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Matthew 27:11-26

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11Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” 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.

15Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.

16At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas.

17So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?”

18For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him.

19While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.”

20But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.

21“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered.

22“What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!”

23“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

24When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!”

25All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!”

26Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

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1)       Who was Pilate?

o   Pilate was the governor of the Roman province of Judea.

 

2)       Why did the Jewish religious leaders hand Jesus over to Pilate, given that only the Roman governor had the right to execute anyone?

o   The Jewish religious leaders wanted Pilate to have Jesus executed.

 

3)       Why did Pilate ask Jesus whether he is the king of the Jews, given that the idea did not come from Pilate himself?

o   The chief priests accused Jesus of claiming to be the king of the Jews.

 

4)       Why did the chief priests accuse Jesus of claiming to be the king of the Jews, given that they wanted Pilate to have Jesus executed and that anyone who claimed to be a king opposed Caesar?

o   The chief priests were compelling Pilate to have Jesus executed.

 

5)       According to verse 11 how did Jesus respond to Pilate when Pilate asked him if he was the king of the Jews?

o   Jesus confirmed it.

 

6)       According to verse 12 how did Jesus respond to the accusation of the chief priests and the elders?

o   Jesus gave no answer.

 

7)       According to verse 13 what was Pilate trying to do?

o   He was prompting Jesus to answer the accusation of

§  The chief priests.

§  And the elders.

 

8)       According to verse 14 why was Pilate amazed?

o   He was amazed.

o   Because

o   Jesus did not answer any of the chief priests’ accusations.

o   Not even after

o   He prompted Jesus to answer them.

 

9)       According to verse 15 what was the governor’s custom at the festival?

o   It was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd.

 

10)   In accordance with verses 17 and 18 between Barabbas and Jesus whom did Pilate prefer to release and why?

o   Pilate preferred to release Jesus.

o   Because

o   He knew that it was out of self-interest.

o   That

o   The chief priests had handed Jesus over to him.

 

11)   According to verse 19 what was the message Pilate’s wife sent him?

o   Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man.

o   For

o   I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.

 

12)   In accordance with verses 20 to 22 between Barabbas and Jesus whom did the crowd prefer to have released and why?

o   The crowd asked

§  For Barabbas to be released.

§  And for Jesus to be crucified.

o   Because the chief priests persuaded them to.

 

13)   According to verse 23 how did Pilate voice his concern that Jesus is innocent when the crowd demanded to have him crucified?

o   “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate..

 

14)   According to verse 23 how did the crowd respond to Pilate’s expressed concern of Jesus’ innocence?

o   They shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”

 

15)   According to verse 24 was Pilate more interested in defending the innocent or satisfying the crowd?

o   He was more interested in satisfying the crowd.

 

16)   According to verse 24 how did Pilate absolve himself of the execution of Jesus?

o   He

§  Took water.

§  Washed his hands in front of the crowd.

§  And said

Ø  That he was innocent of the man’s blood. 

Ø  And that it was their responsibility.

 

17)   According to verse 25 how did all the people respond to Pilate’s absolution of himself from the execution of Jesus?

o   They answered, “His blood is

§  On us.

§  And on our children!”

 

18)   According to verse 26 what Pilate do next?

o   He

§  Released Barabbas to them.

§  Had Jesus flogged.

§  And handed him over to be crucified.

 

19)   Why was Jesus flogged before he was crucified?

o   Flogging was routinely done prior to every Roman execution.

 

20)   How was flogging done?

o   Flogging was done with a whip with

§  A short handle.

§  And several long leather thongs in which

Ø  Small iron balls. 

Ø  Or sharp pieces of animal bones.

§  Were tied at intervals.

 

21)   What did flogging do to Jesus, given that the lacerations from the flogging would tear into his skeletal muscles that had lots of blood vessels?

o   Jesus lost significant amounts of blood.

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Matthew 27:11-26

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