Matthew 27:24-26 NIV

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Matthew 27:24

(24) He took water, and washed his hands.—The act belonged to an obvious and almost universal symbolism. So in Deuteronomy 21:6 the elders of a city in which an undiscovered murder had been committed were to wash their hands over the sin-offering, and to say, “Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.” (Comp. also Psalms 26:6.) Pilate probably chose it, partly as a relief to his own conscience, partly to appease his wife’s scruples, partly as a last appeal of the most... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Matthew 27:25

(25) His blood be on us, and on our children.—The passionate hate of the people leads them, as if remembering the words of their own Law, to invert the prayer—which Pilate’s act had, it may be, brought to their remembrance—“Lay not innocent blood to Thy people of Israel’s charge” (Deuteronomy 21:8), into a defiant imprecation. No more fearful prayer is recorded in the history of mankind; and a natural feeling has led men to see its fulfilment in the subsequent shame and misery that were for... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Matthew 27:26

(26) When he had scourged Jesus.—The word used by St. Matthew, derived from the Latin flagellum, shows that it was the Roman punishment with knotted thongs of leather (like the Russian “knout” or the English “cat”), not the Jewish beating with rods (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). The pictures of the Stations, so widely used throughout Latin Christendom, have made other nations more familiar with the nature of the punishment than most Englishmen are. The prisoner was stripped sometimes entirely,... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Matthew 27:1-66

Pilate Matthew 27:2 The councils and kings, the orators and lawgivers of Rome, tower out in the backward look of history, when men nearer us in time are lost in the haze. But there is one Roman who shall outlive them all. He held only a petty post in an obscure corner of the Empire, but he sat as judge on Him who shall one day judge the world, and he delivered unto death the Prince of Life. The name of Pontius Pilate, the governor, shall be remembered when every other Roman name may be... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:1-56

Chapter 19The Great Atonement Day - Matthew 26:1-75 - Matthew 27:1-56WE enter now on the story of the last day of the mortal life of our Lord and Saviour. We have already noticed the large proportionate space given to the Passion Week; but still more remarkable is the concentration of interest on the Passion Day. The record of that single day is very nearly one-ninth of the whole book; and a similar proportion is observed by all the four Evangelists. This proportion of space is very striking... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Matthew 27:1-66

CHAPTER 27 1. Delivered unto Pilate.(Matthew 27:1-2 .) 2. The Suicide of Judas.(Matthew 27:3-10 .) 3. Before Pilate. (Matthew 27:11-14 .) 4. The Awful Choice.(Matthew 27:15-26 .) 5. Crowned with Thorns and Crucified.(Matthew 27:27-44 .) 6. The Death of the King. (Matthew 27:45-50 .) 7. The Rent Veil and the Earthquake.(Matthew 27:51-56 .) 8. The Burial. (Matthew 27:57-66 .) In this great chapter we follow the Lamb of God to the cross. What a journey it was! He, who had lived that... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Matthew 27:24

27:24 {4} When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but [that] rather a tumult was made, he took water, and {g} washed [his] hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the {h} blood of this just person: see ye [to it].(4) Christ being acquitted by the testimony of the judge himself is nonetheless condemned by him, in order to acquit us before God.(g) It was a custom in ancient times that when any man was murdered, or there were other slaughters, to wash their hands in water to... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Matthew 27:25

27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, {i} His blood [be] on us, and on our children.(i) If there is any offence committed in slaying him, let us and our posterity suffer for it. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 27:1-66

All night the Lord Jesus had been subjected to the persecution of the Jewish council. Now early in the morning, determined that He might be put to death as soon as possible, they bring Him bound to the Roman governor, Pilate. Roman law did not allow the Jews to pass a death sentence (John 19:6-7), so they were urgent in their demand that Pilate should take this responsibility. It seems that Judas had thought that the Lord would have no difficulty in delivering Himself from the power of the... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Matthew 27:1-66

TRIAL AND CRUCIFIXION This chapter opens with the delivery of Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor (Matthew 27:1-2 ); then follows the account of Judas’ remorse (Matthew 27:3-10 ); Jesus is now questioned by Pilate (Matthew 27:11-14 ); Barabbas is released and Jesus is condemned (Matthew 27:15-26 ); He is crowned with thorns and crucified (Matthew 27:27-44 ); He dies (Matthew 27:45-46 ), and is buried (Matthew 27:57-66 ). The account of Judas’ remorse (Matthew 27:3-10 ) seems to... read more