Mat 27:1, Act 4:26-28 | Barnes | STEP | MATTHEW CHAPTER 27 Verses 1,2. Jesus is brought before Pilate . See also , , etc. Verse 1. When the morning was come . This was not long after he had been condemned by the sanhedrim. Peter's last denial was probably not far from three o'clock, or near the break of day. As soon as it was light, they consulted together for the purpose of taking his life. The sun rose at that season of the year, in Judea, not far from five o'clock; and the time when they assembled was not long after Peter's denial. The Chief Priests--took counsel . They had agreed that he deserved to die, on a charge of blasphemy . Yet they did not dare to put him to death by stoning, as they did afterwards Stephen, and as the law commanded in case of blasphemy, for they feared the people. They therefore consulted , or took counsel together, to determine on what pretence they could deliver him to the Roman emperor, or to fix some charge of a civil nature, by which Pilate might be induced to condemn him. The charge which they fixed on was not that on which they had tried him, and on which they had determined he ought to die, ; but that of "perverting the nation," and of "forbidding to give tribute to Caesar," . On this accusation, if made out, they supposed Pilate could be induced to condemn Jesus. On a charge of blasphemy they knew he could not, as that was not an offence against the Roman laws, and over which, therefore, Pilate claimed no jurisdiction. To put him to death . To devise some way by which he might be put to death under the authority of the Roman governor. (m) "counsel"

Matthew 27:1

MATTHEW CHAPTER 27

Verses 1,2. Jesus is brought before Pilate. See also Mk 15:1, Lk 23:1, Jn 18:28, etc.

Verse 1. When the morning was come. This was not long after he had been condemned by the sanhedrim. Peter's last denial was probably not far from three o'clock, or near the break of day. As soon as it was light, they consulted together for the purpose of taking his life. The sun rose at that season of the year, in Judea, not far from five o'clock; and the time when they assembled was not long after Peter's denial.

The Chief Priests--took counsel. They had agreed that he deserved to die, on a charge of blasphemy. Yet they did not dare to put him to death by stoning, as they did afterwards Stephen, Acts 7:1 and as the law commanded in case of blasphemy, for they feared the people. They therefore consulted, or took counsel together, to determine on what pretence they could deliver him to the Roman emperor, or to fix some charge of a civil nature, by which Pilate might be induced to condemn him. The charge which they fixed on was not that on which they had tried him, and on which they had determined he ought to die, Mt 26:66; but that of "perverting the nation," and of "forbidding to give tribute to Caesar," Lk 23:2. On this accusation, if made out, they supposed Pilate could be induced to condemn Jesus. On a charge of blasphemy they knew he could not, as that was not an offence against the Roman laws, and over which, therefore, Pilate claimed no jurisdiction.

To put him to death. To devise some way by which he might be put to death under the authority of the Roman governor.

(m) "counsel" Ps 2:2

Acts 4:26-28

Verse 26. The kings of the earth. The Psalmist specifies more particularly that kings and rulers would be opposed to the Messiah. This had occurred already by the opposition made to the Messiah by the rulers of the Jewish people; and it would be still more evinced by princes and kings, as the gospel should spread among the nations.

Stood up. The word here used παριστημι commonly means, to present one's self, or to stand forth, for the purpose of aiding, counselling, etc. But here it means that they rose, or presented themselves, to evince their opposition. They stood opposed to the Messiah, and offered resistance to him.

The rulers. This is another instance of the Hebrew parallelism. The word does not denote another class of men from kings, but expresses the same idea in another form, or in a more general manner, meaning that all classes of persons in authority would be opposed to the gospel.

Were gathered together. Hebrew, consulted together; were united in a consultation. The Greek implies that they were assembled for the purpose of consultation.

Against the Lord. In the Hebrew, "against Jehovah." This is the peculiar name which is given in the Scriptures to God. They rose against his plan of appointing a Messiah, and against the Messiah whom he had chosen.

Against his Christ. Hebrew, against his Messiah, or his Anointed. Mt 1;1. This is one of the places where the word Messiah is used in the Old Testament. The word occurs in about forty places, and is commonly translated his anointed, and is applied to kings. The direct reference of the word to the Messiah in the Old Testament is not frequent. This passage implies that opposition to the Messiah is opposition to Jehovah. And this is uniformly supposed in the sacred Scriptures. He that is opposed to Christ is opposed to God. He that neglects him neglects God. He that despises him despises God, Mt 10:40, 18:5, Jn 12:44,45, Lk 10:16, "He that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me." The reasons of this are,

(1.) that the Messiah is "the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his" subsistence, Heb 1:3.

(2.) He is equal with the Father, possessing the same attributes, and the same power, Jn 1:1, Php 2:6, etc. To despise him, therefore, is to despise God.

(3.) He is appointed by God to this great work of saving men. To despise him, or to oppose him, is to despise and oppose him who appointed him to this work, to contemn his counsels, and to set him at nought.

(4.) His work is dear to God. It has engaged his thoughts. It has been approved by him. His mission has been confirmed by the miraculous power of the Father, and by every possible manifestation of his approbation and love. To oppose the Messiah is, therefore, to oppose that which is dear to the heart of God, and which has long been the object of his tender solicitude. It follows from this, that they who neglect the Christian religion are exposing themselves to the sore displeasure of God, and endangering their everlasting interests. No man is safe who opposes God; and no man can have evidence that God will approve him, who does not embrace the Messiah whom he has appointed to redeem the world. Verse 27. For of a truth. Truly; in reality.

Thy holy child Jesus. The word child is commonly applied to infants, or to sons and daughters in very early life. The word which is used here παις is different from that which is commonly applied to the Lord Jesus, υιος. The latter expresses sonship, without respect to age. The word which is here used also sometimes expresses sonship without any regard to age; and the word son would have been a more happy translation. Thus the same word is translated in Acts 3:13,26. In Acts 20:12, it is translated "young man."

Both Herod, etc. Lk 23:1-12.

With the Gentiles. The Romans, to whom he was delivered to be crucified.

The people of Israel. The Jews, who were excited to this by the rulers, Mt 27:20.

(a) "both Herod, and Pontus Pilate" Lk 23:1-8 (+) "together" "combined" Verse 28. For to do, etc. Acts 2:23; Acts 3:18. The facts which are brought to view in these verses are among the most remarkable on record. They are briefly these:

(1.) That the Jewish rulers were opposed to the Messiah, and slew him.

(2.) That the very people to whom he came, and for whose benefit he laboured, joined in the opposition, so that it became the act of a united people.

(3.) That the Romans who were there, as a sort of representation of all pagan nations, were easily prevailed on to join in the persecution, and to become the executioners.

(4.) That thus opposite factions, and dissimilar and prejudiced people, became united in opposing the Messiah.

(5.) That the rulers of the Roman people, the emperors, and statesmen, and philosophers, and the rulers of other nations, united to oppose the gospel, and brought all the power of persecution to stay its progress.

(6.) That the people of the empire, the mass of men, were easily prevailed upon to join in the persecution, and endeavour to arrest its progress. And,

(7.) that the gospel has encountered similar difficulties and opposition wherever it has been faithfully presented to the attention of men. It has become a very serious question why this has been; or on what pretence this opposition has been vindicated; or how it can be accounted for. A question which it is of as much importance for the infidel as for the Christian to settle. We know that accusations of the corrupt lives of the early Christians were freely circulated, and the most gross accounts given of their scandalous conduct were propagated by those who chose to persecute them. (See Lardher's Credibility.) But such accounts are not now believed; and it is not certain that they were ever seriously believed by the rulers of the pagan people. It is certain that it was not on this account that the first opposition arose to Christ and his religion.

It is not proper here to enter into an examination of the causes of this opposition. We may state the outlines, however, in few words.

(1.) The Jewish rulers were mortified, humbled, and moved with envy, that one so poor and despised should claim to be the Messiah. They had expected a different monarch; and all their prejudices rose at once against his claims to this high office, Mt 27:18, Mk 15:10.

(2.) The common people, disposed extensively to acknowledge his claims, were urged on by the enraged and vindictive priests to demand his death, Mt 27:20.

(3.) Pilate was pressed on against his will by the impetuous and enraged multitude to deliver one whom he regarded as innocent.

(4.) The Christian religion in its advances struck at once at the whole fabric of superstition in the Roman empire, and throughout the world. It did not, like other religions, ask a place amidst the religions already existing. It was exclusive in its claims. It denounced all other systems as idolatry or superstition, and sought to overthrow them. Those religions were interwoven With all the habits of the people; they were connected with all the departments of the state; they gave occupation to a vast number of priests and other officers, who obtained their livelihood by the existing superstitions, and who brought, of course, all the supposed sacredness of their character to support them. A religion which attempted to overthrow the whole fabric, therefore, at once excited all their malice. The monarchs, whose thrones were based on the existing state of things; and the people, who venerated the religion of their ancestors, would be opposed to the new system.

(5.) Christianity was despised. It was regarded as one form of the superstition of the Jews. And there was no people who were regarded with so much contempt by all other nations as the Jews. The writings of the Romans, on this point, are full proof.

(6.) The new religion was opposed to all the crimes of the world. It began its career in a time of eminent wickedness. It plunged at once into the midst of this wickedness; sought the great cities where crimes and pollutions were condensed; and boldly reproved every form of prevailing impiety. At Athens, at Corinth, at Ephesus, at Rome itself, it denounced the judgment of God against every form of guilt. Whatever may be charged on the apostles, it will not be alleged that they were timid in denouncing the sins of the world. From all these causes, it is not wonderful that the early Christians were persecuted. If it be asked

(7.) why the same religion meets with opposition now in lands that are nominally Christian, it may be remarked,

(a) that the human heart is the same that it always was, opposed to truth and righteousness;

(b) that religion encounters still a host of sins that are opposed to it--pride, envy, malice, passion, the love of the world, and shame of acknowledging God;

(e) that there has always been a peculiar opposition in the human heart to receiving salvation as the gift of God through a crucified Redeemer; and

(d) that all the forms of vice, and lust, and profaneness that exist in the world, are opposed, and ever will be, to a religion of purity, and self-denial, and love.

On the whole, We may remark here,

(1.) that the fact that Christianity has been thus opposed, and has triumphed, is no small proof of its Divine origin. It has been fairly tried, and still survives and flourishes. It was well to put it to the test, and to bring to bear on it everything which had a tendency to crush it, and thus to furnish the highest proof that it is from God.

(2.) This religion cannot be destroyed; it will triumph; opposition to it is vain; it will make its way throughout the world; and the path of safety is not to oppose that which God is intending to establish in the earth. Sinners who stand opposed to the gospel should tremble and be afraid; for sooner or later they must fall before its triumphant advances. It is not SAFE to oppose that which has already been opposed by kings and rulers in every form, and yet has triumphed. It is not wise to risk one's eternal welfare on the question of successful opposition to that which God has, in so many ages and ways, pledged himself to protect; and when God has solemnly declared that the Son, the Messiah, whom he would set on his holy hill of Zion, should "break" his enemies "with a rod of iron," and "dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel," Ps 2:9.

(b) "For to do whatsoever" Acts 3:18 (c) "determined before to be done" Prov 21:30, Isa 46:10, 53:10