Matthew 27:50

Matthew 27:50

And after Jesus cried out again with a great voice He sent His Spirit away.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Once more Jesus cried out.  I may be making more of it than I should, but I think it is worth remembering the point I brought out a few days back.  When Jesus cries out, He no doubt draws all eyes to Him.  The world looks on as He dies.  Even in the persecution of the cross, He is crying out to draw us to His example.

Are you willing to draw people to God even through your suffering?  Why do we tend to hide in the midst of suffering?

Second Thought:

I also find power in this verse.  Jesus has been beaten.  He has been flogged. He has carried His cross out of Jerusalem.  He has been nailed to a cross.  His strength should be gone.  He should be tired, broken, and belittled.  Yet His voice is still great.  His greatness is not defined by this world or His position in it or His reputation.  His greatness is defined by the Father and His obedience to Him.

What allows Jesus to be great, even upon the cross?  Are you great in the midst of your suffering?  In what way does our greatness in God as borne through suffering mark who we are as an individual?

Third Thought:

The phrase “yielded up His Spirit” is a very interesting phrase.  It is an idiom that literally means “to send away the spirit” as I have translated here.  It is a word of submission.  It is a word of surrender.  Jesus surrenders here at this moment.  He surrenders to death.  He voluntarily stops struggling against the punishment of the cross and dies.   Jesus does not die after a great struggle preventing death.  Jesus struggles and wrestles against the sin of the world and submits to death so that God can demonstrate His power.  Jesus submits so the Father can act through Him.

How do you submit?  Are you willing to submit even into death?  Do you believe God can have victory even over death?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:51-53

Matthew 27:47-49

Matthew 27:47-49

And some of the ones who have stood in that place after hearing Him were saying that this one calls out for Elijah.  And immediately after one out of them ran and took a sponge and filled it with sour wine and placed it upon a reed, he was giving Him a drink.  And the others were saying, “Separate yourself.  We should see if Elijah comes while saving Him.” 

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

After so many days of ridicule and mocking, we finally get a moment of grace.  A person nearby hears Jesus crying out.  He goes to give Jesus a drink.  He runs to give Jesus some relief.  Surely the man knew that he could not save Jesus from a final result.  But the man believes that Jesus still can be comforted in the midst of His suffering.  Here is a man worthy of looking to see what we can learn and imitate.  We may not be able to save people.  We may not be able eliminate the consequences of thought or action.  But we can strive to ease their suffering in the midst of it.

Do you look to ease the burdens of the people around you?  Do you find it easy or difficult to be around people who are in the midst of suffering so that you can ease their burden?

Second Thought:

At the same time we see a third perspective on humanity.  There are those who are still undecided.  There are those who are watching.  Some mock.  Others give aid.  But some are still in the middle, figuring out where they will fall.  We might call them fence sitters.  We might also call them late-adopters.  But the reality is that they have not turned against God and therefore the possibility of turning towards God is within their grasp!  We should not be quick to consider as opponents those who are still waiting and watching and evaluating.

Are you ever guilty of considering those who are still deciding to follow Christ as opponents?  What is ever gained by that choice?  What is ever lost?

Third Thought:

In this passage, we also once more see the difference between the perspective on mankind and the perspective of God.  The humans watching this scene evaluate victory based on whether Jesus lives or dies.  In other words, Jesus is only the Messiah if He escapes death and wins.  However, God knows that if Jesus does another other than die it is not victory.  God sees the big picture.  God sees beyond death.  We only see this world.  In fact, the truth is that we don’t even really see life.  Most of the time we see today, we maybe see tomorrow, and rarely do we often see too much further than that.

Where is your focus on a daily basis?  What is victory to you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:50

Matthew 27:45-46

Matthew 27:45-46

And from the sixth hour, darkness became upon all the land until the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out by a great voice while saying, “Eli, eli, lema sabachthani.”  This is: my God, my God, why did you forsake me?

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The three hours of darkness is an incredibly symbolic note.  We know that Jesus is the Passover Lamb.  During the plagues in Egypt just before the first Passover celebration, the ninth plague was a plague of darkness so deep that people couldn’t see their hand before their face.  It was a supernatural darkness.  Back in Jesus’ time, just before the true Passover Lamb dies on the cross there is another supernatural darkness.  Here we have creation asserting to the control of the Father.  Even when His Son is upon the cross and it appears that the enemy has won, the Father is in control.  The darkness is an incredible sign that things are happening as the Father desires.  The true Passover Lamb is about ready to be sacrificed.  Darkness spreads as a sign that the time has come.

Do you see this darkness as a sign from God?  How does this darkness heighten the anticipation of the moment of redemption?  Why would this be an important element in the story – especially to a Jew?

Second Thought:

This middle point is a simple one.  Jesus cried out in a great voice.  He cried out loud enough for people to hear.  Here was a man who had been hanging on the cross for six hours.  He knew pain.  He knew suffering.  It was time for the sacrifice to come.

Can you even imagine the agony of crucifixion?  Would you have what it took to cry out in a loud voice, drawing all eyes upon you as you died in the midst of your suffering?

Third Thought:

The cry of Jesus is a very interesting cry.  In the Greek translation of the Hebrew phrase, Matthew intentionally chooses the aorist tense.  Matthew doesn’t say, “Why do you forsake me” or even “why have you forsaken me!”  Matthew translates Jesus’ words as “Why did you forsake me?”  This is a simple past tense verb.  We really need to make sure that we understand the significance of this verb.  Jesus is not complaining about being actively forsaken!  Nor is He complaining about being forsaken in the past while the effects of that action linger into the present.  Jesus is wrestling with the decision by the Father in the past to send Him to the cross.  Jesus is recognizing what that past decision meant for the present.  But we should not take this to mean that Jesus is wrestling with the Father on the cross.  Jesus went obediently to the cross knowing what it would mean in His life.  Jesus is obedient to the point of death.  What He is doing on the cross is remembering the decision in the past to send Him to the cross and mourning the pain that such a decision is currently bringing about.

What does it say about Jesus that He can be obedient in going to the cross?  Do you find this example inspiring, especially since He knew what it would cost Him?  How can you learn to imitate such sacrificial behavior?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:47-50

Matthew 27:41-44

Matthew 27:41-44

In the same way the chief priests with the scribes and elders also mocked Him while saying, “He saved others, but He is not powerful enough to save Himself.  He is the king of Israel, let Him now descend from the cross and we will believe upon Him.  He has believed in God, let Him rescue Him if He should desire Him.  For He said that ‘I am the Son of God.’”  And the robbers who were being crucified with Him were insulting Him with the same things.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

More ridicule.  This time it is from the “victors.”  The religious leaders come to gloat over their victory.  This is a despicable perspective on humanity, but it is a true perspective.  Human beings do not win with grace very often.  When we do win with grace, it is only through the effort of our willpower.  We desire to be the top.  We desire to win.  We want everyone to know that we are the best.  We love to gloat and brag.  We love to be in charge and have everyone know of our successes.  That is the essence of humanity that these religious leaders bring to light today.

Have you ever want to gloat over your victory?  Have you ever wanted to brag when you have come out on top?  How does this human reaction compare to Jesus on the cross?

Second Thought:

Once more we see the undercurrent of God’s power running through this scene.  Yes, the leader’s ridicule Jesus.  But even their ridicule rings out truth!  Jesus did save others.  He healed many people.  He saved a prostitute from being stoned.  He saved men from demonic possession.  He fed the desperately hungry.  Jesus absolutely saved others!  Their other words also ring true in their other confession.  “He is not powerful enough to save Himself.”  Certainly Jesus could have saved Himself.  In that regard they are wrong.  But where they are not wrong is that Jesus is not powerful enough to disobey the will of the Father.  Being God, He must be perfect.  He must obey God perfectly and fulfill His will.  While God is powerful enough to do anything that He should desire, God is not powerful enough to go against His own will of righteousness.  God must be righteous in all that He does.  In that sense – and in that sense only – Jesus is not powerful enough to come off the cross.  The Father has ordained it.  Jesus must abide.

Are you surprised by yet another proclamation of truth by people who do not realize what they are saying and doing?  How is Jesus’ willingness to abide by the righteous decree of God and lay down His life actually a demonstration of His power?

Third Thought:

At the end of the ridicule, look at what the religious leaders say.  “Let Him come down from the cross and we will believe in Him.  We have shown how God maneuvers the tongues of the religious leaders to proclaim truth about Christ.  But now we also hear how God maneuvers the tongues of these religious elite to proclaim truth about themselves.  God is saving humanity through the cross.  Yet these men will only believe Jesus if He acts in a way contrary to God’s will.  They aren’t looking for truth – God’s truth.  They are looking for their own truth – their own understanding.

What do you seek in life?  Are you willing to make sense of God’s hand at work in the world or do you only desire to see what makes sense to you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:45-46

Matthew 27:39-40

Matthew 27:39-40

And the ones who passed by were blaspheming Him while shaking their head and while saying, “The one who destroys the temple and in three days rebuilds it: save yourself!  If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”

Thoughts for Today

Before I get too far into my first point for today, I need to make sure I remain humble.  I need to confess that what I’m about to say can be taken very judgmentally and harshly.  So please read today’s post with the understanding that I’ve been in these shoes and I’ve made these mistakes.  I don’t speak what I say below in judgment against anyone.  I speak them because I’ve been there and I know what it is like.  And the truth is that when we realize that we are in this place, it’s not a good place to be.

First Thought:

The Bible tells us that the people walking by Jesus were blaspheming against Him.  The Greek word, which literally is blaspheme (βλασφημέω), means “to speak in such a way as to harm the reputation of another.”  These people weren’t just walking by and being disgusted.  These people were taking the opportunity to defame Jesus.  This is the typical “Kick ‘em while their down” mentality.  Human beings do this all the time.  We see an easy target and we belittle them.  We look for opportunities to improve our standing by pushing the people around us down.

Have you ever kicked someone while they are down?  Why is this such an easy thing to do?  What is a good alternative to this practice?

Second Thought:

Next, these people mock Jesus.  They through His words back in His face.  They laugh as they see Him upon the cross yet remember that Jesus told them that He could rebuild a destroyed temple in three days.  They laugh because they don’t understand.  They laugh because of their own limited mindset.  Their own human limitations are what brings about the mocking attitude.

Have you ever mocked what you don’t understand?  Have you ever had the experience of being shown that what you were mocking is actually the better way or the right behavior?  Why do we tend to mock that which we don’t understand?

Third Thought:

For my third point, I’m going to come back to my first point and extend the “Kick ‘em while their down” discussion.  Because of their relative safety (not being on the cross) and Jesus’ current predicament (being on the cross) the people walking by feel safe in demeaning Jesus.  They feel safe throwing Jesus’ words back in His face.  But look where it leads.  They say to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, come down off the cross.”  their arrogance in their mocking and vicious assault actually puts them in an antagonistic position to God’s plan!  The Father desired for Jesus to be crucified so that the sins of humanity could be done away with.  The people who had an open mind would understand this.  But the closed minded mockers asserted that the only way He could prove that He was God was by coming off the very place the Father had asked Him to go!  We need to be careful that in our arrogance and in our mocking we do not find ourselves opposing the will of the Father.  That is a scary – and easy – place to find ourselves.

Has your attitude ever brought you into opposition with the plan of God?  How does that realization make you feel?  How do you try and avoid that predicament now?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:41-44

Matthew 27:36-38

Matthew 27:36-38

And while sitting down, they were keeping watch over him.  And they laid His accusation over His head that said, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”  At that time, therefore, two robbers are being crucified by Him – one on His right hand and one on His left hand.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Verse 36 is often thought of as a throw-away verse.  After, what’s the big deal about the guards sitting down and watching over Jesus?  But this verse actually tells us a number of things about the context.  First of all, it shows us that this incident was of interest to the guards.  They didn’t want the body of Jesus stolen by His followers.  They didn’t want there to be any question about whether or not He actually died.  They wanted to make sure that they performed their duty accurately and thoroughly.  This verse is important because it establishes the thoroughness of the Roman soldiers.  They did their job.  Jesus was not brought down off the cross prematurely.  They understood the political and religious tension surrounding Jesus and they made sure that they did their job correctly.  We can have confidence that Jesus did not merely swoon upon the cross only to be revived later, but He was actually dead and then was resurrected by the Father.  But now I am getting ahead of myself.  The thoroughness of the Roman guards is an important witness to the dramatic power over death held by the Father.

Why is it important to you to be able to know that Jesus was actually dead upon the cross?  Would it change anything if there was doubt as to whether or not He actually died?

Second Thought:

Jesus was crucified with thieves.  He was crucified with sinners.  I find this extraordinarily powerful.  On one level, of course it makes sense that Jesus would be crucified with thieves.  He came to die for sinners, why wouldn’t He be crucified with them?  But that leads us to an incredibly deeper point.  Galatians 2:20 tells me that “I have been crucified with Christ.  Therefore it is not longer I who live but Christ who lives in me.”  Christ’s very crucifixion is an invitation for me to be crucified with Him.  Yes, He was crucified for our sins.  But He wasn’t just crucified for our sins.  He was crucified for our sins and besides sinners as a demonstration that we who are sinners can join Him.  He is not beyond us; He invites us to meet him in crucifixion!  Even at the moment of crucifixion Jesus is among sinners inviting them to become more like Him and to imitate them.

Do you think that it is neat that Jesus is crucified with sinners?  How does this actually make the story more deeply spiritual?

Third Thought:

Finally, let’s look at another sign of God being in complete control over the context of the crucifixion.  The sign hung above Jesus says, “This is Jesus, King of the Jews.”  Of course, we know that this sign was put up in a manner to mock Jesus.  It is put up to mock the Jewish leaders and drive them into a rage over the insult to their political power – a move that worked, by the way.  But the thing is that the sign is actual truth.  It was put up in a mocking manner to irritate people and not meant in any way to be true, but that doesn’t change its truth value!  Jesus is the King of the Jews – and King of the Gentiles, too!  God is in control.  As we would expect when God is in control, what is said is exactly what needs to be said.

Have you ever seen the sign over Jesus’ head as a sign of God’s ultimate control?  What does it say about God that He can even use people’s sarcasm to bring forth truth?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:39-40

Matthew 27:32-35

Matthew 27:32-35

And while going out, they found a Cyrenian man by the name Simon.  They pressed this one into service in order that he should carry His cross.  And after arriving in the place being named Golgatha – that which is spoken of as the Place of the Skull – to Him they gave wine while being mixed with gall to drink.  And after tasting it He did not desire to drink it.  And after crucifying Him they divided His outer clothing while casting lots.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I think we have another place of hidden irony.  Simon Peter – Jesus’ disciple – had proclaimed that He would never leave Jesus, even if he had to die with Him.  Yet we know that Peter fled in the garden and even denied being a part of Jesus’ circle of influence.  Yet here we find that there is indeed a Simon who does actually carry the cross up for Jesus.  It isn’t Simon Peter, but it is a Simon!  Yes, I realize that Simon is a fairly common name, but I also think that this is another place that we can find the subtle influence of God.  God could have had those soldiers draft anybody into service.  But their choice was a man named Simon.  A Simon from a foreign land, even!  Only God could have brought Simon from Cyrene to this moment in time to figuratively take the place of Simon Peter.  God’s hand is subtly here at work, if we are willing to look.

Are you amazed at how many places you can see the subtle influence of God?  Do any of these small influences prove anything on their own?  Why is their power fully realized only when we take them all together and see God at work?

Second Thought:

Two customary acts happen as the crucifixion draws near.  Jesus is offered a drink designed to numb His senses.  Jesus refuses the drink.  He desires to choose obedience to the Father in full control of His faculties.  The soldiers also cast lots for His clothing.  This was to be their share of the crucifixion process.  They were obedient to that roll as well.  While Jesus went to the cross to give of Himself for the sake of others, the soldiers gathered around Him and only thought of their own benefit.  In this death of an innocent man we have such a perfect picture of the self-centeredness of the human.  They do not even realize what they are doing!

Is it important to you that Jesus was crucified without taking the drink designed to make the process easier to bear?  Have you ever been like the soldiers: so quick to take what you can get for yourself that you don’t even think of the cost to the one who gave it to you?

Third Thought:

I’ve always been amazed by something whenever I read through the actual parts about the crucifixion.  I’m amazed at how little attention is put on the actual process of crucifixion.  Here’s the sum total of what Matthew tells us.  The soldiers beat Him, strip Him, dress Him in a robe, mock Him, spit on Him, re-dress Him in His own clothes, get Simon to carry His cross, and crucify Him.  We aren’t told how they beat Him, or how many times they beat Him, or how bloody His body was, or how many times He stumbled along the way, or how much He groaned in agony, or even exactly how they crucified Him.  {Ever get into a “ropes” vs. “nails in the wrist” vs. “nails in the hand” discussion?}  Unfortunately, we as human beings tend to put the emphasis upon Jesus’ pain.  I know I’m certainly guilty of that!  But to the Gospel writers, the focus wasn’t on how much He suffered.  To the Gospel writers, the focus was the crucifixion as atonement.  We don’t hear about how much Jesus suffered because it’s simply not the main point of the story.  Yes, He suffered.  There is no doubt that He suffered.  But the main point of the story is that this is God’s plan.  The main point of the story is Jesus’ obedience to the Father, not his pain as He endured the brutality of mankind.

Why is it important to remember what the main point of the story is?  Why do human beings like to dwell on the more gory aspects or even the pain and suffering?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:36-40

Matthew 27:27-31

Matthew 27:27-31

At that time, the soldiers of the governor brought Jesus along into the governor’s residence.  They gathered the whole cohort upon Him.  And after removing His clothing, they put a scarlet cloak upon Him.  And after braiding a crown out of a thorny plant they placed it upon His head and they placed a reed in His right hand.  And after kneeling before Him, they mocked Him while saying, “Greetings, King of the Jews!”  And after spitting into Him, they took the reed and they were beating His head.  And when they mocked Him, they took off His cloak  and they put on His own cloak and they led Him away in order to be crucified.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The soldiers mock Jesus.  Clearly the soldiers do not have the same reverence for Jesus’ life that Pilate did.  This is not a surprise.  In fact, it serves as another contrast to Pilate.  The soldiers give us the Roman perspective that we would expect.  The soldiers enjoy mocking Jesus and beating Him.  They enjoy being in power and flaunting it before Jesus.  That is again what we not only expect from the Romans but also a crowd.  Pilate truly is a unique enigma in this crucifixion story.

Are you intrigued by the soldier’s reaction to Jesus?  What does it really say that they don’t embody the same kind of respect for Jesus that Pilate did?

Second Thought:

If we look at how the soldiers mock Jesus, we see the same kind of circumstance that we saw in the Jewish crowd.  Here the soldiers have exactly what they need before them.  In order for them to truly know peace and salvation, they do need Jesus as King of their life!  But instead they set up Jesus as king and mock Him.  They demonstrate their blind eyes in their action.  This also shows us that God is still in control.  Only God could manage to arrange it so that these soldiers would have exactly what they need before them and give them a chance to surrender their life.  Unfortunately, they are not interested in what God has placed before them.

Is Jesus the king of your life?  Have you ever seen people who claim Jesus to be king of their life actually live a life of mocking Him?

Third Thought:

You’ll notice one very significant fact that is easy to miss here.  Notice who it is that doesn’t ever speak.  In spite of being beaten, Jesus never speaks.  In spite of being mocked, He never speaks.  In spite of having a heavy cloak being draped around His beating and torn body, He never speaks.  He truly is a silent lamb led to the slaughter.

How does Jesus’ behavior in this section impact your life?  Are you capable of enduring persecution with grace or do you complain and grumble under the pressure?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:32-36

Matthew 27:24-26

Matthew 27:24-26

And after Pilate saw that he is successful in accomplishing nothing – but rather a riot became – after taking water he washed the hands before the crowd while saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this one.  You all will take responsibility for causing this to happen.”  And after answering the whole crowd said, “His blood is upon us and upon our children.”  At that time he released Barabbas to them.  And after flogging Jesus he handed him over in order that He should be crucified.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

As we continue looking at Pilate, look at what Matthew tells us about Pilate.  Pilate realizes that he is successful in accomplishing nothing.  Pilate realizes that there is nothing that can be done with this crowd.  This affirms what we’ve been saying about Pilate all along.  If Pilate were in this for the popularity, he wouldn’t be looking to change the opinion of the crowd.  Pilate is not in this for the popularity.  Pilate is seeking justice but realizes that the crowd will not hear anything about it.  So he does what he can.  He washes his own hands of the incident and places the guilt where it needs to rest: upon the people who are supposed to be God’s people.

How do you feel about Pilate after reading this passage?  Why would Pilate capitulate to the will of the crowd even though he is the authority?  Does his capitulation change your opinion of him?

Second Thought:

Once more we have another view of the crowd.  This is an equally important side to the crowd as we saw yesterday.  Pilate could do nothing with them.  Yet yesterday we saw that the crowd was easily lathered up into a rage by the religious leaders.  The crowd is responsible for their decisions, even if they are thinking together in a mob mentality.  The crowd knows what it wants – and usually the crowd does not want logic, reason, and a reasonable conversation.  The crowd wants action, drama, and intensity.  This is why the crowd responds to call of the religious leaders to seek Jesus’ blood but they do not respond to Pilate’s call for logic and reason.  The religious leaders may bear the guilt of manipulating the crowd, but the crowd bears the guilt of allowing themselves to be manipulated by evil and not listening to good.

Have you ever been in a place to see a crowd reject logic and reason?  Have you ever been in a place to see a crowd respond to emotional appeal so much that no amount of logic and reason could reach it?  Why is it best in such circumstances to simple walk away from the crowd at those moments?

Third Thought:

Finally, notice that the crowd owns the guilt.  They welcome the guilt.  They are so convinced of what they want in the moment that they embrace the guilt of Jesus.  We should learn this lesson, too.  When we go along with the crowd, we had better be sure that we trust the crowd to make the right decision.  Crowds are notorious for being short-sighted and thoughtless.  After all, who embraces the guilt for another person losing their life except people who are not thinking?  Furthermore, in another ironic twist of fate we can see just how much God is still in control.  Who else could maneuver this situation in such a way that the crowd not only calls out that they want Barabbas (Son of the Father) to be released but also then maneuvers the crowd and the religious people into a position of confessing their own guilt?  The stubbornness of the people only leads us into a position to seeing the presence of God so clearly.

Why do the people embrace their guilt?  How does their desire to embrace their guilt actually demonstrate God’s omnipresence and omnipotence?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:27-31

Matthew 27:20-23

Matthew 27:20-23

And the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd in order that they should urgently plead for Barabbas and they should destroy Jesus.  And after answering the governor said to them, “Which do you all desire that I should release to you all from the two of them?”  And they said to him, “Barabbas.”  Pilate says to them, “Therefore, what should I do with Jesus – the one who is called the Christ?”  They all say, “Let Him be crucified!”  And he was saying, “For what evil did he do?”  But they called out exceedingly more while saying, “Let Him be crucified.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

The human concept of mob mentality is never more clear than in this section of the story.  The religious leaders use they sway and their power to influence the crowd.  The crowd – because they are a crowd – are more easily influenced.  Instead of individuals considering their own actions, the crowd can get caught up in the emotion and passion of the moment and their actions are influenced.  Mob mentality is a very dangerous thing indeed.  Personally, I believe this is why Jesus spent so much time focusing on the individual.  Jesus was not about swaying the masses and preying upon the emotion of a large collective.  Jesus was about changing individual lives.  The religious leaders have no such standard.  They prey upon the emotions of the crowd in order to get their way.

Have you ever been a part of a crowd and got caught up in something that wasn’t right after you had time to think about it as an individual?  Why is this such an easy place to find ourselves in?  What is our best defense against falling prey to mob mentality?  What does it say about leaders who seek to manipulate the masses through their emotion?

Second Thought:

As I said yesterday, we will talk today about the irony of having Barabbas and Jesus in Pilate’s custody at the same time.  The crowd asks for Barabbas to be released.  In saying the name Barabbas, they are literally saying, “Son of the Father.”  The irony is that they are so close.  Their lips profess that they want the Son of the Father – whether they know it or not – but their eyes are blind!  They do not believe that the true Son of the Father is standing in their midst.  God is in such control of this situation that the people in the crowd are in the perfect place to cheer for exactly what they really need without ever even seeing the irony of their words.  That is the power and authority of God seen through a crowd of people who don’t even recognize His hand at work in them.

Do you find it at all ironic that God can be so clearly at work and yet so many people completely miss seeing His influence?  Why is it easy to miss seeing God’s hand in the world?

Third Thought:

I find the juxtaposition of the roles in this section incredibly important.  God teaches us to have certain sanctity of all life.  His people should likewise be about lifting up the sanctity of life.  Yet it is the Jewish crowd that is hysterically shouting for the crucifixion of Jesus. On the other hand, the Roman governors were known for having no compunction for brutality in punishment, especially with the support of the general populace.  However, it is Pilate who stands before the crowd and asks what Jesus has done that He deserves to be crucified.  It is ironic that the person who should love brutality brings the argument of the sanctity of life to a people who should understand that argument but who instead have been lathered up into a blood-seeking mob.  In truth, this causes me to give a fair amount of respect to Pilate.  He could have easily gone along with the crowd and fulfilled their desires.  But instead he boldly stands before them and questions their motives.

What do you think about Pilate as you continue to read this story?  Why is it important to see the juxtaposition of him and the crowd as Matthew relates this story?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:24-26

Matthew 27:15-19

Matthew 27:15-19

And according to the Feast, the governor had been accustomed to set free to the crowd one prisoner – whoever they were desiring.  And they were having at that time a well-known prisoner while being named Barabbas.  Having them be gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you desire that I should release to you all: Barabbas or Jesus the one who is called the Christ?”  For he had known that they handed Him over out of envy.  And while he sat upon the judgment seat his wife sent for him while saying, “Nothing by you and for that righteous one.  For I suffered much today according to a dream because of Him.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

I have always been amused by the name of the prisoner.  Barabbas is a compound name, which means that it is a name made up of two or more words.  In this case, it is made of the word “bar,” which means “son of.”  The other word is a word with which you are likely familiar: “abba.”  “Abba” means “Father.”  So literally, Barabbas is a name that means “Son of the Father.”  We’ll talk about the implications of this name tomorrow – assuming I remember.  For today, though, know that this is another one of those moments where I find the absolute presence of God.  Who else but God could orchestrate a world that has a man whose name means “Son of the Father” be caught and in prison at the exact same time as His own Son is being unjustly killed.  This is not the stuff of coincidence.  This is evidence of the hand of God as He makes it plain to us just how blind human beings are.  But I believe it is also a sign of God’s sense of humor.  Even in the darkest of times, God shows us through an ironic twist of a name that He is still here and in control.

Have you ever seen the mention of Barabbas as evidence of the hand of God?  How does this truly speak to God’s timing and His ability to be genuinely in control of this world – even when it looks like humanity has wrested control out of His hand.

Second Thought:

If we look at Pilate’s action and words in Matthew, we do not see the malicious governor that he is often painted out to be by people who read this story.  Pilate clearly has no love lost between himself and the Jews.  In fact, Pilate purposefully messes with them in this passage!  He intentionally calls Jesus “the one who is called the Christ” just to get under their skin!  Pilate is no puppet of the Jewish leaders – he is being an antagonist to them!  Granted, he is also not exactly helping the case of Jesus, here.  He’s not being an advocate for Jesus, but he is certainly not being an advocate for the Jews, either!  Pilate sees what the Jewish leaders are doing and he mocks them.  He does not respect them and their practices.  He instigates against them because He knows of their jealousy of Jesus!

Do you see Pilate as an enemy of Jesus?  Do you hold Pilate in guilt for shedding the blood of Jesus?  Why do you feel the way that you do about Pilate?  What can this passage teach us about the character of Pilate?

Third Thought:

I also find it interesting to hear the mention of Pilate’s wife in this passage.  Church tradition holds that many years after this event Pilate converted to Christianity because of his wife, who had converted to Christianity before him.  If this is true, then I also have to believe that this event was as prominent in her life as this trial was in the life of Pilate.  Here is a woman who suffers on account of Jesus before she even knows God!  And this leads us to an understanding that suffering can bring about a great result later in life.  This woman suffers for a man of whom she had likely never heard.  That suffering seems to have brought her great distress on that particular day.  But if church tradition is correct, it is highly likely that out of this initial day of suffering God began to work upon her heart and speak into her life.

When has God turned your suffering into something that has drawn you closer to Him?  Are you surprised when God is able to do this in your life or in the lives of others?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:20-23

Matthew 27:11-14

Matthew 27:11-14

And Jesus stood in the presence of the governor.  And the governor questioned Him while saying, “You are the king of the Jews?”  And Jesus was saying, “You say it.”  And in the accusation of Him by the chief priests and elders He did not answer.  At that time, Pilate says to Him, “Do you not hear how much they witness against you?”  And He did not answer Him about even one statement in order for the governor to be exceedingly astonished.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus has no desire to defend Himself.  He has no desire to even put the record straight!  Here is a man bent on God’s will.  Here is a man whose eyes are completely and totally on the eternal and not at all upon the temporal.  Jesus doesn’t need to set the record straight because He knows that the lies against Him can do nothing to harm His status with the Father.  No amount of lies can damage His place at the right hand of God.  In the end, Jesus knows that it is better to be righteous in the eyes of God than to be righteous in the eyes of mankind.

Have you ever gotten caught up in the opinions of the people around you?  Why do human beings occasionally struggle to keep their focus on God and instead place their focus on the temporal?

Second Thought:

Notice that although we don’t hear from the religious leaders in this passage, we do hear evidence of their presence and their continued pursuit of Jesus.  Pilate asks Jesus if He hears how much they say against Him.  The religious leaders have seemingly won the day.  They have arrested Jesus and handed Him over to be crucified.  Yet they continue their rabid pursuit of destroying Jesus.  They continue their fervent destruction of Jesus.  They are not content to win.  They seek the utter and complete destruction of the Son of God.

Why do you think the religious elite pursue Jesus so fervently?  Why do human beings often feel the need to not just win but to utterly and completely destroy those who oppose them?  How does this approach to life – or even an approach to dealing with conflict – oppose a lifestyle of mission and helping people find relationship with God?

Third Thought:

Finally, Pilate is astonished by Jesus’ behavior.  I’m sure that Pilate doesn’t know what to make of Jesus.  Here is a man who has seemingly done nothing wrong.  Here is a man who is not a known criminal and certainly not deserving to die from the Roman perspective.  Yet here is also a man who seems so willing to throw away His life because He will make no defense.  The truth is that often the ways of God and God’s people are confusing to the perspective of the world.  Having an eternal perspective often flabbergasts people who have a perspective on the world.  But this is not always a bad thing.  Challenge can come from these moments.  Change can come from these moments.  We do not know Pilate’s future for certain, but church tradition holds that some time after this moment that even Pilate himself converted to Christianity.  Assuming that to be true, I have to believe that Jesus’ actions here in this part of the story has much to do with Pilate’s decision.

Has it ever been hard for you to be in conflict with the perspective of the world?  Have you ever seen change come from your eternal perspective?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:15-23

Matthew 27:6-10

Matthew 27:6-10

… after throwing the silver into the temple, he went away and he hanged himself.  And after the chief priests took the silver, they said, “It is not authorized for us to put this into the temple treasury since the cost is blood.”  And after taking counsel, out of it they purchased the potter’s field into a burial place for foreigners.  Therefore that field was being called the Field of Blood even up to this day.  At that time that which was being spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was being fulfilled while saying, “And they took thirty pieces of silver – they determined the cost of that which has been determined from the sons of Israel – and they gave it into the potter’s field just as the Lord instructed me.”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Today we pick up the end of Judas’ life.  He hangs himself.  He comes looking for redemption and is turned aside.  He comes looking to make amends and his heart is dismissed.  Unfortunately for Judas, he feels that he has no other recourse than to take his own life.  His guilt is too much to bear alone, and he is spurned by the very people who are supposed to be charged with the spiritual well-being of the people.  I’m not trying to say that Judas isn’t responsible for his decisions – either prior to this act or including this act.  Of course he is absolutely responsible.  But in my eyes this is a sad story.  Here we have a person who legitimately makes a mistake – even a grievous error – but seeks to rectify it and make amends.  Yet he cannot find the forgiveness he needs.  That’s what makes it sad.

How have you ever experienced a lack of forgiveness from others when you genuinely repented and sought out forgiveness?  How have you ever failed to extend forgiveness to those who sought it from you?

Second Thought:

The Jewish religious leaders once more take up counsel to figure out what to do with the money.  Being good law-abiding Jews, they knew that they couldn’t take that money and apply it to the ministry of the temple.  So they did something else constructive with it.  The bought a field so that they would have a place to dispose of non-Jews who died while they were in Jerusalem.  For me, this is yet another piece in the argument against the Jewish leaders.  Once more we see their blind adherence to the Law serve their own purposes and get in the way of actual ministry that could have been done.  Rather than apply money to people in need, they used the money to take care of a very problematic issue for them that was the source of many headaches – that is, how to dispose of a Gentile dead body.

Have you ever been so focused on the letter of what should be done that you’ve missed opportunities for ministry?  How do you know where to find balance between strict pursuit of obedience and flexibility to follow where God is actually leading?

Third Thought:

Thirty pieces of silver.  Exodus 21:32 establishes this as the price for a slave.  Jesus was bought for a slave price.  Judas lost his life for a slave price.  Two lives are lost for simple sum of money.  I find this to be a point worth pondering.  How often are big effects brought about by small amounts that often feel like oversights?  How often do we ignore the small details thinking that they are insignificant yet those very same things turn out to have huge consequences in life?

How many things have you thought that you could ignore only to find them more important than you thought?  How can you avoid this in the future?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:11-14

Matthew 27:1-5

Matthew 27:1-5

And after becoming early in the morning, all of the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus in order to put Him to death.  And after tying Him up they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.  At that time, after Judas – the one who handed Him over – saw that He was being condemned, after feeling regret, he carried the thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders while saying, “I sinned after handing over innocent blood.”  But they said, “What is it to us?  You will see.”  And after throwing the silver into the temple, he went away...    

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In the opening few verses, we really get a sense of the work of the ruling elite.  Of course, at this point in the story I can start to sound like a broken horse.  They want Jesus dead.  They are no longer looking to discern.  They have made up their mind and are simply looking for a way to accomplish their desire.  They hold counsel in order to put Jesus to death.  It’s that simple.  They will take His life.  The course is set.  They have made their decision and will abide by it.

How do you feel about these religious elite?  Why is their mind so firmly set against Jesus?  What is their ultimate error?

Second Thought:

Regarding Judas, I think that these are some of the saddest verses of the Gospel story.  Here Matthew is quite clear that Judas felt regret.  When he saw Jesus being condemned, he sees how badly things have turned out.  In his own way, Judas even tries to undo what has been done by returning the thirty pieces of silver.  These verses read very much like remorse and repentance to me.  These verses are why I don’t honestly believe that Judas is the “betrayer” that everyone likes to speak about.  If Judas was truly angry with Jesus and wanted to see Him get His end, why the remorse once the verdict was handed out?  No, these verses reveal to me a man who is caught off-guard by something that he didn’t expect: a verdict and a death sentence.  When he realized it was all going wrong and Jesus wasn’t going to rise up and defeat the ruling elite as he thought the Messiah should, he knew that he had made a mistake.

Have you ever made a grievous mistake because of an error in judgment?  How does this feel?  Why can there often be a sense of hopelessness following the realization of the mistake?

Third Thought:

I had originally planned to go all the way to verse 10 today.  But as I translated verse 5 I knew that I needed to stop here and look at the response to Judas made by the religious elite.  Judas comes to them to repent and they refuse to even hear him.  They are so convinced in their own correctness that they miss yet another opportunity to see the error in their ways.  Judas figures it out, but they miss it completely!  But what is truly sad about this is that these religious leaders fail Judas.  Judas comes to them broken.  He comes to them contrite.  But they couldn’t care any less.  They have no concern for Judas.  They got their way and are happy.  What is Jesus to them?  What is Judas to them?  They illustrate blatant disregard for life as they bask in the fact that they are winning.  I find this loathsome.  There is never any excuse for ignoring the repentant and remorseful.  Those who come to us in remorse should always have our listening ear.  But Judas is given no listening ear.  He is left to his own defenses – and we’ll read what happens to him tomorrow.  But after seeing the blatant disrespect showed to Judas by these religious elite, I now lay much of the blame for Judas’ following action at the feet of these gloating religious elite.  They should be people charged with caring for the people, not striving to get their own way.

Have you ever seen a religious leader miss an opportunity to extend God’s grace when it was sought?  Have you ever missed an opportunity to extend God’s grace and forgiveness?  How does it feel to look back upon those times?  Where can you find forgiveness from God for even those moments?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:6-10

Matthew 26:69-75

Matthew 26:69-75

And Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard.  And one of the female slaves approached him while saying, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.”  But he denied it before everyone while saying, “I have not known what you say.”  And after going out into the entrance another woman saw him and she says to the ones in that place, “This one was with Jesus of Nazareth.”  And again he denied it with an oath that “I do not know the man.”  And after a small amount of time and after the ones who stood there drew near they said to Peter, “Truly you also are out of them, for your accent also makes you clearly known.”  At that time he began to invoke a divine curse and he made an oath that “I have not known the man.”  And immediately the rooster called out.  And Peter remembered Jesus’ words having been spoken, that “before the rooster is to call out you will deny me three times.”  And after going outside he wept with agony.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

As we look at this passage, let’s remember the bigger picture.  This is a letter being written to other Christians.  But the subject of this particular passage is humiliating to one of the core founders of the church!  If the Bible was written to paint humanity in a good light, this part of the story would have been buried and quickly forgotten.  The fact that this story makes it into the Gospel record simply points us to the fact that painting humanity in a good light isn’t what the Bible is all about.  The Bible is not written so that we as human beings can look back into our history and see all of our successes!  The Bible is written so that we can see who we really are and in our failing we can turn to a perfect God.

How many stories can you think of in the Bible that illustrates human sinfulness?  What does it say about Christianity when we clearly have many examples of the fallen human nature within our holy scriptures?

Second Thought:

Peter denies knowing Christ.  Now, let’s paint this accurately.  Peter doesn’t deny that Jesus is God’s Messiah.  Peter denies that he is associated with Christ.  Of course, this is still bad.  And it is still a lie.  Peter absolutely is looking to save his own skin.  Again, though, this is our nature.  This is why we cannot save ourselves.  We inherently want to save ourselves so much that we are not capable of doing what it takes to honestly save ourselves.  This is why God had to come and die for our sake.  Peter is wrapped up full in his sinfulness.  But even here he is not outside of God’s ability to reach him.  We’ll see that in a few weeks of study.

When have you followed your own desire and denied your nature as a follower of Christ?  why is it good to know that even in these times God can still reach us?

Third Thought:

Peter’s reaction is vitally important to understanding the consequences of this passage.  Once Peter realizes what he has done, he weeps.  He weeps with agony.  He mourns.  He is remorseful.  Once Peter’s sinful nature is exposed to him, he is humbled.  He is not arrogant.  He does not deny what he has done.  He is repentant.  While we should all hope to not deny Jesus and choose our own safety instead of following Him, the truth is that we will occasionally do this very thing.  When we do and it is revealed to us, it is important that we humbly repent.

How do you typically take correction?  Do you believe you can make mistakes?  Why is it important to understand our propensity for mistakes as we try and set ourselves up for a humble response?

Passage for Tomorrow: Matthew 27:1-10