Matthew 27:1-31

When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he regretted what he had done and tried to return the money he had taken. The chief priests and elders didn't want to take it back, so Judas threw it down on the temple floor. He then went and hanged himself. The priests didn't want to put the money in the temple treasury since it was blood money, so instead bought a piece of land that they then used to bury strangers.

Judas realized after the fact that what he had done was wrong. Instead of going before God and asking forgiveness, he tried to assuage his guilt himself by giving back the money. Still consumed by guilt, he took his own life. We can't handle our sins ourselves. Nothing we can do will take away the guilt. God's forgiveness is the only way to be made whole again.


Jesus, having been bound and taken to Pilate, now stood before the governor, who questioned Him. Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews. Jesus affirmed that He was. Then Pilate wanted to know why Jesus did not answer the accusations of the chief priests and elders, but at this, Jesus remained silent. Pilate was amazed at this.

Having found no fault in Him, Pilate tried to think of a way to let Jesus go. He took an opportunity to allow the crowd to effect His release by way of a tradition where the governor would let one prisoner go at the Passover feast. He found the worst prisoner he could - Barabbas - and gave the crowd a choice to release him or Jesus. The crowd, having been influenced by the chief priests and elders called for the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus. When Pilate saw that his plan wasn't working, he gave in to the crowd, but made it clear that he did not want to be held accountable for Jesus' death.

Pilate did what was prudent in his mind, not what was right. He condemned an innocent man to death because it was easier than dealing with people who might have rioted if they hadn't gotten their way. He symbolically washed his hands to remove the guilt from himself in the eyes of the people, but he was still guilty in the eyes of God. Much like Judas, he tried to take care of his own sin, but came up short.


Pilate had Jesus whipped and then handed Him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. They stripped Him of His clothes and put a scarlet robe on Him. Then they put a crown of thorns on His head and a reed in His hand and began mocking Him by bowing down and saying, "Hail to the King of the Jews!" They spat on Him and then took the reed from Him and beat Him with it. Then they put His own clothes back on Him and led Him away to the place of crucifixion.

This is the beginning of the pain and humiliation suffered by our Savior for you and for me. He loved us so much that He was willing to take our punishment of death on Himself so that we could be reconciled to God. When we reject His sacrifice, we essentially say that His suffering was meaningless. If there was another way, Jesus would not have gone through what He did. If as some say, "all roads lead to God," Jesus suffered through all these things needlessly.