Matthew 27
Summary. The events described in Chapter 27 take place at the Palace of the High Priest, the governor’s palace, the potter’s field, the governor’s headquarters, a place called Golgotha (or Place of a Skull), the temple, the holy city, and at Joseph’s new tomb where the Lord Jesus was laid. In this chapter, many people interact with the Lord Jesus: His disciples, the chief priests, the scribes, the elders; Pilate, the governor, Judas the betrayer, the crowd; Barabbas, the governor’s wife, governor’s battalion of soldiers; Simon, a man of Cyrene, two criminals crucified along the Lord Jesus, people passing by the cross of Jesus, bystanders, risen saints, the centurion and his soldiers, many women that were followers of the Lord Jesus (including Mary Magdalene, the other Mary, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee), Joseph a rich man from Arimathea, the Pharisees, the Pharisees’ guard that guarded the Lord Jesus’ tomb.
Some of the events in this chapter in chronological order are: the chief priests and the elders delivered the Lord Jesus to Pilate, the governor; Judas, the betrayer was remorseful and hanged himself; the chief priests took the thirty pieces of silver, the price they paid to the betrayer for the Lord Jesus, and purchased the potter’s field; the Lord Jesus stood for trial before the governor; the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and crucify the Lord Jesus; Pilate did not use his authority as a governor to release the Lord Jesus but instead he delivered Him to be crucified; the governor’s battalion of soldiers mocked the Lord Jesus; the soldiers led the Lord Jesus away to be crucified; the soldiers compelled Simon of Cyrene to carry the Lord Jesus’ cross; they took the Lord Jesus to a place called Golgotha and crucified Him there; two criminals were crucified along with the Lord Jesus, one on each side; people passing by derided and mocked the Lord Jesus; from noon until 3 pm there was darkness over all the land; at about 3 pm the Lord Jesus cried out to the Father and He yielded up His spirit; the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; there was an earthquake and tombs were opened and many saints that died in the Lord Jesus were raised; the centurion and the soldiers with him were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God”; many women that were the Lord Jesus’ followers watched the crucifixion and His burial; Joseph of Arimathea buried the Lord Jesus in his new tomb cut from the rock; the Pharisees put a guard of soldiers in front of the tomb where the Lord Jesus was buried. Five events from this chapter stand out: 1) The chief priests and the elders take counsel to put the Lord Jesus to death, and they deliver Him to Pilate, the governor. They wanted to do one thing: put the Lord Jesus to death because they believed He would take their power. 2) The Lord Jesus is condemned by the chief priests, the elders, the crowd, and the governor to be crucified, and He is mocked by all. People know in their hearts that the Lord Jesus is the King of His people. Yet, the crowd is stirred by the chief priests and the elders to call to the governor, “Let be crucified,” and “His blood be on us, and on our children.” 3) The Lord Jesus is led to a place called Golgotha, where He is crucified between two criminals. By placing Him between criminals, they were trying to show that the Lord Jesus was one of them, not the Savior, but a criminal. They wanted the Lord Jesus to be spoken of as a criminal and discourage all the disciples at that time and in the future. 4) The Lord Jesus cries out with a loud voice to the Father and yields His Spirit. The Lord Jesus cries out, “My God, My God why have Thou forsaken Me?” How sad must heaven be when the Son could not feel the Father? Human words cannot describe the sorrow the Three in One felt when separated. Because the Son took human form, the death of the human body in the Son also impacted the Father. When the Son died, He went down to the place of death to give light to the dark place. The Father will not go there because His glory will destroy the death there. 5) Joseph of Arimathea takes the Lord Jesus down from the cross, wraps His body in a clean linen cloth, and puts Him in his new tomb. Joseph, with his slaves, rolls a great stone to the entrance of the tomb.
[1]
Then, when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus so that they might put Him to death.
Comments Matthew 27:1
The chief priests and the elders want only one thing to do: to put the Lord Jesus to death because they believe He will take their power. They take the first ray of the sun to be the point of delivering the Lord Jesus to the governor. All look out for the sun to condemn someone, because it has a way of believing how to cut the deal fast with the governor to make things finish early. They want to be the first to meet the governor so that the governor will hear only one side of the story. And most of the time, they can convince the governor to agree with their decision. It is the same case here: they know that the Lord Jesus is not guilty, but they have to persuade the governor to condemn Him. The commoners start the day differently than the soldiers or leaders (the access time to the governor is different from that of the chief priests and the elders), so the commoners do not have time to fight if they want to disagree with the decision.
However, people cannot fight if they are not united in making a common petition to the leaders. Within the wall, all the leaders are talking, agreeing. Outside the wall are the commoners, but if they are not united, they cannot make a petition. The elders bring the person to the governor as early as possible, at sunrise, so the governor can make the decision without people interfering; the commoners can’t come to make their voices heard to the governor at that time. Then, people cannot talk against the leaders anymore, because the governor made the decision. The elders and leaders do not want a conflict with the people, so they use the governor. The leaders try to avoid questioning from the people because they don’t want to have the mob go against them. If people question the leaders about the accusations against a person, the person will have to wait longer before they can be sentenced. But this way, at sunrise (early morning), no one can stop it; the death sentence can be issued with just a few witnesses.
However, people cannot fight if they are not united in making a common petition to the leaders. Within the wall, all the leaders are talking, agreeing. Outside the wall are the commoners, but if they are not united, they cannot make a petition. The elders bring the person to the governor as early as possible, at sunrise, so the governor can make the decision without people interfering; the commoners can’t come to make their voices heard to the governor at that time. Then, people cannot talk against the leaders anymore, because the governor made the decision. The elders and leaders do not want a conflict with the people, so they use the governor. The leaders try to avoid questioning from the people because they don’t want to have the mob go against them. If people question the leaders about the accusations against a person, the person will have to wait longer before they can be sentenced. But this way, at sunrise (early morning), no one can stop it; the death sentence can be issued with just a few witnesses.
Comments Matthew 27:1-2
They have marked the death sentence for the Lord Jesus before proven guilty. They have already made the decision: He is guilty; no need to fight them. The leaders have to move fast to cut down the problem. They use the Word of God here: the Bible tells people to listen and obey the Lord’s teaching. So, if the governor comes and tells that the sentence has been made, the people cannot go against it. That is the Lord’s teaching: the Bible says that the Lord is the One who sets the leaders, and that people have to listen to the authorities. The Lord Jesus is a teacher, so they have to do it quickly to avoid people interrupting, because of the position He holds among the people: He is a teacher.
[3]
Then Judas, the one having betrayed Him , having seen that He was condemned, having regretted, he returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
[4]
saying, I sinned having betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? See you to it.
Comments Matthew 27:3-4
It is too late to change his mind; the deed has been done, and sorry means nothing now. Judas has betrayed the Lord of life; remorse means nothing at this point, and nothing can be changed. This verse tells all humans to know that they (the chief priests and the elders) say that it is not their fault, it is Judas’s because he is the one who delivered the Lord Jesus to them. But Judas, the chief priests, and the elders have the same level of guilt (see John 19:11); the chief priests and elders are guilty because they all know that the Lord Jesus has no fault, yet they take Him to the governor.
[5]
And having thrown down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed and, having gone away hanged himself.
Comments Matthew 27:5
Remorse has power; therefore, before doing something, think about the outcome. You can stop it before, but if you go too far, you can’t stop anymore. People should think about this. If you do things, you cannot be halfway done; it ends one way or another. To have remorse when you do wrong, or stop before doing wrong, and you don’t have to deal with remorse; this is a human choice.
[6]
And the chief priests, having taken the pieces of silver, said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood.
[7]
And having taken counsel, they bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in.
Comments Matthew 27:6-7
In that time, when they had doubts about what people might think about their actions, they would go and buy something else. But the real purpose was just to show people that they did not take the money for themselves; they bought something. But behind them, there had been many deals as well. Money in any generation has power in itself, as the Bible says, and makes many corrupt.
[8]
Which is why that field was called, the field of blood, to this day.
[9]
Then was fulfilled that having been spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the One having been priced, whom they of the sons of Israel set a price;
[10]
and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.
Comments Matthew 27:9-10
Matthew got this prophecy from the Lord to write it down. People may comment negatively, but it is the Lord’s will to put it down as is. Even at that time, what Jeremiah had said was not all being recorded to be known. People can argue about what Matthew wrote, but do people think, by human mind, how Matthew could know how to mix the words together if not given by the Lord (see Jeremiah 19:1-13, 32:6-9)? Some portions no one could know unless the Lord told them.
[11]
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor questioned Him , saying, Are Thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus , You say.
Comments Matthew 27:11
You can see from this verse itself what knowledge they have about the Lord Jesus: He is the King. In their hearts, people know that He is the King of His people, which is why the question came from this person himself. People came to tell, so it was well known among people that the Lord Jesus is King.
“You say.” When the Lord Jesus answers this, it shows people that it is not He Himself claiming to be, but people claiming Him to be. Notice the way of the answer. The Lord never proclaimed Himself to be anything of this world, because His world is above here. He just tells them to accept what they claim Him to be.
“You say.” When the Lord Jesus answers this, it shows people that it is not He Himself claiming to be, but people claiming Him to be. Notice the way of the answer. The Lord never proclaimed Himself to be anything of this world, because His world is above here. He just tells them to accept what they claim Him to be.
[14]
And He did not answer him, not even to one word, so as the governor marveled greatly.
Comments Matthew 27:12-14
The Lord Jesus answered nothing to the chief priest and elders, and nothing to the governor, because the Lord saw their hearts were closed tight; He could speak more, but nothing would stick to them, so He had no words for them. Sometimes silence is the best answer, and here the Lord has used silence as the answer.
[15]
Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom they wished.
[16]
Now, they were holding, at that time, a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.
Comments Matthew 27:16
Barabbas was just a criminal, but, in their eyes, the criminal was worth living more than the Lord Jesus Himself.
[17]
They, therefore, having been gathered together, Pilate said to them, Whom will you that I release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus , who is called Christ ?
Comments Matthew 27:17
This multitude here is a new group of people who gathered after the Lord Jesus was handed over to the governor. They came in a large group, but there was no leader among them, so they were not united; a mob without a leader has no power.
[18]
For he knew that for envy they had delivered Him up.
[19]
And as he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have you nothing to do with that righteous Man ; for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him .
Comments Matthew 27:19
“His wife sent to him, saying ...” Now the evil uses this woman to try to stop the plan of the Lord in saving humans. She comes forward and tries to change the plan; this is the work of evil, and not because she means well. People have been confused by this verse because she claims she had a dream, but we don’t know in detail what the dream was, and whether it was a dream from the Lord. As a believer, think on this: if she were to convince him (the governor), what would happen? No human would be saved.
God knows what will happen, but people must use their own free will to make the choices in their lives. For example, the Lord Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, but He did not stop him. The Lord still chose him to be His disciple, but the free will itself will always take control of the human mind. The betrayer had a chance to hear the living Word, but also had the free will to choose to listen to and obey the living Word, or to listen to his own free will and do things he believed would benefit him in some other way; it was his free will. Free will allows humans to be free to choose what they feel is right. Free will keeps humans free, so that they don’t feel controlled by the Lord to choose to do good or evil. This is the way of free will in humans: choose what you feel is right. But what you think is right, whether it is right or not, that is what free will plays with.
God knows what will happen, but people must use their own free will to make the choices in their lives. For example, the Lord Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, but He did not stop him. The Lord still chose him to be His disciple, but the free will itself will always take control of the human mind. The betrayer had a chance to hear the living Word, but also had the free will to choose to listen to and obey the living Word, or to listen to his own free will and do things he believed would benefit him in some other way; it was his free will. Free will allows humans to be free to choose what they feel is right. Free will keeps humans free, so that they don’t feel controlled by the Lord to choose to do good or evil. This is the way of free will in humans: choose what you feel is right. But what you think is right, whether it is right or not, that is what free will plays with.
[20]
And the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus .
Comments Matthew 27:20
This verse clearly tells us who the ones who come to make a decision are. Who are the ones they (the multitudes) listened to? Are they listening to the Lord, or are they listening to the voice of the dark (through the chief priest and the elders)? The woman in verse 19 tries to stop the plan and prevent it from happening at all, but now these people listen to the voice of the dark and act against the Holy Son, the Lord Jesus. Pay attention to the goal of each of them: the goal of the woman was to stop the work of the Father, but the second group’s goal was to stop the Holy Son Jesus from being glorified for accomplishing the work of the Father. Now, they are making the eyes of people pay attention to two persons, specifically, comparing the Holy Son Jesus with criminals, and thus putting the glory of the Son lower than that of a criminal.
Q: How do we understand the crucifixion as the Father’s plan for salvation? A: The Father’s plan for the Lord Jesus to be crucified is correct, as it is written in the Bible. But, for the condemning people who accuse the Lord Jesus, look at the purpose they condemn. They condemn Him because they don’t believe or because they want people to think that He is not who He claims He is. Discrediting the Lord Jesus would be the purpose of crucifying Him; this is the main point to see. The Father planned for the Lord Jesus to be crucified because the Father knew ahead of time what people would do to His Holy Son. But, in order to save all humans, the Son has given Himself up as well and accepted the duty to be crucified by His creation. Humans come from Him, and they crucified the One who created them, but this is also the way to save humans. The Lord did not condemn anyone; their own actions and purposes in their hearts have condemned them. You could think that the Father saw ahead what would happen, yet He still sent the Son, the Lord Jesus, to tell humans about the Lord, and He did not intervene when the humans crucified the Son. He let the suffering and the crucifixion happen, but then the Lord Jesus rose again victoriously after three days. We, as believers, must believe that the Lord Jesus is who He claims He is, the Son of God, and that He is One in the Trinity of God.
Q: How do we understand the crucifixion as the Father’s plan for salvation? A: The Father’s plan for the Lord Jesus to be crucified is correct, as it is written in the Bible. But, for the condemning people who accuse the Lord Jesus, look at the purpose they condemn. They condemn Him because they don’t believe or because they want people to think that He is not who He claims He is. Discrediting the Lord Jesus would be the purpose of crucifying Him; this is the main point to see. The Father planned for the Lord Jesus to be crucified because the Father knew ahead of time what people would do to His Holy Son. But, in order to save all humans, the Son has given Himself up as well and accepted the duty to be crucified by His creation. Humans come from Him, and they crucified the One who created them, but this is also the way to save humans. The Lord did not condemn anyone; their own actions and purposes in their hearts have condemned them. You could think that the Father saw ahead what would happen, yet He still sent the Son, the Lord Jesus, to tell humans about the Lord, and He did not intervene when the humans crucified the Son. He let the suffering and the crucifixion happen, but then the Lord Jesus rose again victoriously after three days. We, as believers, must believe that the Lord Jesus is who He claims He is, the Son of God, and that He is One in the Trinity of God.
[21]
But answering, the governor said to them, Which of the two do you want to release to you? And they said, Barabbas.
[22]
Pilate says to them, What then should I do with Jesus , who is called Christ ? They all say, Let be crucified.
Comments Matthew 27:22
This verse shows human nature. That is the way the multitude behaves: when one says yes, all will follow. Then and now, there is no difference. A multitude just needs a leader, and regardless of right or wrong (see verse 20), the multitude doesn’t care about right or wrong but just about doing it.
[23]
And he said, Why, what evil did He commit? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let be crucified.
Comments Matthew 27:23
The governor has fully known that there is no wrong in the Lord Jesus, but he does not make the decision to let the Lord Jesus go free; instead, he makes the people to be the ones demand it. You have the power, but by doing it this way, the blame does not fall on the governor, because he is not the one to ask that; the multitude takes the blame for the leader (in people’s eyes). But the Lord sees the heart; the mob has no brain, just following; but the governor, the chief priests, and the elders are the ones who are guilty in the Lord’s eyes. Because the Lord put them as the leaders, the responsibility for right or wrong falls on the leaders; the people just follow the leaders without the brain thinking.
[24]
Now Pilate having seen that it profited nothing, but rather a tumult was arising, having taken water, he washed the hands before the multitude, saying, I am guiltless of His blood; see you to it.
Comments Matthew 27:24
In this verse itself, the governor, whom the Lord has put to lead people, ignored the duty the Lord has given him; he wants to blame the children, but all the sin and guilt is going on him as well, whom the Lord had put in duty to be a ruler. By washing his hands, he cleans the dirt, but who gave him the job? Selfish people only do that; he is the one to be blamed as well. As a leader, the Lord put him up to rule people; what people did was his fault too; whether he washed his hands or not, it means nothing to be clean. Pilate puts guilt on people, but he is the leader, and by washing his hands, he will not clean his sin. Think of it this way: you wash the mud off your hands, claiming you are clean; you may be clean on the surface, but dirty inside.
[25]
And answering, all the people said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
Comments Matthew 27:25
Anyone who reads this verse should think twice before admitting fault to their own children. Here, they do it with their own will by saying, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” Look at them, since then until now; they themselves were the ones to ask for the blocking of blessing because their mouth spoke without thinking. But even like this, the Lord still blesses them internally; they are not completely under the suffering of this world; in them, something lifts them up. The country may not prosper, but spiritually, they do. However, why put responsibility on your own children? You yourselves have disobeyed the Lord; the children are under your protection, and you don’t do the job; your children will suffer because of what your mouth speaks. The main thing to think about here is suffering, not direct punishment. They have been suffering for a long time for what their mouth spoke at the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.
Q: In Ezekiel 18:20, the Bible says, “the person who sins will die.” A: It is not the guilt that goes on the children, but the suffering as a result of that guilt; all will endure together. Think twice before you say/admit (anything to the Lord); it is just a result of the words. But remember, as well, that the Lord is calling some out; not all reject the Lord Jesus. The ones the Lord calls out, and if they follow the call, they have received His pardon (see Romans 11:25).
Q: In Ezekiel 18:20, the Bible says, “the person who sins will die.” A: It is not the guilt that goes on the children, but the suffering as a result of that guilt; all will endure together. Think twice before you say/admit (anything to the Lord); it is just a result of the words. But remember, as well, that the Lord is calling some out; not all reject the Lord Jesus. The ones the Lord calls out, and if they follow the call, they have received His pardon (see Romans 11:25).
[26]
Then he released to them Barabbas; and Jesus having scourged, he delivered that He be crucified.
Comments Matthew 27:26
Here, they have done a disgrace to the Lord Jesus.
[27]
Then the soldiers of the governor having taken Jesus into the Praetorium, gathered before Him the whole cohort.
[29]
And having twisted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand; and having kneeled down before Him , they mocked Him , saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
[31]
And when they had mocked Him , they took off His robe, and they put on Him His garments, and led Him away to be crucified.
Comments Matthew 27:27-31
When they mocked the Lord Jesus, it was not the Lord Jesus alone they were mocking; the Three in One together were mocked at the same time. That is why, when the Son asks the Father for mercy, the Father gives mercy because the Father Himself knows what the Son had gone through. The hurt, the disgrace, the Father had known how much it hurt the Son to receive it. So, when the Son asks anything, the Father will do it, as the Bible tells us. People should meditate carefully on these verses and try to understand how much the Lord has taken for the sins of this world.
[32]
And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon. They compelled him that he might bear His cross.
Comments Matthew 27:32
There are many, many guesses about this man. However, we must take only what the Word tells us here about this man, no further details. Many people make a story out of this, but this is all that is written. Just remember, his name has been written down in the Holy Bible, and he has received appreciation through that (see Mark 15:21, Luke 23:26).
[33]
And having come to a place called Golgotha, which is called, The place of a skull,
[34]
they gave Him to drink wine mingled with gall; and having tasted, He was not willing to drink it.
Comments Matthew 27:34
They gave this drink not to cut down the thirst; it was a type of torture; when you drink it, it will make your throat hurt, and that is why they gave it to Him to drink, as a torture.
[35]
Now having crucified Him , they divided His garments, casting lots; [that it might be fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet, They divided My garments among themselves, and for My clothing they cast a lot;]
[36]
and sitting down, they were guarding Him there.
Comments Matthew 27:35-36
What they are doing here is to fulfil what has been written in the Word of God (see Psalms 22:18).
Comments Matthew 27:37
This verse has been fulfilled: the Lord Jesus is the King of the world, not just of the Jews alone. It is fulfilled: the Lord Jesus is the King of all.
[38]
At that time were crucified with Him two robbers, one on the right hand and one on the left.
Comments Matthew 27:38
As the Bible has written, He was counted among the criminals (see Luke 22:37, Isaiah 53:12). The Lamb of God has been counted with the sinners of the world; they put Him in the middle of the criminals. The meaning behind their actions is that He is one of them, not the Savior, but a criminal. That is the way they want His name to be told to discourage all the disciples: He is a criminal. Do not follow a criminal was their hidden message, and that’s why: to discourage His disciples and make the work of the Lord stop. If His followers believe this, the case will be closed, and no one will talk about it any further. And the leaders will not have to feel guilty anymore, because nobody will come to write up that the Lord Jesus is innocent when He died between the criminals.
[39]
And those passing by railed on Him , wagging their heads,
[40]
and saying, Thou who destroys the temple, and builds it in three days, save Thyself ! If Thou are the Son of God , come down from the cross!
Comments Matthew 27:39-40
This is what people talk about Him, and it links to a verse before (see Matthew 26:61). However, He never says to destroy the temple, but rather that He can rebuild it in three days (see John 2:19, and Comments Matthew 26:61).
[41]
In like manner also the chief priests, mocking, with the scribes and elders, said,
[42]
He saved others; Himself He cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him .
[43]
He trusts on God ; let Him deliver Him now, if He wants Him ; for He said that I am the Son of God .
Comments Matthew 27:41-43
The leaders here want to justify their actions, but these verses have also condemned them. By themselves, they condemn themselves: they know who the Lord Jesus is, but they ignore Him. Their ears have heard, but they did not listen; here is the support for this. They heard that the Lord Jesus saves people; they should have thought about who He is. By their own words, they have condemned themselves. What they are accusing Him of, they themselves are the ones who are not able to do, because they cannot save themselves and give eternal life, but the Lord Jesus can.
Comments Matthew 27:44
There are two criminals: one mocking, the other accepting the Lord (see Luke 23:39-43). This clearly shows how the world is. There are only two types of people: those who believe in the Lord Jesus and those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus. The ones who do not believe are the mockers; the ones who believe are those who have acknowledged the Lord Jesus and have become believers. One of the criminals, even at the point of death, and even seeing the Lord being condemned alongside them, yet he had a heart for the Lord; regardless of what happened to the Lord, he believed. Humans should learn from this one and take notice of what the Lord has said to this person: “Truly I say to you, Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (see Luke 23:43). He has concurred and gained eternal life as a true believer.
[45]
Now, from the sixth hour, was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
Comments Matthew 27:45
“From the sixth hour ... until the ninth hour.” This darkness lasted from noon until 3:00 pm, depending on which part of the country they were in. In the upper part of the country, and in the lower part of the country, the time will be shifted. But by tradition, they offer the daily sacrifice at the ninth hour. The daily sacrifice: a small amount each family would offer; they would set aside a portion for the daily sacrifice and also a portion for the family separately, which was done by tradition. Each village would have elders; the people would bring small portions to the elders; the elders would perform the sacrifice; it was a tradition. (See Numbers 28:1-8; Exodus 29:38-46; Numbers 7:1-11, Leviticus 4:15; Deuteronomy 19:12, 21:1-6, 19-20; Exodus 12:21).
“Was darkness over all the land.” What had happened had been clearly shown to humans. When the Son of God was to the point of losing His life on earth, even the sun couldn’t shine the light out; that is how the sadness of the light would be. This act shows plain anger from the Father at what humans are doing on earth: even the sun couldn’t shine its light. And this was not an eclipse; it is just the hand of the Father blocking the light of the sun.
“Was darkness over all the land.” What had happened had been clearly shown to humans. When the Son of God was to the point of losing His life on earth, even the sun couldn’t shine the light out; that is how the sadness of the light would be. This act shows plain anger from the Father at what humans are doing on earth: even the sun couldn’t shine its light. And this was not an eclipse; it is just the hand of the Father blocking the light of the sun.
[46]
Then about the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is, My God , My God , why have Thou forsaken Me ?
Comments Matthew 27:46
. How sad heaven is when the Son could not feel the Father! The death of the Lord Jesus’ human body has an impact on heaven as well, because that human is the Son of Man who departed from the earth. There was sadness beyond human words to explain (see Complementary Comments on Matthew 25:6). Because the Lord Jesus is in the human body, at the moment of death, the Father just stays above watching, because the Father is not in human form, but His feelings are impacted because of the human death of His Son’s body. The sorrow beyond human words can be expressed when the Three in One feel separated, because the Son took human form, the death of the human body of the Son also impacted the Father. When the death of the Son happened, the Son went down to the place of death to give light to the dark place; the Father will not go there; His glory will destroy the place of death.
[47]
Then some of those who were standing there, having heard, said, This Man calls Elijah.
Comments Matthew 27:47
Because they don't understand, so they take what they believe it is; that is the way.
[48]
And straightaway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and having put it on a reed, gave Him to drink.
Comments Matthew 27:48
At that time, this was the way to torture criminals when they crucified them. They didn’t give them to drink wine; they gave them to drink vinegar; it was a way of torture.
[49]
And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah comes to save Him .
Comments Matthew 27:50
The God of Three is: God the Father, God the Son, (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.
Q: How do we understand the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, as mentioned here in this verse? A: God of Three in One, but the Lord Jesus has taken the form of a human, and He has received the spirit as a human. All humans must have a spirit. Because the Lord Jesus took on the form of dust, He has a body, a spirit, and a soul to confirm the human being in Him. The Trinity is always Three in One, but each one has a duty, and the Father is above all. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father. The Lord Jesus in human form, as the body, the soul, and the spirit, is three in one as well. The body, soul, and the spirit of the Lord Jesus cannot be separated; they are only as one because He is human. The Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are Three in One, yet they can be separated, and each is unique in their own being.
Q: How do we understand the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, as mentioned here in this verse? A: God of Three in One, but the Lord Jesus has taken the form of a human, and He has received the spirit as a human. All humans must have a spirit. Because the Lord Jesus took on the form of dust, He has a body, a spirit, and a soul to confirm the human being in Him. The Trinity is always Three in One, but each one has a duty, and the Father is above all. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Father. The Lord Jesus in human form, as the body, the soul, and the spirit, is three in one as well. The body, soul, and the spirit of the Lord Jesus cannot be separated; they are only as one because He is human. The Father, the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are Three in One, yet they can be separated, and each is unique in their own being.
[51]
And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split,
Comments Matthew 27:51
Q: What is the meaning of the veil of the temple being torn in two from the top to the bottom? A: The curtain of the temple stands between God and humans, but with the death of the Lord Jesus, the curtain has been torn apart. Now humans have a chance to approach God through the Lord Jesus. Through the Son of Man, humans have a chance to be closer to the Father; there is no more blockage between humans and the Father.
[52]
and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints having fallen asleep were raised;
Comments Matthew 27:52
First, because of the death of the Lord Jesus, the saints who had died before, according to faith in the Lord Jesus, have received a chance to be resurrected with a heavenly body, not with a body of dust that had disappeared. Another way to understand this resurrection is that these saints have resurrected into their heavenly bodies.
Q: The Lord Jesus rose in His same earthly body; how do we understand the rising of the saints into the heavenly bodies? Is the resurrection of the saints here a bodily resurrection in the same way as the Lord Jesus’ resurrection? A: Do not try to mix up the heavenly and the body of a human being. The Lord has prepared the heavenly bodies, as the Bible tells us. Every believer has a heavenly body, but the Lord Jesus, His human body, was transformed from the inside out to be a heavenly body; His body has not decayed. All those saints became dust of the ground, but the Lord Jesus’ body has never seen decay. The Lord Jesus ascends into heaven as His body rose and was instantly transformed (see also Comments John 19:30).
“The tombs were opened.” The tombs must be open for the heavenly bodies to come out. When it was close to the resurrection time of the Lord Jesus, the Lord prepared the heavenly bodies for these saints for their return. Don’t forget that all the saints who have perished have a soul, a spirit, and a material body. The material body is gone, but the soul and the spirit are still there. The soul has returned to the Father, but the spirit has remained where the body has disintegrated; only for these select ones, for this time, the spirit remained where the body was, awaiting its return. The tomb must be open for the heavenly body to come in and out from above; this action takes place in a twinkling of an eye. The Lord has put the heavenly body in the spot He wants, and that body joins with the saint’s spirit. How can the body get out of the tomb? The Lord has split the tomb open for the heavenly body to get in and out. The Lord has deposited the heavenly body down to be joined with the spirit, and after joining with the spirit, the new heavenly body comes out; this new heavenly body has the substance and becomes similar to the material of the earth, and that body comes out. When the judgment day comes, those who will resurrect that time will join with the soul after being judged; the soul has to be judged first. These saints came to appear to people, and they will be gone; a heavenly body without a soul cannot walk on earth. This resurrection of these saints is just to show people that as the Lord Jesus departs, the dead rise, and humans can see the dead rising.
Q: Why do we say in the comment above that the substance of the heavenly body is similar to the material of the earth? A: The resurrected appearance has to be similar to the dead one; they just look alike, but they are not the same. All imperfections of the earthly body will not be reproduced in the heavenly body; everything that is imperfect is fixed, and those bodies will come out to meet people.
Q: What happens to us when we die? A: When we die, our soul goes back to the Lord, the body goes back to dust, and the spirit stays inside the tomb, in a different dimension of the tomb, waiting, tomb over tomb. However, the spirits cannot come out to roam free; they stay in a different spiritual dimension waiting in order. Note that there are different waiting places for the spirit and the soul of a person. Cemeteries are not places for the living to go around; they serve different purposes in human life. You are still alive, so why do you go there and fool around? So many go and bother the things that the living cannot understand; just leave them alone where the dead lie, leave them alone; no living needs to do anything with the dead there. In terms of humans, we can say, “Do not disturb the peace of those resting.” As the Bible says, the dead can see the living, but cannot cross back to be with or influence the living; between the dimensions (spiritual and physical), they cannot cross over; don’t try to mix the truth with human talk; there have been make-beliefs about all sorts of false things.
Q: The Lord Jesus rose in His same earthly body; how do we understand the rising of the saints into the heavenly bodies? Is the resurrection of the saints here a bodily resurrection in the same way as the Lord Jesus’ resurrection? A: Do not try to mix up the heavenly and the body of a human being. The Lord has prepared the heavenly bodies, as the Bible tells us. Every believer has a heavenly body, but the Lord Jesus, His human body, was transformed from the inside out to be a heavenly body; His body has not decayed. All those saints became dust of the ground, but the Lord Jesus’ body has never seen decay. The Lord Jesus ascends into heaven as His body rose and was instantly transformed (see also Comments John 19:30).
“The tombs were opened.” The tombs must be open for the heavenly bodies to come out. When it was close to the resurrection time of the Lord Jesus, the Lord prepared the heavenly bodies for these saints for their return. Don’t forget that all the saints who have perished have a soul, a spirit, and a material body. The material body is gone, but the soul and the spirit are still there. The soul has returned to the Father, but the spirit has remained where the body has disintegrated; only for these select ones, for this time, the spirit remained where the body was, awaiting its return. The tomb must be open for the heavenly body to come in and out from above; this action takes place in a twinkling of an eye. The Lord has put the heavenly body in the spot He wants, and that body joins with the saint’s spirit. How can the body get out of the tomb? The Lord has split the tomb open for the heavenly body to get in and out. The Lord has deposited the heavenly body down to be joined with the spirit, and after joining with the spirit, the new heavenly body comes out; this new heavenly body has the substance and becomes similar to the material of the earth, and that body comes out. When the judgment day comes, those who will resurrect that time will join with the soul after being judged; the soul has to be judged first. These saints came to appear to people, and they will be gone; a heavenly body without a soul cannot walk on earth. This resurrection of these saints is just to show people that as the Lord Jesus departs, the dead rise, and humans can see the dead rising.
Q: Why do we say in the comment above that the substance of the heavenly body is similar to the material of the earth? A: The resurrected appearance has to be similar to the dead one; they just look alike, but they are not the same. All imperfections of the earthly body will not be reproduced in the heavenly body; everything that is imperfect is fixed, and those bodies will come out to meet people.
Q: What happens to us when we die? A: When we die, our soul goes back to the Lord, the body goes back to dust, and the spirit stays inside the tomb, in a different dimension of the tomb, waiting, tomb over tomb. However, the spirits cannot come out to roam free; they stay in a different spiritual dimension waiting in order. Note that there are different waiting places for the spirit and the soul of a person. Cemeteries are not places for the living to go around; they serve different purposes in human life. You are still alive, so why do you go there and fool around? So many go and bother the things that the living cannot understand; just leave them alone where the dead lie, leave them alone; no living needs to do anything with the dead there. In terms of humans, we can say, “Do not disturb the peace of those resting.” As the Bible says, the dead can see the living, but cannot cross back to be with or influence the living; between the dimensions (spiritual and physical), they cannot cross over; don’t try to mix the truth with human talk; there have been make-beliefs about all sorts of false things.
[53]
and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
Comments Matthew 27:53
These are the saints who have been buried; what is happening here is entirely different from the end-time resurrection.
Q: Why has the Lord allowed the resurrection of these saints at this time? A: These saints who resurrected here go to glorify the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, before the completion of the closing time. That is why the Lord has created the parallel earth: these saints who were raised here will go on this parallel earth and are waiting there for the closing of the age.
“They entered into the holy city.” This city does not refer to the Jerusalem city of this earth. This city here refers to the holy city of the parallel earth (the earth upon earth, as we call it in this commentary). Humans see it and want to go there, but not everyone can go.
“Appeared to many” means that the resurrected saints appeared for a short moment to many on this earth who had the chance to see the resurrected bodies of the saints and how they look. They look similar to the human body, but to the human eye, they appear different; they are not the same, because those resurrected bodies will have something from the glory of God upon them. Humans can notice that they look alike but are not the same; they do not have the same flesh as human flesh has (see 1 Corinthians 15:35-44).
Q: Why has the Lord allowed the resurrection of these saints at this time? A: These saints who resurrected here go to glorify the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, before the completion of the closing time. That is why the Lord has created the parallel earth: these saints who were raised here will go on this parallel earth and are waiting there for the closing of the age.
“They entered into the holy city.” This city does not refer to the Jerusalem city of this earth. This city here refers to the holy city of the parallel earth (the earth upon earth, as we call it in this commentary). Humans see it and want to go there, but not everyone can go.
“Appeared to many” means that the resurrected saints appeared for a short moment to many on this earth who had the chance to see the resurrected bodies of the saints and how they look. They look similar to the human body, but to the human eye, they appear different; they are not the same, because those resurrected bodies will have something from the glory of God upon them. Humans can notice that they look alike but are not the same; they do not have the same flesh as human flesh has (see 1 Corinthians 15:35-44).
[54]
Now the centurion, and those with him watching Jesus , having seen the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared extremely, saying, Truly this was the Son of God .
Comments Matthew 27:54
This portion of Scripture clearly tells that human eyes have seen the glory of God in human nature. In the position of crucifixion, yet the glory of the Lord Jesus cannot be hidden. All these soldiers have seen the One they have tortured, and before His last breath on earth, He has shown the glory of God within Him come out. Human eyes noticed the difference between the two criminals beside and the Holy One in the middle. Human eyes could make a clear comparison between humans and the Holy One that has been tortured, and that is why it made them, the centurion and those with him, say “Truly this was the Son of God.” Look at this verse itself: the ones who have been part in torturing the Holy One of God have accepted the truth by saying “Truly this was the Son of God”; it was not the saints who said it, but the soldiers who said it.
[55]
And many women were there beholding from afar, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him ,
Comments Matthew 27:55
These women came from many places to follow the Lord Jesus. They followed the Lord and provided for His needs. By their own will, they gave all they had; they have been faithful to the Lord; they left everything behind and followed the Lord, and they didn’t expect to get anything in return; they just followed and provided, giving all they had to the Lord. Now you don’t have to give money to the Lord, just give your heart to the Lord; your heart is the most valuable treasure to the Lord, and He is happy to receive it. These women, some had money of their own, and some did get work, as they followed, to provide for their living, but the majority of what they made they gave to the Lord; and that is why their names are written here, for remembering them.
[56]
among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
Comments Matthew 27:56
These women did not follow the Lord Jesus because their children followed the Lord Jesus, but because their own hearts wanted to follow. These women followed their hearts.
[57]
And when evening came, a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, came, who also himself was discipled to Jesus ;
Comments Matthew 27:57
This man, Joseph, had played the most important part among the people who followed the Lord Jesus. His action could lead him to be in trouble for associating with a criminal, as the Lord Jesus was labeled as a criminal on the cross. He could be in trouble himself; this is a man people should look up to.
[58]
he having gone to Pilate, asked for the body of Jesus . Then Pilate commanded it to be given up.
[59]
And having taken the body, Joseph wrapped Him in a clean linen cloth,
[60]
and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away.
Comments Matthew 27:58-60
“And laid it in his own new tomb.” This man gave up his own tomb for the Lord Jesus; he did not benefit materially in this world from the Lord, but he gave up his own tomb. This action is a sample of teaching for humans: give without expecting anything in return for your giving. But many Christians nowadays come to the Lord and want something from the Lord. Joseph gave up his own tomb without expecting to be paid; a tomb at that time was not cheap, but he could give up something that was important to himself. In those times, people prepared their tombs with the money they saved and had someone cut it into the stone; it cost them, and Joseph had given up what was his to the Lord. It is a comparison for today on how people can do as he did: give something they have prepared for themselves and give it to the Lord without expecting anything in return. The Lord passed away at that time from the earth, and Joseph gave something without any expectation of a miracle.
“And having taken the body, Joseph wrapped Him in a clean linen cloth.” As the Bible tells us, Joseph just wrapped the body of the Lord Jesus in a cloth and did not do any special burial ceremony. At that time, the body had to be prepared for burial, a long and costly preparation. He had no time to finish it, so he just wrapped the Lord Jesus’ body and had to place the body in the tomb before the Preparation Day ended (before the Sabbath started). The first day of the Passover feast was the Preparation Day. The Jews used this day to prepare the place to host the Passover. When Passover is finished, the rest is the preparation for cleaning; what belongs to Passover cannot be further used for other purposes; all things must be cleaned and put away. Many traditions apply to this, and if you are not a Jew, you will never understand the traditions. All the things used for Passover must be put away and kept separate, because, according to Jewish tradition, Passover items are not to be used as everyday items. (Note that there is a difference between the Passover itself, eaten on Thursday at twilight, and the Passover feast held on the Sabbath).
“Hewn out in the rock.” This tomb is Joseph’s new tomb, which he made for himself. Only the rich people could afford to cut a tomb into the rock; they cut the stone to make a cave. Poor people use natural tombs, such as caves in rocks. This tomb, Joseph cut a stone himself to make a tomb; no one else was ever laid there.
“Having rolled a great stone.” The stone he put in front of the tomb needed more men to help roll it; it was a big stone, as the Bible says.
“And having taken the body, Joseph wrapped Him in a clean linen cloth.” As the Bible tells us, Joseph just wrapped the body of the Lord Jesus in a cloth and did not do any special burial ceremony. At that time, the body had to be prepared for burial, a long and costly preparation. He had no time to finish it, so he just wrapped the Lord Jesus’ body and had to place the body in the tomb before the Preparation Day ended (before the Sabbath started). The first day of the Passover feast was the Preparation Day. The Jews used this day to prepare the place to host the Passover. When Passover is finished, the rest is the preparation for cleaning; what belongs to Passover cannot be further used for other purposes; all things must be cleaned and put away. Many traditions apply to this, and if you are not a Jew, you will never understand the traditions. All the things used for Passover must be put away and kept separate, because, according to Jewish tradition, Passover items are not to be used as everyday items. (Note that there is a difference between the Passover itself, eaten on Thursday at twilight, and the Passover feast held on the Sabbath).
“Hewn out in the rock.” This tomb is Joseph’s new tomb, which he made for himself. Only the rich people could afford to cut a tomb into the rock; they cut the stone to make a cave. Poor people use natural tombs, such as caves in rocks. This tomb, Joseph cut a stone himself to make a tomb; no one else was ever laid there.
“Having rolled a great stone.” The stone he put in front of the tomb needed more men to help roll it; it was a big stone, as the Bible says.
[61]
And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
Comments Matthew 27:61
They all saw the Lord Jesus crucified, but that did not make them turn away from their faith. Even though they had already sealed the tomb, these women were still standing in front; their faith is strong. Just by sitting there watching the tomb, it has shown their hearts. The faith they had, we all should learn from it. They gained no material things of this world by following the Lord Jesus. They gave all they had for His daily need and did not receive anything of this world from the Lord, and lost their sons as well. In this case, it does not necessarily signify death; it indicates that instead of the sons contributing to the family, they lost their sons because they were unable to work within the family. The heart these women have is what to look up to.
“The other Mary” mentioned here is the same as Mary, the mother of James and Joses (or Joseph), mentioned in Verse 56.
“The other Mary” mentioned here is the same as Mary, the mother of James and Joses (or Joseph), mentioned in Verse 56.
[62]
And the next day, which is after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together before Pilate,
Comments Matthew 27:62
The day “after the Preparation” was the Sabbath. These verses tell us all there is to know; these leaders knew what the Lord Jesus had been teaching. Inside of them, they knew who the Lord Jesus was, but the love of the things of the world covered their eyes and controlled their hearts.
[63]
saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said while living, After three days I arise.
Comments Matthew 27:63
That is the way of their hearts, but the Lord will not hide what people are calling Him. He received more than name-calling; why would He have to hide?
[64]
Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest ever His disciples having come, steal Him away, and say to the people, He is risen from the dead; and the last error will be worse than the first.
[65]
Pilate said to them, You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you can.
[66]
And having gone, they made the tomb secure, sealing the stone, and leaving the guard there.
Comments Matthew 27:65-66
Q: How did they seal the stone? A: The material they used was similar to mortar nowadays; they mixed rock powder with a rubber (glue-like) substance extracted from trees, which hardened into stone when dry. They sealed all around the stone with this mortar glue. Also, they used an entire guard of soldiers because they feared His disciples. Since so many followed the Lord Jesus, they feared they would form a mob.
Life and Faith Applications. 1) The Lord Jesus suffered on the cross of Golgotha and died for our sins. He is the Lamb of God, the Savior of the world, and He is the King of the world. He has taken all the penalty for humankind; the Lord Jesus has humbled Himself and takes the blame for sins upon Himself, and that is because of His love for humans. 2) We should not follow the Lord Jesus for the things of this world and should not expect anything of this world in exchange for following Him. 3) These days, we cannot literally give the Lord Jesus food or provide for His daily needs, as the women mentioned in this chapter did, but we can give our hearts to the Lord Jesus, and that is the most important treasure we can give Him. 4) God knows what will happen, but people must use their own free will to choose how to live their lives; all should follow the light. 5) Cemeteries are not places for the living to go around; the cemetery is used for different purposes. As the Bible tells us, the dead can see the living, but they cannot cross back to be with or influence the living. Spirits live in a different dimension than we do, and they cannot cross over; we should not believe human fantasies because they make up many false stories. 6) There are only two types of people in this world: those who believe in the Lord Jesus and those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus. Think about the criminal on the cross; it is never too late to become a believer, but do not wait until the point of death; accept the Lord Jesus now as you read this chapter of the Bible.
Conclusion: How can you be, and what should you be as a Christian? To be Christians, we must believe that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for our sins. With the death of the Lord Jesus, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and now humans have a chance to approach God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus. We do not need to pay anything to be forgiven of our sins; the Lord Jesus paid it all; we only need to give our hearts to the Lord Jesus and invite Him to be the King of our lives. In this chapter, there are two examples of true believers that we should follow. First, think about the women and how they followed their hearts: they left everything behind, followed the Lord Jesus, and gave everything they had to support Him in His ministry. These women saw the Lord Jesus crucified and still did not lose their faith and hope in the Lord. Secondly, think of Joseph of Arimathea; he gave his own new tomb and laid the body of the Lord Jesus in it, without expecting anything in return; he was not a selfish person. As Christians, it is important to acknowledge and accept the suffering the Lord Jesus took for our sins, but we cannot take it for granted. Many of us do not realize the pain, suffering, and humiliation that the Lord Jesus went through during the trial and crucifixion; just imagine the whole battalion of soldiers and all of the people mocking the Lord Jesus and abusing Him. The Lord Jesus paid in full for our salvation; we just need to give our hearts fully to the Lord.
Conclusion: How can you be, and what should you be as a Christian? To be Christians, we must believe that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for our sins. With the death of the Lord Jesus, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and now humans have a chance to approach God the Father through His Son, the Lord Jesus. We do not need to pay anything to be forgiven of our sins; the Lord Jesus paid it all; we only need to give our hearts to the Lord Jesus and invite Him to be the King of our lives. In this chapter, there are two examples of true believers that we should follow. First, think about the women and how they followed their hearts: they left everything behind, followed the Lord Jesus, and gave everything they had to support Him in His ministry. These women saw the Lord Jesus crucified and still did not lose their faith and hope in the Lord. Secondly, think of Joseph of Arimathea; he gave his own new tomb and laid the body of the Lord Jesus in it, without expecting anything in return; he was not a selfish person. As Christians, it is important to acknowledge and accept the suffering the Lord Jesus took for our sins, but we cannot take it for granted. Many of us do not realize the pain, suffering, and humiliation that the Lord Jesus went through during the trial and crucifixion; just imagine the whole battalion of soldiers and all of the people mocking the Lord Jesus and abusing Him. The Lord Jesus paid in full for our salvation; we just need to give our hearts fully to the Lord.