Bible Commentaries

Mt 27:1-10.

JESUS LED AWAY TO PILATE--REMORSE AND SUICIDE OF JUDAS. ( =

Mr 15:1; Lu 23:1; Joh 18:28).

Jesus Led Away to Pilate

(Mt 27:1, 2).

For the exposition of this portion, see on

Joh 18:28,

&c.

Remorse and Suicide of Judas

(Mt 27:3-10).

This portion is peculiar to Matthew. On the progress of guilt in the traitor, see on

Mr 14:1-11;

Joh 13:21-30.

3. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned--The condemnation, even though not unexpected, might well fill him with horror. But perhaps this unhappy man expected, that, while he got the bribe, the Lord would miraculously escape, as He had once and again done before, out of His enemies' power: and if so, his remorse would come upon him with all the greater keenness.

repented himself--but, as the issue too sadly showed, it was "the sorrow of the world, which worketh death"

(2Co 7:10).

and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders--A remarkable illustration of the power of an awakened conscience. A short time before, the promise of this sordid pelf was temptation enough to his covetous heart to outweigh the most overwhelming obligations of duty and love; now, the possession of it so lashes him that he cannot use it, cannot even keep it!

4. Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood--What a testimony this to Jesus! Judas had been with Him in all circumstances for three years; his post, as treasurer to Him and the Twelve

(Joh 12:6),

gave him peculiar opportunity of watching the spirit, disposition, and habits of his Master; while his covetous nature and thievish practices would incline him to dark and suspicious, rather than frank and generous, interpretations of all that He said and did. If, then, he could have fastened on one questionable feature in all that he had so long witnessed, we may be sure that no such speech as this would ever have escaped his lips, nor would he have been so stung with remorse as not to be able to keep the money and survive his crime.

And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that--"Guilty or innocent is nothing to us: We have Him now--begone!" Was ever speech more hellish uttered?

5. And he cast down the pieces of silver--The sarcastic, diabolical reply which he had got, in place of the sympathy which perhaps he expected, would deepen his remorse into an agony.

in the temple--the temple proper, commonly called "the sanctuary," or "the holy place," into which only the priests might enter. How is this to be explained? Perhaps he flung the money in after them. But thus were fulfilled the words of the prophet--"I cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord"

(Zec 11:13).

and departed, and went and hanged himself--For the details, see on

Ac 1:18.

6. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury--"the Corban," or chest containing the money dedicated to sacred purposes (see on

Mt 15:5).

because it is the price of blood--How scrupulous now! But those punctilious scruples made them unconsciously fulfil the Scripture.

9. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying--

(Zec 11:12, 13).

Never was a complicated prophecy, otherwise hopelessly dark, more marvellously fulfilled. Various conjectures have been formed to account for Matthew's ascribing to Jeremiah a prophecy found in the book of Zechariah. But since with this book he was plainly familiar, having quoted one of its most remarkable prophecies of Christ but a few chapters before

(Mt 21:4, 5),

the question is one more of critical interest than real importance. Perhaps the true explanation is the following, from LIGHTFOOT: "Jeremiah of old had the first place among the prophets, and hereby he comes to be mentioned above all the rest in

Mt 16:14;

because he stood first in the volume of the prophets (as he proves from the learned DAVID KIMCHI) therefore he is first named. When, therefore, Matthew produceth a text of Zechariah under the name of Jeremy, he only cites the words of the volume of the prophets under his name who stood first in the volume of the prophets. Of which sort is that also of our Saviour

(Lu 24:41),

'All things must be fulfilled which are written of Me in the Law, and the Prophets, and the Psalms,' or the Book of Hagiographa, in which the Psalms were placed first."

Mt 27:11-26.

JESUS AGAIN BEFORE PILATE--HE SEEKS TO RELEASE HIM BUT AT LENGTH DELIVERS HIM TO BE CRUCIFIED. ( =

Mr 15:1-15; Lu 23:1-25; Joh 18:28-40).

For the exposition, see on

Lu 23:1-25;

Joh 18:28-40.

Mt 27:27-33.

JESUS SCORNFULLY AND CRUELLY ENTREATED OF THE SOLDIERS, IS LED AWAY TO BE CRUCIFIED. ( =

Mr 15:16-22; Lu 23:26-31; Joh 19:2, 17).

For the exposition, see on

Mr 15:16-22.