Matthew chapter 27. As you're turning up your Bibles, I should say a special welcome back
to Helen. Helen, it's lovely to see you today. You've been away for a good number of weeks,
not because you've been dossing, but because you've been recovering. And we have been praying
for you, and we're just delighted to see you again in person. So welcome again, Helen.
Well done for making it. Matthew chapter 27. We're going to be picking it up in verse 11.
Just some context before we read. Matthew's Gospel is always heading, as each of the Gospels
are, towards the death and resurrection of Jesus. So what's happened just in the immediate
chapter before, Jesus has been arrested, and the religious leaders have brought their various
charges about him. Basically, the charge that he claims to be God, the Son of God. They don't
have authority to punish him or sentence him, so they bring Jesus then before the ruling authorities,
which is Pilate, the governor. And that's where we pick up the account. So Matthew chapter 27,
starting at verse 11, let's hear God's word. Meanwhile, Jesus stood before the governor,
and the governor asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? You have said so, Jesus replied.
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him,
Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you? But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single
charge, to the great amazement of the governor. Now, it was the governor's custom at the festival,
that was the Passover festival, to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time,
they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. 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? For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.
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. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas
and to have Jesus executed. Which of the two do you want me to release to you? asked the governor.
Barabbas, they answered. What shall I do then with Jesus who is called the Messiah? Pilate asked.
They all answered, Crucify him. Why? What crime has he committed? asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, Crucify him!
When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but instead an uproar was starting,
he took water, washed his hands in front of the crowd.
I am innocent of this man's blood, he said. It's your responsibility.
All the people answered, His blood is on us and on our children.
Then he released Barabbas to them, but he had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.
Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers round him.
They stripped him, put a scarlet robe on him, twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on his head,
put a staff in his hand.
Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him.
Hail, King of the Jews, they said.
They spat on him, took the staff and struck him on the head again and again.
After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put on his own clothes.
Then they led him away to crucify him.
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene named Simon,
and they forced him to carry the cross.
They came to a place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull.
There they offered Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall,
but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.
When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.
Above his head, they placed the written charge against him.
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.
Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 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.
In the same way, the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.
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.
He trusts in God?
Let God rescue him now if he wants him.
For he said, I am the Son of God.
In the same way, the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
Well, let's pray.
Let's pray.
Father, these words, this account can be familiar to all of us as we think about the death of Jesus.
So what we ask for today is that we would have a mind and a heart that comes to this in a fresh way.
That you would help us to see wonderful truth in your word.
Truth that helps us see why Jesus died for us today.
Help us to believe your word.
And may it change us to be more like your Son, Jesus Christ.
We need your help today and that is why we ask.
Knowing that you will help and you will give us understanding.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
Well, the last time we looked at Matthew's Gospel we were back in chapter 13.
But for these next few weeks, for the month of Easter,
we're going to be looking at the account of the death and the resurrection of Jesus
and then we'll go back again, further back in Matthew.
And today we want to start looking at the events leading up to Jesus' death.
So three things we're going to see from the text this morning.
We're going to look at the silence of Jesus,
the mocking of Jesus,
and the victory of Jesus.
The silence of Jesus, the mocking of Jesus,
and the victory of Jesus.
So first, the silence.
There's something extraordinary about the trial with Pilate.
And that is, Jesus is strangely silent.
Apart from a question and answer at the beginning,
look at verse 11,
where the governor Pilate asked,
Are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus replied,
You have said so.
That's it.
That's all Jesus says
through the whole trial.
He doesn't even try and defend himself.
He stays silent.
In fact, Jesus seems to be accepting
what is happening to him.
Look at verse 12.
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders,
he gave no answer.
Then Pilate asked him,
Don't you hear the testimony they're bringing against you?
But Jesus made no reply,
not even to a single charge.
It's staggering, isn't it?
Jesus knows that if he doesn't speak up,
it's going to be certain death.
Unlike Pilate at the end of verse 14,
we're just amazed,
we're stunned.
We want to speak up for him
and say something like this,
Jesus,
defend yourself.
Say something.
But Jesus just seems to be accepting
of what will happen.
He remains silent.
But perhaps what's even more amazing
is the fact that Jesus is
completely innocent.
Look at verse 19.
While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat,
so he's the one who's ultimately going to declare
whether Jesus is innocent or guilty.
As he was sitting on his judge's seat,
his wife sent him this message.
Don't have anything to do with that
innocent man.
For I've suffered a great deal today
in a dream because of him.
Mrs Pilate has obviously heard about Jesus.
She knows the truth.
And she's been desperately troubled
about a miscarriage of justice.
And it's weighing on her conscience.
Pilate, this Jesus person,
he's innocent.
And deep down,
Pilate knows this too.
Look at verse 23.
As the crowds come,
or as the religious leaders come to him,
calling for Barabbas to be released
and Jesus to be crucified,
Pilate questions them
and he says,
Why?
What crime has he committed?
Of course,
the religious leaders
have done their very best
to come up with a charge.
Have a look back at chapter 6
and verse 59.
Chapter 26, verse 59.
The chief priests,
chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin,
so they were the religious authorities,
were looking for false evidence against Jesus
so that they could put him to death.
But they did not find any,
though many false witnesses came forward.
Not one of the charges stick.
There's no evidence.
In fact,
the only crime of Jesus
is to speak the truth.
His claim to be God's son,
that he is God in the flesh,
that he is God's promised chosen king
who will redeem this broken world
and restore our disordered lives.
But yet,
throughout all this trial,
Jesus remains silent.
He doesn't open his mouth.
Although he's innocent,
he's accepting.
And so Jesus
is sentenced.
Chapter 27,
verse 26.
Then he released Barabbas to them,
but he had Jesus flogged
and handed him over to be crucified.
It's shockingly unjust.
The defendant is innocent,
while the judge who pronounces the sentence,
well, he's guilty for letting it happen.
But still there's not a word.
There's no last-minute evidence
that's brought to the judge's seat
that's going to reverse the situation.
If that were you or me,
wouldn't we be shouting from the sand,
I'm innocent!
Stop!
You must listen to me!
You've got it wrong!
By staying silent,
Jesus is signing his own death sentence.
Why would he do that?
Why does he not defend himself?
Why is Jesus
so silent?
Well, we'll answer that
in a minute.
Second, the mocking.
Despite the injustice
and the innocence
of what's going on,
there's no one
who comes running
to Jesus' defence.
In fact, the only person
who comes to the aid of Jesus
is Simon,
verse 32,
who came from Cyrene.
And they forced him
to carry the cross
of Jesus.
At best,
he's a reluctant volunteer.
Not only is Jesus silent,
but everybody else
has gone silent too.
Nobody is speaking up for him.
apart from their mocking.
Look at how the people
respond to this
miscarriage of justice.
First, we have the soldiers
who see Jesus
as irrelevant.
Verse 28,
they stripped him
and put a scarlet robe
on him,
twisted together
a crown of thorns
and set it on his head
and put a staff
in his right hand,
dressing him up
to look like a king.
Then they knelt
in front of him
and mocked him.
Hail,
King of the Jews,
they said.
And they spat on him
and took the staff
and struck him again
on the head
over and over.
The soldiers knew
there was one king
and for them
their king
was the Roman emperor.
For them,
the only voice
that they should be
listening and obeying
was the voice
of the emperor.
Why should they
listen to Jesus?
To him,
he was a complete
irrelevance.
They had one master.
Why would they
need Jesus?
Then there's the crowd
who see Jesus
as a fraud.
Look at verse 39.
Those who passed by
as Jesus was crucified
hurled insults at him,
shaking their heads
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're the son of God.
what?
Well,
they were right,
weren't they?
Because Jesus
had said,
destroy this temple
and I will
rebuild the temple
in three days.
but they were only
partially right.
Matthew doesn't
record it for us
but John does.
John in his gospel,
another eyewitness,
tells us
what this means.
If you just jump
forward to John's gospel,
Matthew,
Mark,
Luke,
John.
John chapter 2
verse 19.
It's the occasion
where he
overthrows
the tables
where they were
exchanging money
because the temple
should be open
to all people.
In other words,
that everybody
has a right
to go to God.
And the Jews,
verse 18,
chapter 2,
verse 18,
responded to him,
what sign
can you show us
to prove your authority
to do all this?
Jesus answered them,
destroy this temple
and I will
raise it again
in three days
or I will
rebuild it again
in three days.
They replied,
it has taken
46 years
to build this temple
and you are
going to raise
it in three days.
But the temple
he had spoken of
was his body.
And after he
was raised
from the dead,
his disciples
recalled what
he had said.
Then they believed
the scripture
and the words
that Jesus
had spoken.
Go back
to Matthew
chapter 27.
You see,
the problem
with the crowd
is,
though they had
heard Jesus
say these things,
they couldn't
see it
nor understand it.
To them,
Jesus was a fraud.
He makes
these great
big promises
but he fails
to deliver.
So the soldiers
see him as irrelevant,
the crowd
see him as a fraud.
And the religious
leaders
see Jesus
as a threat.
verse 41.
In the same way
the chief priest,
the teachers of the law
and the elders
mocked him.
He saved others,
he said,
but he can't
save himself.
He's the king
of Israel.
Let him come down
now from the cross
and we'll believe him.
You see,
they had become
envious of Jesus,
hadn't they?
Because Jesus
had come
disrupting
and disturbing
their little
religious club
and they wanted
to get rid of Jesus.
And now they see
him nailed up
on a cross
and to them,
well,
the threat
was now
eliminated.
We've got rid
of him.
And the rebels,
well,
they see Jesus
as a fool.
Verse 38.
Two rebels
were crucified
with him,
one on his right
and one on his left.
Verse 44.
In the same way,
the rebels
who were crucified
with him
also heaped
insults
on him.
Why would anyone
who is innocent
put themselves
through this suffering?
That's what they're
thinking.
They knew their crime
and their guilt.
They deserved
to be crucified.
They understood
the horrors
of crucifixion.
crucifixion.
One author
described
crucifixion
like this
and the suffering
that takes place.
Crucifixion
was unspeakably
painful
and degrading.
The victim
endured
countless moments
of physical shock
and surging pain
as he pulled
with his arms,
pushed with his legs
to keep his chest cavity
open for breathing.
The victim
would then
collapse
in exhaustion
until the demand
for oxygen
renewed
the physical shock
and surging pain.
This cycle
could go on
for days
ending at last
by suffocation,
cardiac arrest
or loss of blood.
So,
the rebels
as they're
hanging there,
they're thinking
why would you
willingly
accept such
punishment
if you're
innocent?
The rebels
thought he was
a fool.
It's astonishing,
isn't it,
as we think
about the mocking
that takes place.
No one
stands up
for Jesus.
No one.
Instead,
they all
join in
the mocking
in one way
or another.
But what
about you?
What about
me?
How do you
see Jesus
as he hangs
on the cross?
Yeah,
I know what
the right answer
is,
but how do you
treat him?
Is he
in irrelevance
to you?
You have
your own
way of living
and your own
way of doing
things.
Why would I
ever listen
to Jesus?
Why would I
bother listening
to his word?
Or maybe
Jesus is a
fraud to you.
He makes
great claims
about establishing
an eternal
kingdom,
but you all
find it
rather disappointing
and demanding
because it's
about serving
and sacrifice.
Maybe you
see Jesus
as a threat
to your own
life.
You prefer
to believe
your own
truth
and don't
like the
claims that
Jesus makes
on you,
so you
intentionally
block him
out.
Or maybe
you just
simply see
Jesus as
a fool,
a good
person who
said and
did some
great things,
but then it
just got a
bit out of
hand.
He got a
bit ahead
of himself
and it
all ended
badly.
He's just
a fool.
Well,
as much
as we
like to
think of
ourselves
as better
than any
of these
things,
the truth
is we
have all
joined in
the mocking.
You see,
none of us
naturally
side with
Jesus.
We don't
like to
stand up
for him.
We prefer
to keep
quiet,
don't we?
We want
to stay
silent.
That is,
apart from
the mocking.
Okay,
we might
make jokes,
we might
be laughing,
we may
never verbalise
it,
but don't
we live
at times
as if
Jesus is
a complete
irrelevance
to our
life,
a fraud,
a threat,
and a
fool.
Look at
those
surrounding
the cross
as Jesus
is crucified.
Look
closely at
all the
people are
there,
look
closely
and you'll
see me
and you'll
see yourself.
So we
have the
silence of
Jesus
and the
mocking of
Jesus.
But then
there's the
victory.
As Jesus
silently goes
to his
death,
as the
people
mock and
insult him,
it all
seems to
be a
tragic
and painful
defeat.
After all
that Jesus
has done
and all
that he
claims,
it ends
in a
rather
disappointing
way,
doesn't it?
Look at
the cross,
naked,
bloody,
grasping
for breath.
Jesus is
hanging as a
condemned
criminal.
death.
Yet what
appears to
be a
crushing
death is
a life
saving
victory.
Well,
where's the
victory in
this mess
on a
cross?
Well,
let's think
about this
together.
First,
we've got to
know that this
was a planned
death.
You see,
Jesus'
silence
before his
accusers
may seem
strange to
us.
But Jesus
doesn't need
to defend
himself.
He knows
he must
die.
Leading up
to these
events,
three times,
Jesus had
made it
explicitly clear
to his
disciples,
I'm going
to Jerusalem
and I'm
going to
die.
Have a
look back
at chapter
20.
chapter
20,
verse
18.
So this
is the
third time
Jesus has
spelt it
out in
simple
terms.
Chapter
20,
verse
18.
We are
going up
to Jerusalem
and the
Son of
Man,
remember
that's his
title for
himself.
The Son of
Man will
be delivered
over to
the chief
priests and
the teachers
of the law.
They will
condemn him
to death
and will
hand him
over to
the Gentiles
to be
mocked
and flogged
and crucified
and on the
third day he
will be raised
to life.
You can't
get more
simple than
that, can
you?
You see,
Jesus'
death,
before it
happened,
before his
crucifixion,
was all
planned and
purposed by
God.
It's not a
mistake.
The events
surrounding the
trial of
Jesus may
have been
orchestrated by
religious rulers.
The final
sentence may
have been
pronounced by
Pilate.
The soldiers
may have nailed
him to the
cross, but
all of their
actions and
all of their
deeds have
all been
woven together
into God's
foreordained
plan.
The writers
of Scripture
won't let us
off the
hook.
Over and
over again
they want
this point
to be
clear to
us.
Luke, the
author of
Acts, tells
us this, you
can read on
screen.
This man,
speaking of
Jesus, was
handed over
to you by
God's
deliberate
plan and
foreknowledge.
And you, with
the help of
wicked men, put
him to death
by nailing
him to the
cross.
Jesus may
die, but
let's be
absolutely clear
on this, he
is sovereign
over his
own death.
He is God's
chosen king
with absolute
power and
supreme authority.
Nothing is
taken Jesus
by surprise
and no one
has control
over the
life of
Jesus.
He
deliberately
and
intentionally
goes to
his death.
He goes
silently.
He endures
the mocking
because that
is his
purpose for
coming to
earth.
He came
to die.
He came
to die.
But why
did he
die?
Well, it
was a
substitutionary
death.
A terrible
injustice
takes place
at Jesus'
trial.
Look back
at verse
15,
chapter 7,
verse 15.
It was the
governor's
custom at
the festival
at the time
of Passover
to release a
prisoner
chosen by
the crowd.
So obviously
the prisoner
is a criminal,
he's done
wrong,
he's been
imprisoned.
At that
time they
had a
well-known
prisoner
whose name
was Jesus
Barabbas.
So when
the crowd
had gathered,
Pilate asked
them,
which one
do you
want me
to release
to you?
Jesus
Barabbas
or Jesus
who's called
the Messiah?
The one
who claims
to be
God,
to be
king.
For he
knew it
was out
of self-interest
or envy
that they
had handed
Jesus over
to him.
Pilate
knew their
schemes.
They wanted
Barabbas
freed.
But he
also knew
that this
Jesus was
innocent.
So what
was he
going to
do?
Verse 20,
the chief
priests and
the elders
persuaded the
crowd to
ask for
Barabbas
and to
have Jesus
executed.
Which of
the two
do you
want me
to release
to you?
asked the
governor.
Barabbas
they answered.
What shall
I do then
with Jesus
who is
called the
Messiah?
Pilate
asked.
They all
answered,
crucify him.
Why?
What crime
has he
committed?
But they
shouted all
the louder,
crucify him.
Pilate knows
what he has
to do.
He just
needs to be
the honourable
faithful judge,
do what's
right and
free Jesus.
Jesus.
But,
verse 24,
Pilate saw
that he was
getting nowhere
and that
instead an
uproar was
starting,
literally a
riot was
beginning to
take place.
So he
took water,
washed his
hand in
front of the
crowd.
I am
innocent of
this man's
blood,
he said.
It is your
responsibility.
All the
people answered,
blood is
on us and
on our
children.
Then he
released
Barabbas to
them,
had Jesus
flogged,
and handed
him over to
be crucified.
It's a
travesty.
But yet if
Jesus has
control over
his death,
does he not
have control
over the
circumstances of
his death?
You see,
the prisoner
exchange that
is taking
place,
the setting
the guilty
prisoner free
and sentencing
the innocent
one,
is exactly
what Jesus'
death means
for us.
It's a
substitutionary
death.
What happened
at the trial
is what
happens at
the cross
for all
who would
believe.
Jesus comes
to exchange
places with
us.
He is
treated as
guilty for
us so
that we
might be
declared
innocent
like him.
It's a
staggering
reversal of
our situation.
We're the
guilty mockers.
We've
rejected
Jesus as
king.
We've
shut him
up.
We've
shut him
out.
We want
to be the
king.
It's us
who deserve
to die.
But Jesus
dies as
our
substitute
in our
place.
Do you
see what
Pilate
does?
He knows
Jesus is
innocent.
But what
does he
do?
He takes
a bowl
of water
and symbolically
washes his
hands as if
to say,
well, I
know what
the truth
is, but
I'm taking
no responsibility.
I'm not
going to be
guilty in
any of
this.
Well,
the point
he is
guilty.
And no
washing of
water could
ever wash
Pilate's
guilt away.
But that's
why Jesus
has come.
You see,
this is what's
happening.
Think of the
shame of
your past.
Think of the
secrets that
we bury
deep down in
our life.
the ones
that keep
us awake
at night.
Or the
guilt that
weighs upon
us, the
sins that
people know
and it
holds us
back from
entering into
service or
getting involved
a bit more.
Well, Jesus
is the one
who's come to
take my
guilt and
your shame
so that we
can be
declared
innocent.
Innocent.
set free
to live a
new life
as members
of his
kingdom.
It's a
planned
death, a
substitutionary
death, which
makes it a
victorious death.
You see, if
we're to know
this true
life, this
new life, this
innocence that
Jesus gives,
we must see
that Jesus
must die
for me.
He doesn't
die for
other people,
he must die
for me.
Look at how
the people
respond as
Jesus is
crucified.
Do you see
what they're
all saying
in verse
39?
Save
yourself.
Come down
from the
cross if
you're the
son of
God.
He saved
others, he
can't save
himself.
If he's the
king of
Israel, let
him come
down now
from the
cross, then
we'll believe
him.
They're all
demanding that
Jesus would
save himself.
If we're to
believe you,
Jesus, you've
got to do
something great.
Come down
from the
cross right
now, do
some miracle,
show us your
power, give
us what we
want, and
then we're
going to
believe.
But they're
all blind.
they can't
see that
Jesus is
doing the
greatest thing
possible.
He is
displaying his
power.
Something
supernatural is
taking place
as he hangs
on the cross.
Jesus doesn't
give in to
their demands.
He does
what they
need.
He stays
on the
cross.
and as
he gives
of his
own life,
he is
saving
your life.
I wonder
what is it
that you
demand of
Jesus?
What do
you want
Jesus to
do for
you so
that you
will believe
him?
What are
you shouting
at Jesus?
What are
you asking
for him to
do?
so that
you will
trust him
with your
future and
that you
will follow
him
absolutely.
Jesus,
give me
that secure
job and
then I'll
commit.
Jesus,
if you would
sort out the
mess of my
life and
just make
things a little
easier,
then I'll
start making
it regular
that I come
to church.
Jesus,
you do
this
and then
I will
do
that.
Just
think about
that for a
moment and
you fill in
the blank.
Jesus,
you do
this for
me
and then
I will
do that
for you.
God
will
do that.
No,
don't
demand.
Make no
demands.
Instead he
says I want
you to look
at the
cross and
see Jesus
who submits
to death
for you.
Jesus
stays silent.
He endures
the mocking.
He stays
on the
cross
to save
you.
He does
the greatest
thing
so that
you can
trust him
with
everything.
His death
is enough.
It's a
victorious
death
and it's a
death for
you
and it's a
death for
me.
Let's
pray.
Father,
we are
stunned
and amazed
that your
silence
the way
you take
your
mocking
the way
you make
no
defense
and you
humbly
walk to
the place
where we
deserve to
go.
You
stay on
the cross
and you
die for
me.
thank you
Jesus.
Thank you
for what
you have
done.
Help us
to entrust
our life,
our future,
our dreams,
our plans
to see
that all
that you
have done
is enough.
We could
never ask
of you
to do
more.
and because
you have
given us
the very
best,
help us
that we
might walk
with you
and follow
you
and trust
you.
Help us,
we pray.
Amen.
We're
going to
sing.
We're
going to
sing about
how deep
the Father's
love for us,
the second
verse,
brings it
home and
brings it
personal.
Behold the
man upon
the cross,
my sin,