Matthew – Page 4 – Be Still…

Matthew 27:45-61 – It is Finished

God’s plan is moving along, and Jesus’ life as a man has now ended. The sins of the world were atoned for in this moment. Did any of the details Matthew recalls surprise you? There were a couple for me. I hadn’t recalled the dead being raised and leaving the cemetery. And, I was surprised Matthew didn’t mention Jesus’ mother directly as being present at the cross. She had to have been there, right?

Let’s look a little at the torn veil or curtain in the sanctuary of the temple. This is significant, and we might just miss the beautiful imagery of this moment. Up to this day, the temple had been a hub of gathering for the faithful Jews, where animals were sacrificed, and where worship took place. The laws Moses introduced from God had prescribed how this facility would be used.

Matthew 27:32-44 – The High Road

Read Matthew 27:32-44

Oh the bullying that went on that day! From the over the top arrest, to the laughable trial, to the mockery and treacherous abuse. Now we see people down right bullying Jesus. What does he do? He takes the ‘high road’ and avoids the confrontation. God knows the truth. But oh for the disillusioned people!

Reading about Jesus’ crucifixion always elicits extreme emotion for me. Whether I see it enacted on the screen or simply read the words, I am moved. Many times, I’m moved to weeping. The “ugly cry” you might say. “God love me that much,” I think to myself. How do we respond to a text such as this?

Matthew 27:11-31 – Flogged and Mocked

Read Matthew 27:11-31

These are hard passages to read when you really let the reality of what is happening sink in. Jesus was innocent of any crime deserving the death penalty. Being hailed as “King of the Jews” was the truth. Yet, it was shouted in anger, in disgust, in mockery. They were certainly thinking, if Jesus was truly a king, he would not be in a position such as this.

As a kid growing up, I always thought the bad guy was Pilate. I suppose a Roman governor was considered a “bad guy” by many of the Jews for how he treated them. The Roman rule was oppressive and the people wanted to revolt against him. Yet the Pilate we see in today’s story seemed to have a bit of a conscience.

Matthew 27:1-10 – Remorse or Not?

Read Matthew 27:1-10

In today’s reading we encounter Judas. From the sounds of it, he didn’t know he was setting Jesus up for death. He tried to make it right. When he couldn’t, the torment inside of him was too great. His remorse for giving up an innocent man was too much to bear. Judas took his own life.

Suicide has become very prevalent in our society. We have all been touched in some way by someone’s choice to end their life. It’s a hard thing to reconcile. I’ve lost several people very close to me…way too soon. The reasons vary from individual to individual, but there is always an element of remorse or feelings of inadequacy. Judas tried to make it right. There was no way he was going to hold on to that blood money. His friends would never accept him after what he’d done. Judas didn’t believe there was any other choice, but was there?

Matthew 26:69-75 – Nope, Don’t Know Him

Read Matthew 26:69-75

Have you ever been confronted by someone asking you if you were one of “those” people, meaning Christian? It can be a bit deflating. It can put you on your guard. Why are they asking? But what about Peter? Obviously, he wanted to keep tabs on what was happening with Jesus. He was not far from where Jesus was being questioned. Was he trying to stay incognito? I’d have to say his denials here were pretty strong and convincing.

To say you don’t know the man, and then even welcome a curse if you’re lying seems very extreme. I don’t think Peter was in his right mind. Jesus had predicted it perfectly. At the crow of the rooster, Peter, too, recalled Jesus’ words. Peter also recalled how adamant he had been that he would never do that to Jesus. Now, it had happened. What else can you do when you are so over-wrought? Peter went and wept bitterly, we are told.