The morning comes, and the chief priests who took Jesus prisoner move on to the next stage, delivering him to the governor Pontius Pilate (I think there is code in his name, but will pursue later). Judas, seeing all that has happened, repents, and attempts to return the 30 pieces of silver to those that hired him. They refuse, and he throws the silver down and hangs himself. (Now we are down to 11, was this supposed to happen? Remember, Jesus promised the 12 they’d be sitting on each side of him “judging” over the 12 tribes of Israel in the kingdom of Heaven. This story seems to be falling apart the way Jehovah’s covenant did with the earlier 12 tribes of Israel.)
The text and phrasing changes up a bit when Jesus meets with Pontius Pilate, who doesn’t ask him if he is the Son of God, but rather “The king of the Jews” and much like he answered the 1st question to the Pharisees, he answers the 2nd to to Pilate with “Thou sayest.” (27:11) In other words, you said it, not me. Jesus responds with silence from accusations from the chief priests and further questions from Pilate.
Matthew 27:15 – Now at the feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
NOW WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THE GOVERNOR DO THAT?!? That makes no sense. Release a potential criminal, or better yet, rebel or insurrectionist against Rome because of a “custom of a Passover feast”? YEAH, NOT BUYING THE STORY.
Sounds fake, but convenient, right? So (I can’t believe I’m going along with this) Pilate seems to only have TWO prisoners, Barabas and Jesus, and he asks the crowd (seriously?!) which one to release. Apparently because Jesus was captive, Pilate’s own wife was having “dreams” (interesting) because of Jesus. The crowd calls for Barabas to be released. Pilate asks the crowd (seriously?!) what should be done with Jesus, and they demand execution.
Sorry, if someone expect me to believe this is a factual story, I just can’t. Especially when it comes to the Romans and Roman Rule over Judea. The same people that used the coliseum to entertain themselves with lion vs human battles are going to let prisoners free at the behest of a crowd of people who are pretty much in open rebellion against them? NOPE, not buying it.
In an interesting scene, Pilate symbolically washes his hands of the blood about to be spilled, and the crowd demanding Jesus’ execution accept that blood and put it on them and their own children.
Wow, they hated him that bad! They couldn’t just throw him out? Throw him in jail for life? They put the blood of the innocent on them AND their own children? A bit of exaggeration from the New Authors there. They couldn’t wait for their god to exact judgement and punish Jesus?
Barabas is released. Jesus is whipped. He is mockingly dressed with a kingly robe and a crown of thorns to be mocked and beaten as the “king of the Jews.” Conveniently, there just happened to be a CROSS nearby (really??) and Simon of Cyrene was given the task to carry it for Jesus to Golgotha (the place of the skull. Insert intense esoteric symbolism and translation here.)
Jesus is crucified. Whoever was there (c’mon author) split his clothes and cast lots for them. As he was crucified a sign was placed over him that said “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS”. Jesus is crucified between 2 thieves, so now we have THREE crosses.
27:40 – And they that passed reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that destroyeth the temple, and buildest it in 3 days, save thyself…
There’s the 3 pattern, part of what is often called the “triptych enigma”. We had the 3 kings with 3 gifts, the 3 prayers, the cock crowing 3 times, the 3 men on the cross, the 3 parts of God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), 3 days in the belly of a fish, 3 days to resurrect,etc. I’m sure I missed some 3’s but you get the point. I think it has way more meaning than we think.
Darkness falls from the 6th (3 doubled) to the 9th hour (3 tripled.) Jesus calls out to his god “Why hast thou forsaken me?” begins to die. Some believe he is calling out for Elisha and wait to see him appear. One person runs to him to give him vinegar to drink. Jesus cries out one more time and dies. The veil of the temple splits in half, a large earthquake hits, graves were opened, “bodies of the saints that slept arose”, being resurrected and going to the city and appearing to others. Those near, including a centurion, see all that happens and admit to themselves that Jesus was truly the son of God. THREE (3) mothers are there to minister to him. A rich man named Joseph of Arimathaea asked for the body of Jesus, who wrapped it in a clean cloth and placed it in his tomb.
The next day, the chief priests and Pharisees ask Pilate to fasten to stone covering Jesus’ (they call him the “deceiver”) tomb so that it can’t be opened and Jesus promise to return in 3 days fulfilled by his disciples who would steal his body and claim the prophecy true.
Wow, what a chapter!
My Biblical Journey 