Matthew 27:1-26

Matthew 27:1-26 NIV

Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “Thatʼs your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potterʼs field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potterʼs field, as the Lord commanded me.”

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, “Donʼt 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 governorʼs custom at the 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 judgeʼs seat, his wife sent him this message: “Donʼt 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 that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this manʼs blood,” he said. “It is 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.

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The Sanhedrin decided Jesus of Nazareth must die for what they considered blasphemy. Jesus had admitted that He was indeed God's messiah, the One anointed with divine authority to rule over Israel in a kingdom that has no end. So offended were they by the idea that a simple Galilean would be the Christ that they tore their robes. They hit Jesus and spit in His face, bound Him and took Jesus to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.

Judas witnessed this travesty and was sickened at the thought. He was responsible for handing an innocent man over to die. Judas returned the 30 pieces of silver paid to him by throwing it on the temple floor. Then he hung himself in despair and utter shame.

The priests told Judas that the death of an innocent man was no concern of theirs. It was Judas' responsibility. The actual phrase translated in the NIV as "That's your responsibility" is literally "See to it yourself".

To see to it is to perceive with your eyes and/or your mind. It's not simply to assume responsibility, but to understand your part. This same phrase is used by Pilate when he washed his hands, claiming no responsibility for Jesus' death. Pilate's wife warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus, for she'd had a nightmare about Jesus.

We can't miss the irony implied by the use of this phrase. In fact irony is all over this narrative. Judas is paid slave's redemption price, 30 pieces of silver. Jesus' blood is the redemption price, so to speak, to atone for the sin of the world.

Jesus is held prisoner along with another, Jesus Barabbas. The name Barabbas means "son of father" or "son of Abba". Do you see the irony there? The Son of The Father is on trial for His life along with the son of Abba. Abba is a term of endearment for God the Father. More than that, I think Barabbas is a play on words. The teachers of the law were called rabbi, which means teacher or master. Some teachers even went by the title of "Father". Is Matthew playfully saying Barrabas is akin to the teachers of the law? Barrabas is described as notorious. Popularly he was known as a criminal, perhaps a thief or murderer. The religious leaders are determined to kill Jesus of Nazareth. They heard from Judas that He is innocent, yet they were not concerned.

Pilate offers to release Jesus, son of Abba, or Jesus the messiah. The crowd, urged on by the priests, called for the release of Barrabas. When they did, Pilate told them to "See to it yourself". They answered, "His blood be upon us and our children". Again, such irony! For Jesus' blood is the atoning sacrifice for their, and our, sins. His blood is on them. Not only are they, and we, responsible for His death, but they, and we, are recipients of God's mercy through Jesus' blood.

The greatest of all ironies is that the priests, Pilate and the crowd think they are choosing the fate of Jesus, whom they believe to be a heretic and an impostor, but in reality God has willed these events to unfold. Underneath the narrative is the great irony: God is in control of what's happening for the benefit of a bunch of murderers!

Ray Boltz, a Christian singer, recorded a song called The Hammer, in which he described how we are responsible for the nails driven into the flesh of Jesus as He died upon the cross.

Here's the chorus.

And I cried
Who nailed Him there
This Child of peace and mercy
Who nailed Him there
Come and face me like a man
Who nailed Him there
And the crowd began to mock me
I cried Oh my God I just don’t understand
Then I turned and saw the hammer
In my hand!

I'm a murderer. I am responsible for the death of an innocent man. My sin is the reason Jesus bled and died upon the cross. I see it. I see it with my eyes and my mind. I see to it myself. And I am forever indebted to Him.