KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE || Lesson 31 

KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF LOVE

[With Reference to the Events Concerning Jesus’ “Passion,” note how Jesus’ love is amazingly displayed throughout and therefore ‘stand in awe of God, the Most High.’]

Lesson Thirty-one

At Pilate’s Judgment Hall (Tower of Antonio) – Matthew 27:3-14 (John 18:28-38)

Judas’ End:

Matthew 27:3-10 – ³When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. ⁴“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”

⁵So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

⁶The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” ⁷So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. ⁸That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ⁹Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, ¹⁰and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”

V.9-10 – Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: … – Note: Zechariah 11:12-13 – ¹²I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.

¹³And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”–the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter.

In commenting on Mark 14:10-11, the Halley’s Bible Handbook states: “Jeremiah” (Matthew 27:9-10), is either a copyist’s error or because the whole group of Prophetical books was sometimes called by Jeremiah’s name.

The Matthew Henry’s Commentary states: “The Jews used to say, The spirit of Jeremiah was in Zechariah.”

Note:  Acts 1:15-20 – ¹⁵In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) ¹⁶and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus– ¹⁷he was one of our number and shared in this ministry.”

¹⁸(With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. ¹⁹Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

²⁰“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms, “`May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “`May another take his place of leadership.

V.18 – Judas bought a field – The Easy-to-Read New Testament: His money was used to buy him a field.

Note Matthew 27:6-8 – ⁶The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” ⁷So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. ⁸That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

V.20 – “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the book of Psalms … – Psalm 69:25 – May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.

Psalm 109:8 – May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.

Jesus Before Pilate:

Matthew 27:11-14 – ¹¹Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.

¹²When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. ¹³Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” ¹⁴But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge–to the great amazement of the governor.

V.11 – Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor – Matthew 27:2 – They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.

John 18:28-32 – ²⁸Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. ²⁹So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”

³⁰“If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”

³¹Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

“But we have no right to execute anyone,” the Jews objected. ³²This happened so that the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die would be fulfilled.

V.28 – … they wanted to be able to eat the Passover – Note that the Passover was linked to the Feast of Unleavened Bread which lasted seven days.  See Leviticus 23:4-8.

V.32 – … the words Jesus had spoken indicating the kind of death he was going to die … – In commenting on Mark 9:30-32, the Halley’s Bible handbook states: “He told them five recorded times that He would be Killed and Rise from the Dead:

1st: after Peter’s Confession (Mt 16:21; Mk 8:31; Lk 9:22).

2nd: after Transfiguration (Mt 17:9, 12; Mk 9:9, 12).

3rd: after Healing of the Epileptic (Lk 9:44).

4th: while passing through Galilee (Mt 17:22-23; Mk 9:31).

5th: near Jerusalem (Mt 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-34).”

V.11 (Cont’d.) – And the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” – Note John 18:33-38a – ³³Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

³⁴“Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”

³⁵“Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”

³⁶Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

³⁷“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

³⁸“What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

General Application:  Let us ask the GOD OF LOVE to help us to heed the following.

1 Peter 2:20-23 – ²⁰But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. ²¹To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

²²“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

²³When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

Hebrews 12:3 (AMP) – Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary or exhausted, losing heart and relaxing and fainting in your minds.

(MSG) – When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!