Matthew 27:45-56

Rachel Workman: 45 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[j] lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”

47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. 49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.” I'm not sure about you but if I was standing there witnessing this, I’d be scared. The fact that darkness fell across the whole land until 3 o'clock would have clued me in. At this point you would have no doubt that something extraordinary was happening right then. And you stood by and encouraged it. 

50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. 51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, 52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. 53 They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. I've read this many times but this is the first time I recall reading that resurrected people went into the holy city and appeared to other people. Can you imagine?

54 The Roman officer[m] and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” A little late.

55 And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. I can't imagine the tormented life Mary lived. She lived on the run all of Jesus's life and then had to watch her first born child being beaten and crucified. Accepting the task that God gave Mary did not prevent Mary from suffering. In fact she probably suffered more. I'm sure it's not the life she envisioned for herself. 

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John Burnett:  ⁴⁵ Now from the ^[a]sixth hour darkness ^[b]fell upon all the land until the ^[c]ninth hour. ⁴⁶ 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?” ⁴⁷ And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” ⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. ⁴⁹ But the rest of them said, “^[d]Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him^[e].” ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. ⁵¹ And behold, the ^[f]veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. ⁵² The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the ^[g]saints who had fallen asleep were raised; ⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. ⁵⁴ Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was ^[h]the Son of God!”  Even the centurion, who was not even looking for Messiah, could tell that Jesus was “Truly” the Son of God.

⁵⁵ Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ^[i]ministering to Him. ⁵⁶ Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

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Allen Michaels:  ⁴⁵ From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. God caused this darkness on that Friday afternoon. It was both physical and spiritual. I find it interesting that nature was able to testify to the gravity of Jesus’ death, while Jesus’ friends and enemies alike fell silent in the encircling gloom. ⁴⁶ About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lemma sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Jesus was not questioning God; he was quoting the first line of Psalm 22 (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?)—a deep expression of the anguish he felt when he took on the sins of the world, which caused him to be separated from his Father. The physical agony was horrible, but even worse was the period of spiritual separation from God. Jesus suffered this “double death” so that we would never have to experience eternal separation from God.

⁴⁷ When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. ⁴⁹ The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

⁵⁰ And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. These parting words express triumph rather than defeat. Jesus bowed his head and gave up his spirit knowing that the strife was now over and the battle was won. Even on the cross Jesus knew the joy of victory. What the Father sent him into the world to do has now been accomplished. Christ offered himself without blemish to God and he put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. We can find no greater proof of God's love for us than the willing sacrifice of his Son on the cross.  "O death, where is thy victory?  O death, where is thy sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:55-57)

⁵¹ At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split ⁵² and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. ⁵³ They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Christ’s death was accompanied by at least four miraculous events: darkness during the day, the tearing in two of the curtain in the temple, an earthquake, and dead people rising from their tombs. Jesus’ death, therefore, could not have gone unnoticed. Everyone knew something significant had happened.

⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” I have had a few occasions in my life where I have looked for, or asked for a sign, in order to completely believe. I’m sure if it came right down to it, God would give me a sign. Maybe he has given me many signs and I have just been too stupid to recognize them. I think it best said in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

⁵⁵ Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. ⁵⁶ Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

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Monday's Reading for Matthew 27:57-66 There will be no reading Friday.

⁵⁷ As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, ⁵⁸ went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. ⁶⁰ He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. ⁶¹ Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.

⁶² The next day, on the Sabbath,^[n] the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. ⁶³ They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ ⁶⁴ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

⁶⁵ Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” ⁶⁶ So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.

Matthew 27:32-44

Rachel Workman: 32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,[g] and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.Wow, I think I would have taken the poison verses the suffering of the cross, but Jesus was obedient even to the cross.
35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.[h] 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. I have a hard time reading this. Do we not live in a world that would do the exact same thing all over again?

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John Burnett: ³² As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, ^[a]whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.

³³ And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, ³⁴ they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.

³⁵ And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting ^[b]lots. ³⁶ And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. ³⁷ And above His head they put up the charge against Him ^[c]which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

³⁸ At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁹ And those passing by were ^[d]hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, ⁴² “He saved others; ^[e]He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. ⁴³ He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He ^[f]delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.  Martin Luther said that he had the nails used on Jesus in his pocket.  Every time we sin against Him is like hitting a nail.  His willingness to go through such a painful death to take the punishment for our sins but also give us eternal life really is amazing.  He gives us His righteousness, we are co-heirs and adopted sons of God the Father, and we get to reign with Him in His eternal kingdom.  Three great promises that were bought and paid for on that day on Calvary.  Thank you, Lord Jesus.

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Allen Michaels: Sorry this is so long but Christ’s crucifixion is so important to me and it’s important the we are aware of the suffering that Christ endured. Not just the physical suffering but  the fact that his own people turned against him. His death and resurrection are the entire cornerstone for Christianity. I know Christ’s physical body died when “Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46). Then the Apostle’s Creed tells us “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead.” So was Christ alive (in Spirit) for the three days in hell? If not, then what is the significance of descending into hell? I guess what I’m asking is, has Christ ever really experienced death since his human birth? Something to ponder.

³² As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. ³³ They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ³⁴ There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When Jesus was nailed to the cross he was already more than half-dead.  The scourging alone and the crown of thorns beaten into his skull had nearly killed him.  In such a state it is all the more remarkable to see Jesus with a clear sound mind and a tranquil heart.  When Jesus was offered some wine mixed with myrrh to ease his pain, he refused it.  He willingly embraced suffering and death for our sake because he knew and loved us all when he offered his life as an atoning sacrifice on the cross (Gal. 2:20, Ephes. 5:2, 25). Jesus shows us the depths of God's redeeming love and forgiveness.  He loved his own to the end (John 13:1). "In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins" (1 John 4:10).  "For the love of Christ controls us, because we are convinced that one has died for all; therefore all have died." (2 Cor. 5:14).

 ³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. It’s important to not only know that Christ died for sins, but to also know what he went through, even for somebody like me. The Romans reserved crucifixion for their worst offenders.  It was designed to be the most humiliating and excruciatingly painful way they knew for execution.  The criminal was stripped and nailed to a cross erected in a public place, usually by a roadside or highway near the town where the criminal could be viewed by everybody who passed that way.  A healthy man could live for several days on such a cross before he expired from hunger, thirst, exhaustion, and madness.  It was a slow agonizing death, usually as a result of asphyxiation.  The victim was hung on the cross in such a fashion that his lungs quickly filled with fluids and he could not breathe unless he pulled his chest upward and gasped for breath. Every movement brought nerve-racking pain.  Eventual exhaustion led to asphyxiation.  If the soldiers wanted to speed the process up, they broke the victim's legs to prevent ease of breathing.

 ³⁶ And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. ³⁷ Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.  Pilate publicly heralded Jesus "The King of the Jews" as he died upon the cross, no doubt to irritate and annoy the chief priests and Pharisees. Jesus was crucified for his claim to be King. The Jews understood that the Messiah would come as king to establish God's reign for them.  They wanted a king who would free them from tyranny and foreign domination.  Many had high hopes that Jesus would be the Messianic king.  Little did they understand what kind of kingship Jesus claimed to have.  Jesus came to conquer hearts and souls for an imperishable kingdom, rather than to conquer perishable lands and entitlements. As Jesus was dying on the cross, he was mocked for his claim to kingship.  Nonetheless, he died not only as King of the Jews, but King of the nations as well.  His victory over the power of sin, Satan, and the world was accomplished through his death on the cross and his resurrection. Jesus exchanged a throne of glory for a cross of shame to restore us to glory with God as his adopted sons and daughters. "He humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:8-11) In the Book of Revelations Jesus is called King of kings and Lord and lords (Rev. 19:16). We need to ask ourselves; do we recognize Jesus Christ as our King and Lord and do we exalt his name as holy?

³⁸ Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁹ Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰ and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” ⁴¹ In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. ⁴² “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

Are you prepared to die well?  None of us can avoid the inevitable -- our own death. We try to avoid it, to block it from our minds, but the truth is we will all die sooner or later. Dying is not easy for anyone.  It involves mental and physical suffering, loss, and separation.  We can choose to live well, and we can choose to die well.  Dying well is a life-long spiritual task.  Fortunately there is something stronger than death and that is love (Song of Songs 6:8).  "For God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Jesus embraced the cross knowing it was the Father's will and the Father's way for him to die.

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Tomorrow's Reading for Matthew 27:45-56

⁴⁵ At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. ⁴⁶ At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,^[j] lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”^[k]

⁴⁷ Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. ⁴⁸ One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. ⁴⁹ But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”^[l]
50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. ⁵¹ At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, ⁵² and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. ⁵³ They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people.
⁵⁴ The Roman officer^[m] and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”
⁵⁵ And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to care for him were watching from a distance. ⁵⁶ Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James and Joseph), and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee.

Matthew 27:20-31

Rachel Workman: 20 Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. 21 So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”

The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

23 “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

24 Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”

25 And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!” Wow what have they done but spoken for innocent children here.

26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

27 Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters[f] and called out the entire regiment. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. 29 They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. 31 When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified. This is always painful to read. I don't know how long this went one. It stated that they mocked him until they were tired of it. Jesus endured this probably longer than we first imagine. Thank you Jesus, because I lack for better words.

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Allen Michaels:  ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

²¹ “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.

“Barabbas,” they answered. Funny how the crowd loved Jesus on Sunday because they thought he was going to inaugurate his kingdom. Then they hated him on Friday when power appeared to be broken. In the face of the mass uprising against Jesus, even his friends were afraid to speak up.

²² “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked.

They all answered, “Crucify him!”

²³ “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.

But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

²⁴ When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” This is a typical example of caving in to peer pressure. Kind of like when I watch things on TV that God would not want me to watch, or getting dragged into arguments instead of walking away. Sometimes we just find it easier to conform than to obey. But that’s OK because “secretly” we can still be Christians when it’s just us and God. Yea, that’s not gonna fly come Judgment Day.

In making no decision, Pilate made the decision to let the crowds crucify Jesus. Although he washed his hands, the guilt remained. Washing our hands of a tough decision doesn’t cancel our guilt. It merely gives us a false sense of peace. We can’t make excuses. We must take responsibility for the decisions we make.

²⁵ All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

²⁶ Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

²⁷ Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, ²⁹ and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. ³⁰ They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. ³¹ After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. People often make fun of Christians for their faith, but believers can take courage from the fact that Jesus himself was mocked as greatly as any one. Taunting may hurt our feelings, but we should never let it change our faith.

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Tomorrow's Reading for Matthew 27:32-44

³² Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene,^[g] and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. ³³ And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). ³⁴ The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.

³⁵ After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.^{[h] 36} Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. ³⁷ A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” ³⁸ Two revolutionaries^[i] were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
³⁹ The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. ⁴⁰ “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
⁴¹ The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. ⁴² “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! ⁴³ He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” ⁴⁴ Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

Matthew 27:11-19

Rachel Workman: ¹¹ Now Jesus was standing before Pilate, the Roman governor. “Are you the king of the Jews?” the governor asked him.
Jesus replied, “You have said it.” 
¹² But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. ¹³ “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. ¹⁴ But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise. Jesus willingly went to the cross. There is nothing I can ever do or say that will be enough to show my gratitude.
¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner to the crowd—anyone they wanted. ¹⁶ This year there was a notorious prisoner, a man named Barabbas.^{[d] 17} As the crowds gathered before Pilate’s house that morning, he asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you—Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” ¹⁸ (He knew very well that the religious leaders had arrested Jesus out of envy.) I would say nothing has changed. We still do the wrong things and stand for what is evil in God's eyes. But worse yet we want to make sure everyone else accepts it.
¹⁹ Just then, as Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Leave that innocent man alone. I suffered through a terrible nightmare about him last night.”

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John Burnett: ¹¹ Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” ¹² And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. ¹³ Then Pilate *said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” ¹⁴ And He did not answer him with regard to even a single ^[a]charge, so the governor was quite amazed.  He willingly went to the cross for our sins and I got the two nails in my pocket.  Thank you Lord Jesus for your sufficient payment for my sins.  I don’t give you the praise only you are worthy of and I thank you for the grace that I am so unworthy of.

¹⁵ Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the ^[b]people any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶ At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. ¹⁷ So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” ¹⁸ For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.  They chose the evil man over Jesus.  The world would do the same today.

¹⁹ While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for ^[c]last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.”

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Mike Grimm: ¹¹ Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“You have said so,” Jesus replied.

¹² When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. ¹³ Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” ¹⁴ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. Jesus’ silence fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah;

He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)

Pilate was amazed that Jesus didn’t try to defend himself. He also recognized the obvious plot against Jesus and wanted to set him free, but Pilate was already under pressure from Rome to keep peace in his territory. The last thing he needed was a rebellion over this quiet and seemingly insignificant man.

¹⁵ Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. ¹⁶ At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. Interesting that this man’s first name was Jesus and that Barabbas means “son of the father.” This was actually Jesus’ position with God. ¹⁷ So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” ¹⁸ For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

¹⁹ While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” So it is true that behind every husband is a wife “calling the shots.” This must have started about 1 AD. Pilate proved to be more concerned about his political career than about doing what was right. His conscience told him Jesus was innocent; Roman law said an innocent man should not be put to death; and his wife had a troubling dream. Pilate had no good excuse to condemn Jesus, but he was afraid of the crowd.

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Reading for Matthew 27:20-31

²⁰ Meanwhile, the leading priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas to be released and for Jesus to be put to death. ²¹ So the governor asked again, “Which of these two do you want me to release to you?”
The crowd shouted back, “Barabbas!”
²² Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?”
They shouted back, “Crucify him!”
²³ “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”
But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”
²⁴ Pilate saw that he wasn’t getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. The responsibility is yours!”
²⁵ And all the people yelled back, “We will take responsibility for his death—we and our children!”^[e]
26 So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

²⁷ Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters^[f] and called out the entire regiment. ²⁸ They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. ²⁹ They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” ³⁰ And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. ³¹ When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.