1. THE MAN:
JESUS FACES A DEATH SENTENCE.
MATT. 27:1-2.
2. THE MAN:
JUDAS FACES A TRAITOR'S END.
JUDAS HANGS HIMSELF.
Matt. 27:3-10.
3. THE MAN:
PILATE FACES A LOSING STRUGGLE.
MATT. 27:11-26.
KEY TAKEAWAY:
OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES ARE BEING FULFILLED.
JESUS DIED TO TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF BELIEVERS.
1. THE MAN: JESUS:
FACES A DEATH SENTENCE.
MATTHEW 27:1-2.
THE EVENTS OF MATTHEW 27:
THE FIRST 26 VERSES DEAL WITH THE TRIAL OF JESUS.
LAST WEEK:
ENDED WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS OF THE TRIAL:
THE PROCESS OF THE TRIAL OF JESUS:
IT SEEMS TO HAVE FALLEN INTO THREE PARTS:
THE FIRST PART:
AFTER THE ARREST IN THE GARDEN.
DURING THE NIGHT AND IN THE HIGH PRIEST'S HOUSE.
MATTHEW 26: 59-75.
THE SECOND PART:
FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.
MATTHEW 27:1-2.
THE THIRD PART:
BEFORE PILATE.
MATTHEW 27:11-26.
THE FIRST PART OF THE TRIAL:
THE ARREST IN THE GARDEN.
DURING THE NIGHT AND IN THE HIGH PRIEST'S HOUSE.
THE TRIAL BEFORE THE JEWS.
THE DECEPTION BY THE SANHEDRIN.
The Jews Violated Their Own Laws In The Trial Of Jesus.
Was This An Official Meeting Of The Sanhedrin,.
Hastily Summoned To Formulate A Charge,.
THE JEWISH LEGAL POINT OF VIEW.
The Sanhedrin Was The Supreme Court Of The Jews.
Composed Of Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees And Elders Of The People.
It Numbered Seventy-One Members;
It Was Presided Over By The High Priest.
For A Trial Such As This A Quorum Was Twenty-Three.
It Had Certain Regulations.
All Criminal Cases Must Be Tried During The Daytime.
All Criminal Cases Must Be Completed During The Daytime.
All Criminal Cases COULD NOT BE Transacted During PASSOVER.
It Is Abundantly Clear They Were Eager To Get Rid Of Jesus.
They Broke Their Own Rules. Any Means Was Justified.
BEFORE THE SANHEDRIN.
THE CRIME OF CHRIST.
CLEARING TWISTING THE FACTS.
He Did Actually Say.
That He Foretold The Destruction Of The Temple.
THEY TWISTED HIS STATEMENT INTO A CHARGE:
That HE Himself Would Destroy The Temple.
He Did Actually Say.
That He Foretold That He Would Be Killed And Rise On The 3rd Day.
THEY TWISTED HIS STATEMENT INTO A CHARGE:
That HE Would Rebuild The Temple In Three Days.
THIS CHARGE WAS FORMULATED BY:
DELIBERATELY AND MALICIOUSLY
MISREPEATING AND MISINTERPRETING
CERTAIN THINGS WHICH JESUS HAD SAID.
TO THAT CHARGE JESUS UTTERLY REFUSED TO REPLY.
THEN THE HIGH PRIEST LAUNCHED HIS VITAL QUESTION.
ARE YOU THE MESSIAH?
DO YOU CLAIM TO BE THE SON OF GOD?
HERE WAS THE CRUCIAL MOMENT IN THE TRIAL.
IF JESUS SAID: NO.
THE TRIAL IS OVER AND HE LEAVES FREE.
IF HE SAID: YES.
HE SIGNED HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT.
Just A Simple "Yes" Would Make The Cross A Certainty.
THEN HE SAID: YES.
HE WELL KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
IMMEDIATELY THEY CRIED OUT: BLASPHEMY.
GARMENTS WERE TORN IN HYSTERICAL HORROR;
AND JESUS WAS CONDEMNED TO DEATH.
THE SECOND PART OF THE TRIAL:
FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.
MATTHEW 27:1-2.
THAT FRIDAY MORNING:
The Religious Leaders Took Counsel Against Jesus.
They Formulated The 3 Charges Against Him.
Their Intention Was To Put Him To Death.
They Bound Him, Led Him, Handed Him Over To Pilate.
2. THE MAN: JUDAS:
FACES A TRAITOR'S END.
JUDAS HANGS HIMSELF.
MATTHEW 27:3-10.
MEANWHILE, JUDAS HAS CHANGED HIS MIND.
He Hears That Jesus Has Been Condemned.
He TRIES To Give Back The 30 Pieces Of Silver To The Leaders.
He Admits That Jesus Is Innocent But They Don't Care.
THE LEADERS WERE NOT GOING TO ADMIT THEIR EVIL PLAN.
He Throws The Money Down And Leaves To Commit Suicide.
The Chief Priests And Elders Use The Money To Buy A Field.
This Field Would Be Used For Burying Foreigners In Israel.
To This Day That Field Is Called The Field Of Blood.
THIS FULFILLED THAT SPOKEN THROUGH JEREMIAH THE PROPHET:
And They Took The Thirty Shekels,
The Price Of Him On Whom A Price Had Been Set By The Leaders.
And They Gave Them For The Field Of The Potter.
As The Lord Instructed Me.
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER?
In Hebrew Culture, Thirty Silver Coins Was Not A Lot Of Money.
IN FACT: It Was The Exact Price Paid For A Common Slave.
IN FACT: It Also Would Be The Price For The Death Of A Slave.
The Bible Mentions The Amount Of Thirty Pieces Of Silver:
THE FIRST PASSAGE IS IN ZECHARIAH
WHICH CONTAINS A PROPHECY
THAT IS LATER FULFILLED IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW.
Leading Up To The Prophecy Of The Thirty Pieces Of Silver Is A
Description Of A Strange Episode In Zechariah’s Life.
God Had The Prophet Zechariah Play The Part Of A Shepherd
And Care For A Flock “Doomed To Slaughter”.
(Zechariah 11:4–14).
A Prophetic Judgment Against Israel For Crucifying Christ,
Predicting The Fall Of Israel In Ad 70.
Predicting The Subsequent Scattering Of The Nation.
This Passage Points To A Prophecy About Jesus.
1. ZECHARIAH GOT RID OF THE 3 SHEPHERDS OF THE DOOMED FLOCK (VERSE 8).
The “Three Shepherds”: Probably A Reference To The 3
Religious Offices During Jesus’ Day That Worked To Condemn
Jesus: The Elders, The Scribes, And The Chief Priests.
(Matthew 16:21).
2. ZECHARIAH BREAKS HIS 2 SHEPHERDING RODS.
One Rod Is Named FAVOR:
Is Broken To Symbolize The Breaking Of The Mosaic Covenant.
By The Disobedient People.
God Is Setting Aside His Favor Or Providential Care.
God Is Going To Allow Judgment To Come Upon Them.
(Zechariah 11:10).
The Second Rod Named UNION:
Is Broken To Represent The Breaking Up Of The Nation.
By The Romans.
3. ANOTHER PROPHETIC REFERENCE: THE 30 COINS.
Given To Zechariah After His Work As A Shepherd.
He Asked Them To Pay Him What He Was Worth.
They Gave Him Thirty Silver Coins.
He Sarcastically Calls A “Handsome Price” Because It A Small Amount.
(Zechariah 11:13).
The Price Paid For A Slave’s Accidental Death.
The Employers Meant To Insult Zechariah.
Zechariah Was Insulted And THROWS IT BACK AT THE POTTER.
THESE ACTIONS ARE AN ACCURATE AND DETAILED PROPHECY.
Judas Iscariot Bargained With The Leaders Of Israel.
Judas Agreed To Betray The Lord Jesus.
Judas Asked What The Leaders Were Willing To Give Him Over.
The Murderous Cabal Then Counted Out For Judas 30 Coins.
THAT’S ALL THEY CONSIDERED JESUS TO BE WORTH.
LATER:
Judas Was Overcome With Guilt For Betraying Jesus.
Judas Had Fulfilled Zechariah’s Vivid Prophecy.
Judas Threw The Thirty Silver Coins Into The Temple.
Jewish Leaders Bought A Field From A Potter With The Coins.
AGAIN AS ZECHARIAH HAD PREDICTED.
It Was In That Field That Judas Hanged Himself.
THE SUICIDE OF JUDAS:
THE FINAL INDICATION THAT HIS PLAN HAD GONE WRONG.
TWO GREAT TRUTHS ABOUT SIN.
(I) THE TERRIBLE THING ABOUT SIN:
THAT WE CANNOT TURN BACK THE CLOCK.
We Cannot Undo What We Have Done.
Once A Thing Is Done Nothing Can Alter It Or Bring It Back.
(II) THE STRANGE THING ABOUT SIN:
THAT A MAN CAN COME TO HATE THE VERY THING HE GAINED BY IT.
3. THE MAN: PILATE:
THIS ROMAN GOVERNOR FACES A LOSING STRUGGLE.
THE THIRD PART OF THE TRIAL: BEFORE PILATE.
27:11-26.
WHAT KIND OF MAN WAS THIS ROMAN GOVERNOR?
Pilate Was Officially Procurator Of The Province.
He Was Directly Responsible To The Roman Emperor.
He Did Not Have To Answer To The Roman Senate.
He Was At Least Twenty-Seven Years Of Age,
That Was The Minimum Age For The Office Of Procurator.
He Was A Man Of Considerable Experience.
Pilate Was A Tried And Tested Soldier And Administrator.
He Became Procurator Of Judaea In A.D. 26.
His Great Handicap: THE JEWS DID NOT RESPECT HIM.
HE WAS SCORNFUL OF THEIR IRRATIONAL AND FANATICAL PREJUDICES.
AND WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE CALLED THEIR PRINCIPLES.
The Romans Knew:
The Intensity Of The Jewish Religion.
The Unbreakable Character Of Jewish Belief.
Very Wisely Had Always Dealt With The Jews Carefully.
Pilate Arrogantly Proposed To Use STRONG TACTICS.
Pilate Began With Trouble.
He Decided That Jerusalem Needed A Better Water Supply.
A Wise Decision And He Constructed A New Aqueduct.
PROBLEM: He Used The Temple Treasury FUNDS To Pay For It.
Jews Threatened To Report Pilate To The Emperor.
This Threat FRUSTRATED AND EXASPERATED Pilate.
It Could Get Him Impeached By Caesar.
THEY COULD REPORT HIM.
THIS MADE HIS POSITION ENTIRELY INSECURE.
JESUS STOOD BEFORE PILATE, THE GOVERNOR.
THIS WAS PILATE'S QUESTION TO HIM:
ARE YOU THE KING OF THE JEWS ?
JESUS: YOU SAY SO.
RELIGIOUS LEADERS: ACCUSED HIM OF MANY CRIMES.
JESUS: NO REPLY.
PILATE: DO YOU NOT HEAR THE EVIDENCE STATED AGAINST YOU ?
JESUS: NO REPLY.
Jewish Religious Leaders Heap Accusations On Christ.
Their Attempt Was To Secure A Death Sentence.
Pilate Is Amazed That Jesus Won't Answer.
In Part, He Might Hope Jesus Will Dispute The Charges.
At Lease Enough To Convict The Religious Leaders Of Deceit.
Jesus Knows This To Be Pointless And Says Almost Nothing.
(Matthew 27:11–14).
IT WAS CUSTOMARY AT PASSOVER:
The Governor Could Release One Prisoner To The Crowd.
Any Prisoner They Wished.
He Was Holding A Well-Known Prisoner Called: Barabbas.
PILATE: WHOM DO YOU WISH ME TO RELEASE TO YOU ?
Barabbas OR Jesus Who Is Called Christ.
THE CROWD CHOSE BARABBAS.
THE CROWD CRIED OUT FOR JESUS TO BE CRUCIFIED.
PILATE CHOSE TO PLEASE THE CROWD.
PILATE WASHED HIS HANDS IN FRONT OF THE CROWD.
PILATE CLAIMED HE WAS INNOCENT OF THIS DECISION.
PILIATE STATED JESUS WAS AN INNOCENT AND JUST MAN.
THE CROWD CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DECISION.
JESUS WAS THEN SCOURGED ALMOST TO DEATH.
JESUS WAS THEN TAKEN TO BE CRUCIFIED.
WHAT WAS THE CHARGE AGAINST JESUS ?
FIRST: BEING A REVOLUTIONARY.
SECOND: INCITING THE PEOPLE TO NOT PAY THEIR TAXES.
THIRD: CLAIMING TO BE A KING.
THEY FABRICATED THREE POLITICAL CHARGES.
ALL OF THEM CONSCIOUS LIES.
THEY KNEW ONLY SUCH CHARGES WOULD MAKE PILATE ACT.
EVERYTHING SEEMED TO HANG ON THE DECISION OF PILATE.
PART OF PILATE'S CAUTION MIGHT BE SUPERSTITION.
HIS WIFE WARNS ABOUT A DREAM SHE HAS HAD.
PILATE ASSUMES:
The People Would Rather See A Controversial Teacher Set Free.
BUT:
The People Would Rather Free A Convicted Murderer.
He Has Not Found Anything With Which To Charge Jesus.
He Knows The Jewish Religious Leaders Want Jesus Killed.
He Knows The Jewish Religious Leaders Were Envious.
He Knows There Is No Legitimate Crime Against Rome.
He Does Not Realize The Mob Is Being Directed By The Enemies. (Matthew 27:15–20).
AS MENTIONED:
The Roman Governor Gives The Crowds A Choice:
JESUS OR BARABBAS.
Jesus Is Viciously Humiliated By Roman Soldiers, Beaten Again, And Taken Away To Be Crucified.
(Matthew 27:21–31).
THE IMPRESSION:
PILATE DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN.
Pilate Did Not Wish To Condemn Jesus.
BUT Certain Things Emerge.
(I) PILATE WAS CLEARLY IMPRESSED WITH JESUS.
Plainly He Did Not Take The King Of The Jews Claim Seriously.
He Knew A Revolutionary When He Saw One.
Jesus Was No Revolutionary.
His Silence Made Pilate Feel LIKE HE HIMSELF Was On Trial.
Pilate Was A Man Who Felt The Power Of Jesus.
He Was Afraid To Submit To It.
(II) PILATE SOUGHT SOME WAY OF ESCAPE.
It Appears To Have Been The Custom At The Time Of The Feast For A Prisoner To Be Released.
THERE WAS A CERTAIN BARABBAS.
A POLITICAL REVOLUTIONARY.
There Are Two Interesting Speculations About Him.
His Name Barabbas Means Son Of The Father;
Father Was A Title By Which The Greatest Rabbis Were Known.
It May Be That Barabbas Was The Son Of An Previous Rabbi.
Such A Man Would Make Crime Glamorous And Appealing.
The Certainty That Barabbas Was Also Called Jesus.
Jesus Barabbas;
Twice Pilate Refers To Jesus Who Is Called Christ.
As If To Distinguish Him From The Other Jesus.
Jesus Was A Common Name;
It Is The Same Name As Joshua.
(Matt. 27:17,22).
THE DRAMATIC SHOUT OF THE CROWD MOST LIKELY WAS:
NOT JESUS CHRIST, BUT JESUS BARABBAS.
Pilate Sought An Escape.
The Crowd Chose The Violent Criminal.
The Crowd Rejected The Gentle Christ.
They Preferred The Man Of Violence To The Man Of Love.
(III) PILATE SOUGHT TO RID HIMSELF OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDEMNING JESUS.
A Strange And Tragic Picture Of Him Washing His Hands.
That Was A Jewish Custom.
There Is A Strange Regulation. Deuteronomy 21 1 thru 9.
If A Dead Body Was Found.
If It Was Not Known Who The Killer Was.
Efforts Were Made To Find The Nearest Town Or Village.
The Elders Had To Sacrifice A Heifer.
To Wash Their Hands To Rid Them Of The Guilt.
Pilate Was Warned By His Sense Of Justice.
Pilate Was Warned By His Conscience.
Pilate Was Warned By The Dream Of His Troubled Wife.
But Pilate Could Not Stand Against The Mob.
Pilate Made The Futile Gesture Of Washing His Hands.
THERE IS ONE THING OF WHICH WE CAN NEVER RID OURSELF:
THAT IS RESPONSIBILITY.
IT IS NEVER POSSIBLE FOR PILATE OR ANYONE ELSE TO SAY:
"I WASH MY HANDS OF ALL RESPONSIBILITY,"
FOR THAT IS SOMETHING THAT CAN NOT BE TAKEN AWAY.
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