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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Matthew 27:23

Matthew 27:23. What evil hath he done? Pilate repeated this question three times, joining with it the proposal to chastise Him and let Him go (Luke 23:22). The only answer is a more excited demand, leading to an uproar. The persistence of Pilate shows his real desire to release Jesus. But the multitude felt that Pilate, by his previous proposal, was committed to a decision against Jesus. Hence a governor, representing the proud Roman power, the nation of legal enactments, was forced to parley with a mob, which at another time he would have crushed with the severest measures. When Christ is to be crucified, no alliance of godless men is impossible, Comp. Luke 23:12.

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See also Matthew 27:23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 27:23. _WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE?_] Pilate plainly saw that there was nothing laid to his charge for which, consistently with the Roman laws, he could condemn him. _BUT THEY CRIED OUT TH...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    See also the parallel places in Mark 15:6; Luke 23:17; John 18:39. Matthew 27:15...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 27 1. Delivered unto Pilate.(Matthew 27:1 .) 2. The Suicide of Judas.(Matthew 27:3 .) 3. Before Pilate. (Matthew 27:11 .) 4. The Awful Choice....

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JESUS BEFORE PILATE (Mark 15:1 *, Luke 23:1; Luke 23:18). Mt. follows Mk. closely, but has an additional source of information on which he draws for Pilate's wife's dream and Pilate's handwashing. Thi...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE MAN WHO SENTENCED JESUS TO DEATH (Matthew 27:1-2 ; Matthew 27:11-26)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    EVIL. Greek. _kakos._ App-128. CRIED. kept crying...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The Trial before Pontius Pilate St Mark 15:2-15; St Luke 23:2-7; Luke 23:13-24; St John 18:29 to...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE TRIAL BEFORE PONTIUS PILATE St Mark 15:2-15; St Luke 23:2-5; Luke 23:13-24; St John 18:29 to...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΟἹ ΔῈ ΠΕΡΙΣΣΩ͂Σ Κ.Τ.Λ. There is no further question even of a show of legality or justice: the traditional clemency is quite forgotten; the fanatical crowd, pressing round the doors of the Prætorium,...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 15. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. 16. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. 17. Therefore when they were gathered...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JESUS WAS SENTENCED TO DEATH BY PILATE MATTHEW 27:11-26:_ Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus did not reply to the false charges made by the chief priests and elders. This cause...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΈΠΟΊΗΣΕΝ _aor. ind. act. от_ ΠΟΙΈΩ делать. ΈΚΡΑΖΟΝ _impf. ind. act. от_ ΚΡΆΖΩ (G2896) кричать; _impf._ указывает на длительность действия. Толпа требовала распятия, потому что смерть через повешение н...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WHY, WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE?— So bent were the chief-priests and elders to have Jesus put to death, that though the governor urged them again and again to desire his release, declaring his innocence,...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    SECTION 73 JESUS IS TRIED BY PILATE, CONDEMNED AND SCOURGED (Parallels: Mark 15:2-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28 to John 19:16) TEXT: 27:

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    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. For the exposition, see the notes at Luke 23:1, and at...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    TRIAL BEFORE PILATE] (Mark 15:2; Luke 23:1; Luke 23:13; John 18:28 to John 19:16)

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BEFORE PILATE. THE CRUCIFIXION 1, 2. Jesus delivered to Pilate (Mark 15:1; Luke 23:1; John 18:28 : see on Jn)....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 27 JUDAS KILLS HIMSELF 27:1-10 V1 It was very early in the morning. All the chief *priests and the other leaders decided that Jesus...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHY, WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE? — The question attested the judge’s conviction of the innocence of the accused, but it attested also the cowardice of the judge. He was startled at the passionate malignit...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Chapter 19 The Great Atonement Day - Matthew 26:1 - Matthew 27:1 WE enter now on the story of the last day of the mortal life of our Lord and Saviour. We have already noticed the large proportionate...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    τί γὰρ κακὸν : elliptical, implying unwillingness to carry out the popular will. (Fritzsche, Grotius.) Some, Palairet, Raphel, etc., take γὰρ as redundant. περισσῶς ἔκραζον, they kept crying out more...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Jesus before Pilate_ (Mark 15:2-15; Luke 23:2-7; Luke 23:13-25)....

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Result of the appeal to the people_....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE STAIN WATER COULD NOT WASH AWAY Matthew 27:22-31 No judge ought to have asked the crowd what he should do. But every man has to do with Christ. He is ever standing before the bar of conscience, a...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The morning saw the plot hatched in the night carried into effect. This is chronicled in the first two verses of the chapter. The picture of Judas in his remorse is very terrible. Pilate stands out as...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    PILATE SEEKS TO RELEASE HIM IN LIEU OF BARABBAS Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; John 18:39-40; Luke 23:13-25. “ An

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    "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. (12) And when he was accused of the chief priests and eld...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We now enter on the Lord's final presentation of Himself to Jerusalem, traced, however, from Jericho; that is, from the city which had once been the stronghold of the power of the Canaanite. The Lord...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    After this (chapter 27), the unhappy priests and heads of the people deliver up their Messiah to the Gentiles, as He had told His disciples. Judas, in despair under Satan's power, hangs himself, havin...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE GOVERNOR SAID, WHY, WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE?.... What reason can be given, why he should be crucified? what sin has he committed, that deserves such a death? From whence it is clear, that of al...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. Ver. 23. _Why? What evil hath he done?_] Why? but if he have done no evil, wherefore dot...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The governor said, Why? what evil hath he done?_ A proper question to be asked before we censure any in common discourse, much more for a judge to ask, before he pass a sentence of death. It is much...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    AND THE GOVERNOR SAID, WHY, WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE? BUT THEY CRIED OUT THE MORE, SAYING, LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED. The fact that Pilate had placed Jesus on a level with Barabbas had been a concession to t...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The progress of the trial:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    All night the Lord Jesus had been subjected to the persecution of the Jewish council. Now early in the morning, determined that He might be put to death as soon as possible, they bring Him bound to th...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    11-25 Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Ver. 21-23. Mark hath the same, MARK 15:12. So also Luke saith, LUKE 23:20, Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he sa...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 27:23 Then G1161 governor G2232 said G5346 (G5713) Why G1063 what G5101 evil G2556 done G4160 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they cried out exceedingly, saying, “Let him be crucified.” ' Pilate protested Jesus' innocence, but that was enough to guarantee that they would have...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    PILATE TRIES THE WAY OF COMPROMISE AND ENDS UP HAVING TO GIVE WAY BY WASHING HIS HANDS OF THE WHOLE SITUATION IN DECLARATION OF JESUS' INNOCENCE (27:15-26). Matthew now confirms that the Chief Priests...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CHIEF PRIEST AND ELDERS BRING ABOUT THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS BY MANIPULATION: THE REMORSE OF JUDAS AND THE TRIAL OF JESUS BEFORE PILATE (27:1-26). In this new subsection Matthew lays great stress...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    WHY, WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE? (τ γαρ κακον εποιησεν;). This was a feeble protest by a flickering conscience. Pilate descended to that level of arguing with the mob now inflamed with passion for the b...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Our Lord was brought before the Roman governor Pilate. He was anxious to let Jesus go; but he was a weak-minded man, easily swayed by the noisy cry of the people, prompted by the chief priests and eld...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    We are now to read about our Lord before Pontius Pilate. Matthew 27:15. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable pri...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Jesus delivered to Pilate. Judas' remorse. Barabbas released in Jesus' place. The crucifixion of Christ. The entombment and sealing of the tomb. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Pilate, Judas, Jerem...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The redemption of man is comprised in many scenes. The last supper of our Lord his agony in the garden, for there man first offended the treason of Judas the apprehension of Christ his appearance befo...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    WHAT CRIME HAS HE COMMITTED? Pilate struggles between his sense of justice and his fear of the Jews. He repeats the question three times, and offers to have Jesus whipped and set free (Luke 23:22). Bu...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _They said, Barabbas _ THE CHOICE-BARABBAS OR JESUS The same choice continues still. All, throughout the whole world, is one choice between God and Satan, Christ and Barabbas. We know not, indeed, w...

  • The Gospels Compared

    PILATE HANDS JESUS OVER TO BE CRUCIFIED MATTHEW 27:15-26; MARK 15:6-15; LUKE 23:13-25; JOHN 18:38-40...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    1-66 CHAPTER 27 Ver. 1. _But when the morning was come_ (Syr. _when it was dawn_), _all the chief priests_, &c. "See here," says S. Jerome, "the eagerness of the Priests for evil," _their feet were s...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 27:11. TIE GOVERNOR ASKED HIM.—Pilate, true to the Roman sense of justice, refused merely to confirm the sentence of the Sanhedrin (_Carr_). Matthew 27:16. BARABBAS.—“Son of...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 27:1, MATTHEW 27:2 _Jesus brought to Pilate. _(Mark 15:1; Luke 2

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    This time shall we turn in our Bibles to Matthew's gospel chapter twenty-seven? In the twenty-sixth chapter we left Jesus before the high priest, the Sanhedrin, and Peter had just outside of this grou...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 19:3; 1 Samuel 20:31; 1 Samuel 22:14; Acts 17:5; Acts

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Old Testament