His Pain Our Gain – Matthew 27

“When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.” Matthew 27:1-2

Have you ever seen a person in handcuffs or ankle chains? Once, I took a group of rowdy children to a county jail so they could witness what happens to lawbreakers when they are arrested and jailed. A young man had just been committed to the jailer. He had on an orange jumpsuit. He had chains on his ankles. His face was downcast. As we passed by prison cells, I asked them, “Do you see any TV screens or video games in their cell?” There was none.

Jesus was arrested and bound. He was led to stand before the governor of the land. He had healed, fed and gave people faith, hope and love. Corrupt leaders unjustly punished Him.

“Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? You see to it!’ Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed and went and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:3-5

Judas betrayed the Lord for the sake of money. Not just once, but often. John 12:6 tells us that Judas “was a thief. He had the money box. He used to take what was put in it.” Whoever is in bondage to committing a particular sin over and over again should ask the Lord to grant him genuine repentance, and for deliverance from it. Sin is nothing to take risks with. It is deadly.

Judas was remorseful. He returned the silver to the Pharisees. The Greek word for remorseful (metamelomai) suggests regret or wishing things could be undone, which differs from repentance (metanoeo) which is a complete change of mind towards God. While he admitted his sin, his remorse led him to suicide rather to God’s forgiveness. [1] On top of thievery and betrayal, Judas failed to believe in God’s forgiveness. Romans 5:20 says, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”

“But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.’ And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the 30 pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.” Matthew 27:6-10

God moved the evil chief priests and elders to purchase a “potter’s field” in which to bury strangers in. In so doing, they fulfilled Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. Acts 1:19 says, “This ‘potter’s field’—whose Aramaic name was ‘Aceldama,’ or ‘field of blood’ was located outside Jerusalem. The potters excavated and gathered its high-quality, deep-red clay to make their ceramics. Removing these nutrients from the soil rendered the land barren. Unusable for farming, it was better suited to serve as a graveyard. Derived from the English Bible, the term ‘potter’s field’ survives even today—also called ‘paupers’ grave, common grave.’ It is used to describe a cemetery reserved for the disposal of unclaimed corpses, as well as the remains of unidentified and/or poor people.” [2]

God transformed betrayal money into charity money. The “potter” is the one who fashions vessels out of clay, pointing to God, who fashioned our own bodies out of the clay of the earth. The “potter’s field” points to a place where people who experienced little acceptance in this life, experience a place of rest in the life to come thanks to the love and mercy of God.

“Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you say.’ And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?’ But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.” Matthew 27:11-14

Apparently, after Jesus told Pilate, “It is as you say,” the chief priests and elders, began shouting. Perhaps, the room was filled with shouts as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room is during presidential press briefings. When the White House Press Secretary takes questions from reporters, they shout to gain attention.

Pilate was greatly amazed. He asked Jesus if He heard what they were saying about Him. Perhaps, the governor had never met an innocent man who refused to defend himself against false allegations.

“Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Matthew 27:15-18

Who do we release? A notorious criminal or an innocent man who does not agree with our ideology? Why did the chief priests and elders bring Jesus to Pilate? He made them jealous.

“While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.’ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas!’ Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’ Then the governor said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out all the more, saying, ‘Let Him be crucified!’” Matthew 27:19-23

Pilate’s wife tried to stop her husband from taking part in the evil that was transpiring. She had no peace whatsoever about Jesus being condemned. She urged him to withdraw from this case.

Pilate must have assumed that though the chief priests and elders were dirty dealers that they would not choose evil Barabbas over Jesus. But no, they had Jesus derangement syndrome. No matter how bad choosing Barabbas over Jesus might ruin their reputation, they rallied the people to condemn Jesus. Pilate asked them, “Why, what evil has He done?” The ill-religious religious leaders even shocked a pagan with how wicked they were.

“When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just man. You see to it.’ And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’” Matthew 27:24-25

What was Jesus to Pilate? He was a just man. So, Pilate made a public demonstration of his position towards Jesus. He did not agree with their indictment. He made it clear that he wanted to release Jesus. The people willingly accepted the blame for slaying the Lamb of God

“Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ Then they spat on Him, took the reed, and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified. Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.” Matthew 27:26-34

Crucifixion was a horrible form of torture, but that was not deemed enough pain for Jesus. He had already been beaten, spit on, slapped, bound and brought to trial, next, they whipped Him.

“Jesus was flogged with a Roman flagellum, a severe whip designed to tear flesh. It consisted of a handle with multiple leather thongs, embedded with metal balls (or lead weights) for deep bruising and sharp sheep bones or metal spikes at the tips to lacerate the skin. It was used to cause intense pain, significant blood loss, and deep lacerations, often pushing victims to the brink of death.” [3]

Previous to His blood loss due to beating, Luke 22:44 says that Jesus sweated drops of blood during His prayer time in Gethsemane. Hematidrosis is a rare medical condition during which the capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands break down. Blood released from the vessels mixes with the sweat; therefore, the body sweats drops of blood. [4]

Roman soldiers placed a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head and a robe on His back. The robe helped His blood to clot (similar to putting a piece of tissue on a cut from shaving). However, as they hit Jesus in the head, the thorns from the crown pushed into His scalp causing more bleeding. The soldiers also belittled Jesus by spitting on Him. Then, they ripped the robe off His back, which caused the wounds on His back to start bleeding again.

Due to severe blood loss, Jesus was unable to carry His cross all the way to Golgotha, so the Romans forced a man named Simon of Cyrene (Libya) to carry it for Him. Mark 15:21 tells us that Simon had two sons, Alexander and Rufus. Rufus and his mother are mentioned in Romans 16:13 as being believers in Christ. [5]

“Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: ‘They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.’” Matthew 27:35

For the Romans, gambling to win the garment of Jesus was a game to pass time while they waited for the condemned to die, but in fact, they fulfilled a prophecy recorded in Psalm 22:18.

“Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Matthew 27:36-37

“It was customary in the Roman Empire to post a written accusation or crime on the cross of a person being crucified. This sign, often called a titulus in Latin, was used to publicly declare the reason for the execution and to act as a deterrent to others. The sign served as a final, public branding of the criminal’s guilt, often indicating crimes like treason, theft, or insurrection.”

“The condemned person was forced to carry a sign or wear it around their neck on the way to the execution, which was then fastened to the top of the cross. Accusations focused on offenses against Rome, such as sedition.” [6] Jesus was indicted for being the King of the Jews.

“Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.” Matthew 27:38

Isaiah 53:12 was written about 700 years before Jesus was born. The prophecy says, “He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.” The robbers were the transgressors with whom Jesus was numbered. Jesus also prayed for the transgressors while on the cross. In Luke 23:34, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

“And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, I am the Son of God.’ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.” Matthew 27:39-44

Sadly, Satan has his blasphemers who mock and makes ugly gestures against Christ. Such people like to mock Christ when it appears to them that they have high ground against Him.

In a sense, one accusation against Jesus was true. They said, “He saved others. Himself He cannot save.” Jesus could not live a life of ease and pleasure and save people from sin. He had to give His flesh to become a living sacrifice for sinners so that all who looked to Him are saved.

“Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” Matthew 27:45-46

The sixth to the ninth hour is noon to 3 pm. Jesus quoted Psalm 22:1. By so doing, He verified that the words of Psalm 22 were written about Him. The sky was dark. Jesus experienced separation from the Father because He bore the sins of the world.

“Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, ‘This Man is calling for Elijah!’ Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, ‘Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.’ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit.” Matthew 27:47-50

The problem with mockers is that they don’t listen carefully to those they mock. Jesus said, “Eli, Eli” not “Elijah.” The chief priests, scribes and elders spoke from preconceived and misguided thoughts about Jesus.

John 1:18 says, “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” Jesus makes God understandable to people. To rightly understand and teach God’s Word, we must receive revelation and guidance from Jesus.

“Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” Matthew 27:51-53

The veil between the holy and the holiest of holies was opened the day that Christ died for our sins. He made a perfect unblemished-by-sin sacrifice for the sins of the world. Now, Hebrews 10:19-20 says, “We have boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.” Hebrews 6:19 says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.” 2 Corinthians 3:16 says, “When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

The veil to the Holy of Holies torn from top to bottom by an earthquake was one visible sign that God was doing something new through the death of Christ on the cross.

Another sign was graves opening and saints coming out and appearing to people in Jerusalem. Matthew Henry’s Commentary interprets the “rising of the saints as a powerful testament to the efficacy of Christ’s death and resurrection. The bodies of holy saints, having ‘slept’ (died), were brought to life to show that Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits of the future resurrection of all believers. The appearance of these resurrected saints in “the holy city” (Jerusalem) served as a visible, physical testimony to Christ’s victory over death and the grave. Although the graves were opened at the moment of Christ’s death (Friday), the saints did not come out until after Christ himself rose (Sunday), demonstrating that He is ‘the firstborn from the dead.’”

“So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” Matthew 27:54

The crucifixion scene of Jesus was so striking that even a rough Roman centurion confessed that Jesus was the Son of God.

“And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.” Matthew 27:55-56

Luk 8:2-3 says, “Certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others provided for Him from their substance.” Praise God that MANY women who had followed Jesus were there with Him at the cross.

“Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb and departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.” Matthew 27:57-61

Praise God for Joseph of Arimathea! A rich disciple of Jesus! Luke 23:50-51 says that “he was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God.” John 19:41-42 says that “in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. ...Since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.” Joseph’s tomb was in a convenient location. Joseph also enjoyed access and influence with Governor Pilate. When he asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, the governor granted his request.

Joseph is important to the story of Jesus because God used him to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9 which says of Messiah, “He was assigned a grave... with the rich in His death, though He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.” Joseph provided for Jesus a tomb in which His body would not need to be buried. It had a door. Jesus needed a door on His tomb because He was just a visitor. It was not His permanent address. Finally, in Luke 9:58, Jesus said that He did not have a place to lay His head. Jesus finally received a place to lay His head.

“On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, ‘Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, after three days I will rise. Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, He has risen from the dead. So, the last deception will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.’ So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.” Matthew 27:62-66

Perhaps, Pilate thought that his involvement with Jesus was over when he washed his hands of Him. But no, first Joseph came to Pilate for permission to have His body. After Joseph left him, the chief priests and Pharisees showed up. They request Pilate to post guards outside the tomb of Jesus to prevent His body from being stolen. Pilate granted their request as well.

Were the chief priests and Pharisees able to keep Jesus in His tomb? No. Neither will modern corrupt political entities nor powerful religious orders keep Jesus buried today. Praise the Lord! Matthew 24:14 says, “This Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

His pain was for our gain. Think of it! Barabbas, a notorious criminal, was set free because Jesus took the punishment that he deserved. Romans 16:13 says that the wife and son of Simon of Cyrene believed in the Lord. A thief next to Jesus on the cross believed in Him and Jesus promised him same-day-paradise. A centurion confessed Jesus as God’s Son. Millions today enjoy a close relationship with God thanks to Jesus. “Thank You Jesus for giving Your life on the cross for our sins and for opening for us a way to be with God forever!”


[1] Puritan Board
[2] forwhatsaiththescriptures.org
[3] apu.edu/articles/the-science-of-the-crucifixion
[4] Ibid
[5] learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/Simon-carries-cross
[6] GotQuestions.org