Although Judas was remorseful for betraying Jesus, he wasn't repentant. Had he repented, he would not have hung himself. Rather, he would have used the remainder of his life to bear fruit for the glory of God. Keep in mind that it really wasn't Judas alone who was responsible for Jesus' death; it was you and me also. Our sins killed Him. But unlike Judas, we repented and now live for God.
The chief priests and elders wouldn't place Judas' returned money in the Temple treasury because it was unlawful to accept donations that were gained by doing what they had just paid Judas to do! What hypocrisy! More amazingly, after they'd condemned an innocent man---God in the flesh---they wanted to do the right thing before God with the returned betrayal money! So they purchased a potter's field as a place to bury foreigners. In doing so, they unwittingly helped prove that Jesus was indeed the Messiah by fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy that the 30 pieces of silver used to betray the Messiah would be used to purchase a potter's field!
Cowardly Pilate thought he could extricate himself from having to condemn Jesus by offering the Jews a choice of whom he would release---Jesus or a known murderer and insurrectionist named Barabbas. Surely the people, when offered such a choice, would vote for the release of Jesus. To Pilate's horror, however, they shouted for Barabbas' release. I wonder how Barabbas felt as he walked free that day? What a picture of the purpose of Christ's coming in this one incident: Innocent Jesus was condemned, and because of it the guilty one was pardoned. Barabbas represents you and me.
According to John's Gospel, Pilate had Jesus whipped 39 times in hopes of saving Him from crucifixion. Surely after seeing him scourged the Jews would say He had suffered enough. A Roman scourging was sometimes enough to kill its victim, as sharp bone fragments were attached to the ends of the whip's lashes so that the scourging ripped the flesh from its victim. Even after seeing Jesus' lacerated back, however, the mob still demanded his crucifixion.
Had Jesus accepted the wine mingled with gall offered to Him on Golgotha, it would have relieved the pain of the nails ripping through His flesh considerably. He was willing, however, to suffer to the full extent, and He didn't want His senses to be dulled as He endured God's wrath. Amazing love! And how little did His mockers, who shouted, "He saved others; He cannot save Himself" (27:42), realize the accuracy of their words. If Jesus was going to save others, He couldn't save Himself.
Matthew's targeted Jewish readership would have recognized five direct Old Testament references in today's reading, four from Psalm 22 and one from Psalm 69. It had been prophesied that Jesus would be offered wine mixed with gall, that lots would be cast for His clothing, and that He would be mocked by the spectators. Jesus Himself directed the onlookers to His prophetic connection to Psalm 22 when He quoted its first verse: "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
Immediately after Jesus died, the curtain in the temple that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was ripped in half from top to bottom. The significance is obvious. Jesus paved the way for every person to have access to God. Incidentally, the tearing of the temple curtain also proves that Jesus did not continue suffering in hell after His death in order to pay for our redemption there (as some teach). Our sins were paid for in full on the cross. Jesus cried out with His final breath, "It is finished!" (John 19:30), a phrase that can also be translated, "It has been paid in full!" Paul wrote, "He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death" (Col. 1:22).
I'm glad the chief priests and Pharisees decided to make Jesus' grave as secure as possible, because that makes Jesus' resurrection even more believable. The resurrection of Jesus is a well-attested historical fact, and anyone who examines the evidence will have to conclude that Jesus is indeed alive.
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David Servant ( - )
David Servant is the Founder of Heavens Family, helping the least of these world-wide. David Servant has been serving in ministry since 1979 as a church-planter, pastor, teacher and missionary. When David Servant read the results of his high-school vocational aptitude test, he laughed. The results told him that he was best suited for a career in ministry or in entertainment. At the time, David's future goal was to live in a log cabin in the wilderness and live off the land for the rest of his life. The Lord, however, had different plans for David Servant. God didn't intend for him to run away from the world, but rather to play a part in changing the world by building God's kingdom. David received his call to ministry during his (reluctant) freshman year at Penn State, and one year later was enrolled in Bible School.David Servant is the author of eight books, including Forever Rich, and the The Disciple-Making Minister, a 500-page equipping manual that has been translated into more than 20 languages and is being distributed to tens of thousands of pastors.