Audio Download

Matthew 27:1–31 Jesus Appears Before Pilate

[Study Aired December 15, 2025]

Today’s study is about the purposeful suffering of Christ, emphasizing Judas hanging himself, our Lord Jesus’ trial before Pilate, the crowd choosing Barabbas, Jesus being delivered by Pilates to the Jews to be crucified and finally, the soldiers mocking Him.

Jesus Delivered to Pilate

Mat 27:1  When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 
Mat 27:2  And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 

Before Jesus was delivered to Pilate, the chief priest, together with the elders of the people, had condemned Jesus to death. However, they could not proceed to kill Him. This was because prior to this event, the Romans had taken from the Jews the power of capital punishment, and therefore they could not put to death any man. That was why the Jews had to deliver Jesus to Pilate so that he might execute the sentence they had passed upon him. It is insightful to note that delivering Jesus to Pontius Pilate, who represents the Gentiles, is to make both the Jews and the Gentiles responsible for the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, the whole of humanity, including you and I, are responsible for the death of Christ.     

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 

As we can see, Judah at this time of history was being ruled by Rome with Pilate as the Roman governor of Judea. According to Jacob’s prophesy to His son Judah, when the scepter, a symbol of rulership, has departed from Judah, then it means that Shiloh must come. 

Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.  

According to Strong, Shiloh is an attribute of a person and comes from tranquil which means free from disturbance or calm. This implies that Shiloh here represents Christ, the prince of peace. Thus, the rulership having departed from Judah means that the time of Christ has come. However, the leaders of the church system of Jesus’ day, together with the people, were not given to know that Christ has come. The same is happening today. Christ has come to us in the spirit bringing peace, and therefore we represent Christ here on earth. However, the church system of this world or Babylon has no clue of this as they mistreat us, not knowing that they are mistreating Christ, just as the church leaders and the people in Jesus’ day mistreated Him. 

2Co 2:14  Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 
2Co 2:15  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 

Judas Hangs Himself

Mat 27:3  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 
Mat 27:4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 
Mat 27:5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 

Here we are told that Judas repented of himself when he realized that Jesus had been condemned to die. Judas hanging himself show us that he had no place of repentance because true repentance results in bringing forth fruit worthy of repentance. It is not enough to realize that we have sinned. We must go the extra step of doing what is consistent with our repentance. The fact that he killed himself means that he did not bring forth the fruit commensurate with his repentance and therefore found no place of repentance. 

Luk 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 

Heb 12:15  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 
Heb 12:16  Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 
Heb 12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

When he regretted his actions, Judas brought back the thirty pieces of silver that Judas sold Jesus for to the chief priests and elders. The number thirty signifies our reward of rulership when the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ.

Gen 41:46  And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt. 

2Sa 5:4  David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.  

What this means is that Judas rejected the reward of rulership because of the love of money which is the root of all evil. 

Rev 3:11  Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown (rulership). 

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

It is also worth noting that when Judas confessed that he had sinned and betrayed an innocent man, the response of the chief priests and elders was that it meant nothing to them (verse 4). This implies that their conscience was seared with a hot iron. A person with conscience seared with a hot iron is a state where a person’s inner moral compass (conscience) becomes numb, insensitive, and unresponsive to right and wrong due to habitual sin and deception. This was the state of the leaders of the church system in Jesus’ time, and it applies to the leaders and the adherents of the church system of this world (Babylon) today. We also had our conscience seared with hot iron at a certain stage of our walk with Christ, when we were in the church system of this world, until the Lord had mercy on us.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

These verses in Timothy show us how we come to this state of having our conscience seared with a hot iron. It is when we give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of the devil that our conscience are gradually seared. 

Mat 27:6  And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 
Mat 27:7  And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 
Mat 27:8  Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 

It is important to note that the price of thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas denotes the price paid for the hire of a whore, and is also equivalent to the price of a dog. It is therefore against the word of the Lord to bring the price of a dog into the house of God.

Deu 23:18  Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God. 

The silver pieces represent the price of blood. The question is, “What is the price of blood?” When Jesus was praying in Gethsemane, His sweat became like great drops of blood. Thus, the price of blood represents our labor or sweat in this life. 

Luk 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 

The treasury is a special place of the Jerusalem Temple where worshipers deposited various offerings. We know that the temple is our body, and therefore, it is in our hearts and minds that we have the treasury. This implies that the chief priests saying that it is not lawful to put into the treasury the money representing Jesus’ betrayal because it is the price of blood signifies that we should not labor for food or the things of this world which perishes. 

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. 

It is important to note in verses 7 and 8 that the chief priests took the money left by Judas and bought the potter’s field to bury strangers. The strangers here are those who are not Jews. We know that we are the spiritual Jews and not those who are physical descendants of Abraham. Therefore, strangers are all those who are not the Lord’s elect. 

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. 

Verses 7 and 8 therefore show us that the leaders of the church system of this world use the resources or the labor of their adherents, to make them spiritually dead. Making our brothers and sisters in Babylon spiritually dead is through false doctrines. 

2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity (false doctrines), they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 

2Pe 2:19  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 
2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 
2Pe 2:21  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. 
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 

Mat 27:9  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 
Mat 27:10  And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me. 

We can see from these verses that it is the Lord who has appointed that the labor or resources of our brothers and sisters in Babylon be used to make them blind. 

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 

Jesus Before Pilate

Mat 27:11  And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. 
Mat 27:12  And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 
Mat 27:13  Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 
Mat 27:14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. 

It is instructive to know that when Jesus was asked whether He is the King of the Jews, he witnessed a good confession and was not ashamed to own himself a king. Being king of the Jews means that He is the Lord of His elect in this age, since we are the spiritual Jews. In the fullness of time, when the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, His lordship over the whole of humanity shall be made known.  

Psa 24:1  A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 

On the other hand, Jesus did not respond to the false accusations of the chief priests and the elders. This was to fulfill what was written about Him regarding the fact that He did not open His mouth, just like a lamb which does not open its mouth when being led to the slaughter. 

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 

We must note that the Lord’s will was to do the will of His Father, and His Father’s will was for Jesus to be willing to be sacrificed as a lamb for the sin of this world. This means that He could not complain or talk back to His accusers to exonerate himself, irrespective of their false accusations. 

Joh 6:38  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 
Joh 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.  

The Crowd Chooses Barabbas

Mat 27:15  Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 
Mat 27:16  And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 
Mat 27:17  Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 
Mat 27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

According to the custom of the Roman governors, for the honoring of the Jews and to grace the feast of the Passover, a prisoner is released. This custom actually was an obstruction of justice as it encourages wickedness as we see many of our customs of this world not aligning with the word of the Lord. Barabbas was a hardened criminal of which the people were aware.  

Luk 23:18  And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: 
Luk 23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) 

Jer 10:3  For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

Pilate thought that his proposal would cause the release of Jesus as he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests wanted Him killed, and that it was not Jesus’ guilt, but His goodness, which they were provoked at. 

Mat 27:19  When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. 

Pilate’s wife’s assertion that Jesus was a just man is to affirm the fact that Jesus was the lamb without blemish and without spot, who was offered for our sins.

1Pe 1:19  But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 
1Pe 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 

It was through a dream that Pilate’s wife came to know that Jesus was a just man. Throughout the Bible, we can see that the Lord uses dreams as a form of communication to the people of this world including our brothers and sisters in Babylon and also to His elect, especially in our immature state. Knowing the Lord through His words is a mature way the Lord communicates with us, His elect. 

Jer 23:27  Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. 
Jer 23:28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. 

The verses above show us that many are deceived by dreams. Does it mean that every dream is about the Lord speaking to us? The answer is no. This is because the Lord has indicated that our dreams are sometimes the result of the multitude of business. 

Ecc 5:3  For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

What we need to know about dreams is that there is the need for it to be interpreted, and when we know the word of the Lord and their spiritual significance, it becomes easier to interpret dreams.  

Dan 4:6  Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of the dream.

Mat 27:20  But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
Mat 27:21  The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 
Mat 27:22  Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 
Mat 27:23  And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

The chief priests and the elders influencing the people to vote for the release of Barabbas signifies that it is the leaders of the church system of this world who cause our brothers and sisters in Babylon to err. 

Isa 59:14  And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. 
Isa 59:15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. 

Isa 5:7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. 

Isa 5:13  Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. 

Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

Mat 27:24  When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. 
Mat 27:25  Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. 
Mat 27:26  Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. 

Pilate confessing that he was innocent of the blood of Jesus is to highlight Jesus, the lamb without spot or wrinkle which was sacrificed for our sins. Pilate washing his hands before the people to signify his innocence of the blood of Christ does not absolve him from being a partaker of the killing of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was because he had the authority to release Jesus but wanted to please the Jews. Of course, Jesus must be put to death as atonement for our sins, but woe to those who were directly involved in His death. Spiritually, when we cause our brothers and sisters to stumble in their walk with the Lord, we are putting Jesus to death. 

Luk 17:1  Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 
Luk 17:2 It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 

Isa 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 
Isa 53:4  Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

The response of the people that the blood of Jesus be on them and their children is true in every generation. This makes every man or woman in every generation responsible for the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Luk 11:49  Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 
Luk 11:50  That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 
Luk 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

Jesus Is Mocked

Mat 27:27  Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 
Mat 27:28  And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 
Mat 27:29  And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 
Mat 27:30  And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 
Mat 27:31  And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. 

Jesus went through a lot for our sake. What helped Him to go through this suffering was His focus on the reward that was set before Him. As He is, so are we. We must also be motivated by the joy that is set before us to be able to endure the present suffering. 

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 
Heb 12:4  Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 
Heb 12:5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 
Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 
Heb 12:7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 
Heb 12:8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 
Heb 12:9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 
Heb 12:10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 

May His Name be Praised for His Wonderful Plan of Salvation, Amen!!