but to bring out all who were held captive. For at the very time when the despicable weakness of the flesh was beheld in the person... [ Continue Reading ]
53._And went into the holy city. _When Matthew bestows on Jerusalem the honorable designation of _the holy city, _he does not intend to applaud the character of its inhabitants, for we know that it was at that time full of all pollution and wickedness, so that it was rather _a den of robbers, _(Jere... [ Continue Reading ]
54._Now the centurion. _As Luke mentions the _lamentation _of the people, _the centurion _and his soldiers were not the only persons who acknowledged Christ to be _the Son of God; _but the Evangelists mention this circumstance respecting him for the purpose of heightening their description: for it i... [ Continue Reading ]
55._And there were also many women there. _I consider this to have been added in order to inform us that, while the disciples had fled and were scattered in every direction, still some of their company were retained by the Lord as witnesses. Now though the Apostle John did not depart from the cross,... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:57._And when the evening was come. _Let it be understood that _Joseph _did not come in the dusk of _the evening, _but before sunset, that he might perform this office of kindness to his Master, without violating _the Sabbath; _for the _Sabbath _commenced in the evening, and therefore it w... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:59._And having taken the body. _The three Evangelists glance briefly at the burial; and therefore they say nothing about the aromatic ointments which John alone mentions, (John 19:39) only they relate that _Joseph purchased a clean linen cloth; _from which we infer, that Christ was honora... [ Continue Reading ]
61._And Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, were there. _Matthew and Mark relate only that _the women looked at what was done, and marked the place where the body was laid. _But Luke states, at the same time, their resolution, which was, that _they returned _to the city, _and prepared spices and oin... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 27:62._And the next day. _In this narrative Matthew did not so much intend to show with what determined rage the scribes and priests pursued Christ, as to exhibit to us, as in a mirror, the amazing providence of God in proving the resurrection of his Son. Cunning men, practiced at least in f... [ Continue Reading ]
63.We _remember that that impostor said. _This thought was suggested to them by divine inspiration, not only that the Lord might execute upon them just vengeance for their wickedness, (as he always punishes bad consciences by secret torments,) but chiefly in order to restrain their unholy tongues. Y... [ Continue Reading ]
65._You have a guard. _By these words, Pilate means that he grants their request by permitting them to post soldiers to keep watch. This, permission bound them more firmly, so that they could not escape by any evasion; for though they were not ashamed to break out against Christ after his resurrecti... [ Continue Reading ]