Matthew 26:69-27:2369Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. 1When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 2And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3Then 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, 4Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6And 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. 7And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9Then 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; 10And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. 11And 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. 12And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. 13Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 14And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. 15Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? 18For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. 19When 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. 20But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. 21The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 22Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 23And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. (Matthew 26:69‑27:23)
PETER, who had been so bold in declaring he was ready to go to prison and death with the Lord, now shows what feeble man is even when love is sincere. Before the world the flesh has no power, and poor Peter denies His blessed Master with oaths and curses. Still his heart was true and the Lord had prayed for him that his faith might not fail. The Lord’s look, so full of grace, broke him down and he went out and wept bitterly. But unlike Judas, his was not the sorrow of despair but of repentance, and the blessed effect in his heart was that when he was restored he was able to strengthen his brethren, having learned what human strength is in the things of God.
At the early morning council the Lord was formally condemned to death, after which he was bound and sent to Pilate the Roman governor.
Then we have the sad end of Judas. No doubt he thought Jesus would escape as He had often done so before, but this only made his iniquity the worse. When he saw that the Lord was condemned, he “repented himself,” and in despair brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. What comfort is there in money to one in despair? Still less is there any to be found in Satan who had led him into his awful sin. Nor did he find any sympathy in those religious chiefs, his companions in wickedness, who ought to have led him in the right way.
If the sin of Judas was frightful on the one hand, the cruel heartlessness of the chief priests was as appalling on the other. When the poor wretched Judas confesses to them, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood,” they answer, “What is that to us? see thou to that.” They had gained their end and cared not as to how it affected him. Judas, on receiving their answer, threw down the money in the temple, and in the blackness of despair he went out and hanged himself. Then in the following act of these unscrupulous chiefs we see how that the most outward religiousness and the worst wickedness are found together. They did not scruple to buy the blood of the Son of God for thirty pieces of silver, yet to put that money into the treasury was defiling. So they purchased with it the field in which to bury strangers — Gentiles. They counted themselves, and any Jew, too holy to be profaned by being buried there, yet it was good enough for Gentiles.
Next the Lord stands before Pilate and witnesses a good confession. The governor asks Him, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” The Lord answers, “Thou sayest.” When He is accused by the chief priests and elders He answers nothing — He is still the willing Victim; “as a sheep before her shears is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Isa. 53: 7. Pilate, struck by the moral dignity of the prisoner, marvels at His silence. He could see that it was for envy they had delivered Him up to Him and He seeks to release Him. He takes advantage of a custom whereby he would release one of their prisoners at the passover feast. They had at that time a notable prisoner, Barabbas, who had led an insurrection and was a murderer. Pate asks, which of the two he should release unto them — Barabbas or Jesus? Furthermore Pilate had received a warning from his wife to have nothing to do with that just man, for she had suffered many things in a dream because of Him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the people to ask for Barabbas and to destroy Jesus. It shows how entirely under the power of Satan they were to choose such a notoriously wicked man instead of the Lord of life and glory.
ML-03/10/1963