21:13 den of robbers. Cf. Jer 7:11. Could mean a place for Jewish freedom fighters to hide out. robbers. Translates the same word (lēstēs) that is rendered one “leading a rebellion” in 26:55.

21:14 Jesus wants all people—the sick, injured, and even little children—to be able to praise God freely, as in Ps 8:2 (see the Septuagint, the pre-Christian Greek translation of the OT), and be healed.

21:17 Bethany. Just slightly farther down the road from Bethphage (see note on v. 1), away from Jerusalem.

21:18–22 Jesus appears to work this rare miracle of destruction solely because he was hungry and the tree had no fruit. Mark 11:13 explains that “it was not the season for figs,” suggesting we should look for a less obvious explanation of the action. Sitting under one’s own fig tree became a common OT image of the Israelite enjoying freedom and prosperity in the land (e.g., 1 Kgs 4:25; 2 Kgs 18:31; Isa 36:16; Mic 4:4; Zech 3:10). In this context of judgment on Israel, the “withered” fig tree most likely stands for the nation’s coming destruction. Mark 11:12–14, 20–25 spreads the action over a two-day period, but even if the fig tree did not shrivel up the instant Jesus cursed it (Matt 21:19), a tree withering that quickly could still be said to have withered “immediately.”

21:21 this mountain. Refers either to the Mount of Olives or to Mount Zion (the temple mount), depending on where Jesus was on the road between Bethany and Jerusalem. If he is pointing to the Mount of Olives, he may have Zech 14:4 in mind, in which the Messiah stands on the mountain and it splits in two. If, as may be more likely, he is pointing to the temple mount, then he is anticipating the destruction of the temple and its sacrificial system.

21:22 whatever you ask for in prayer. Must be understood in context. Jesus is not offering a “blank check” for those with enough faith but is promising that those with faith will see the end of this age and the coming of the next one.

21:23–27 The temple authorities (see note on 16:21) would naturally ask Jesus by what authority he had initiated such a demonstration in Jerusalem. In good rabbinic fashion, he counters their question with another. Recognizing the popularity of John the Baptist with the people in general, Jesus ties his origin to John’s. But the authorities recognize his ploy and refuse to answer Jesus’ question, pretending not to know. So Jesus refuses to answer them.

21:28–32 The Parable of the Two Sons. This little parable resembles the lost son (Luke 15:11–32) in miniature. One son starts out refusing to obey his father and go to work for him but finally complies. The other one says he will work but does not. Only the first son actually “did what his father wanted” (Matt 21:31). Performance takes priority over promise. The “tax collectors” (v. 31; see notes on 9:9, 11) and “prostitutes” (v. 31) are like the first son; the temple authorities (v. 23) were like the second. The phrase “entering the kingdom of God ahead of you” (v. 31) leaves the door open for these religious leaders to come in, but at this point in Matthew’s account they remain outside.

21:33–46 The Parable of the Tenants. Now Jesus likens the Jewish leaders listening to him to tenants of a vineyard who refuse to give the landowner “his share of the crop at harvest time” (v. 41). Christ promises to replace them with “a people who will produce its fruit” (v. 43): Jewish and Gentile followers of Jesus alike.

21:33 These are realistic details of a first-century vineyard. They also allude to Isa 5:1–7, a prophecy of judgment against the Israelites, and perhaps to Ps 80:8–16.

21:34–39 The details become increasingly unrealistic as the parable progresses. On the symbolic level, the parable refers to the way the Israelites often treated God’s “servants” (the prophets), culminating in their execution of God’s very “son” (Jesus).

21:40–46 Just as a vineyard owner would replace the wicked tenants with faithful ones, God will replace the Jewish leaders with obedient followers, which for Matthew means all disciples of Jesus. Jesus quotes Ps 118:22–23, understood as Messianic prophecy in at least some Jewish circles, to bolster his claim.

21:42 cornerstone. Could also be a capstone. Both options seem to be in view in v. 44, because it is both a stone one can trip over and a stone that can fall on top of a person.

22:1–14 The Parable of the Wedding Banquet. If the parable of the two sons (21:28–32) indicts the Jewish leaders and the parable of the wicked tenants (21:33–44) announces their sentence, then this parable depicts their (spiritual) demise. For a similar parable, see Luke 14:16–24.

22:2–3 Much like a “save the date” wedding invitation, ancient Israelites told invitees the date of the wedding months in advance. The invitees had few legitimate excuses, then, for refusing to attend when that day arrived. The rich and powerful in the country would be the most likely invitees to a prince’s wedding festivities.

22:4–6 The banquet is ready with the finest fare an ancient king could offer. A second summons could scarcely be ignored. But these invitees prove at best extraordinarily rude and at worst murderous. By acting the way they do, they are essentially rejecting the king’s rule.

22:7–10 The insurrection must be squelched, and the king does so violently. But the party must go on, so he orders his servants to fill the wedding hall with whomever they can find, even with the riff-raff off the streets. Some have thought that these verses predict the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, but it was primarily the temple that was burned then, not the entire city. More likely these verses anticipate the fire of final judgment (cf., e.g., Amos 1:2, 7, 12; 2:2, 5).

22:11–13 Perhaps the new guests are given time to go home and put on the proper clothes. Perhaps the king has the appropriate wedding attire to loan to those who cannot supply their own. At any rate, the speechless response of the man without the wedding garment suggests he knows he has no excuses. Not only overt rejection but also refusing to come to the banquet in the appropriate way excludes a person from the festivity. One must enter God’s kingdom on his terms rather than ours.

22:14 invited. Can also be “called,” but not in the sense Paul will later use it (e.g., Rom 8:29–30). Jesus’ call here can obviously be rejected. chosen. In this context refers to those who accept and do so on God’s terms.

22:15–48 Three more groups of questioners try to trap Jesus in his words (vv. 15–40), but he turns the tables on them (vv. 41–46). The use of the Greek word for “test/trap/tempt” suggests a link with Satan.

22:15–22 Pharisees objected to paying taxes to Rome. Herodians, who were supporters of the line of Herods Rome had installed as client kings in Israel, supported paying them. However Jesus answered their question, one of these groups would be upset. The preface to their question (v. 16) was simply an attempt to curry favor. Jews paid the imperial tax to Rome as well as their own tithes and temple tax. Jesus’ reply “amazed” them (v. 22) as he declared, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (v. 21). While some think that Jesus was prohibiting any form of tribute to the state because ultimately nothing belonged to the emperor but everything belongs to God, this would have meant he sided entirely with the Pharisees. More probably, Jesus was endorsing support of the state as part of obedience to God (cf. Rom 13:1). But if the two conflict, God’s will always supersedes the demands of human authorities (Acts 5:29).

22:23–33 Sadducees were the one group of Jews who did not believe in bodily resurrection, just immortality of the soul, because they thought doctrine had to come from the law (Genesis–Deuteronomy). They mock the very concept of bodily resurrection with the extreme example of a woman who had seven husbands, all brothers, because none had fulfilled the intention of the levirate laws by which a childless widow would marry a brother of the deceased to raise up children and preserve the family line (Deut 25:5–10). To whom would she be married in the age to come? Jesus replies with two points: (1) The example is baseless because people will not be married in heaven. Presumably this renders sexual and family relationships obsolete because all God’s people will enjoy perfect fellowship with each other. (2) Support for resurrection from the law comes from Exod 3:6, 15–16. If God in the time of Moses speaks of himself as the God of the patriarchs, they must be alive, because “he is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matt 22:31).

22:34–40 The final questioner, an expert in the law, naturally asks what the most important commandment is. Jesus replies with the double love command, which encapsulates the entire Hebrew Bible (“all the Law and the Prophets,” v. 40). Loving God with every aspect of one’s being (Deut 6:5) and loving one’s neighbor as oneself (Lev 19:18) forms the very core of Christian ethics.

22:41–46 Having silenced his opponents, Jesus now poses a question himself: Whose son is the Messiah? In Ps 110:1, David, the king and highest human authority in Israel, speaking under inspiration, declares, “The LORD says to my lord.” The first “LORD” is naturally God, but who else is above David, except a divine Messiah? Those who argue that the Messiah must be merely an earthly descendant of David (i.e., his son) cannot explain how David can call him his master (i.e., his “lord”). Given Matthew’s general interest in Jesus as the Son of David, this passage is very important, drawing attention to the fact that Jesus is someone greater than David.

23:1—25:46 Woes and Warnings. The fifth and final extended discourse of Jesus in Matthew (see also chs. 6–7; 10:5–42; 13:1–52; ch. 18) divides into two parts: Jesus’ woes against the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem (23:1–39) and his warnings to the disciples about the destruction of the temple and his second coming (24:1—25:46)

23:1–39 Jesus pronounces woes against various religious leaders in Jerusalem. Verses 1–12 contrast the way Jesus’ disciples should behave with the way the teachers of the law and the Pharisees act in public. Verses 13–32 contain a series of seven woes against these two groups for their hypocrisy. Verses 33–36 bring to a climax the judgment that will fall on this generation as a result. Verses 37–39 lament how often Jesus wished things could be different but the people were not willing.

23:1–12 Jesus gives a warning against hypocrisy. His followers should exercise servant leadership rather than vie for the greatest amount of public attention.

23:2 Moses’ seat. The raised chair in certain synagogues where the rabbi would sit to deliver his sermon.

23:3 everything they tell you. Probably everything that is consistent with the Scripture read and expounded on a given Sabbath in the synagogue. do not do what they do. Do not imitate the Jewish leaders’ behavior whenever “they do not practice what they preach.”

23:4 heavy, cumbersome loads. Probably refers to some of the oral laws that continued to grow around the written law of Moses, especially in the areas of ritual purity, Sabbath-keeping, and separation from sinners.

23:5 phylacteries. See Exod 13:9, 16; Deut 6:8; 11:18; however, these verses originally were probably meant to be understood metaphorically. Only later were they interpreted literally. tassels. See note on 14:36.

23:8–10 Given the contrast with v. 7, the point is not that Christians can never use honorific titles but that they must not expect or demand them, much less revel in them. To avoid this temptation, it is probably best to use them as little as possible.

23:12 For an excellent illustration, see Luke 18:9–14.

23:13–32 Jesus pronounces seven woes on the teachers of the law and the Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees comprised a very small portion of the Jewish populace, and Jesus is addressing only those present in the temple on this occasion. This one particular group of leaders, not the entire nation, were “hypocrites” (v. 13), i.e., play-actors.

23:13 Woe. “Alas” or “how unfortunate” for someone because of impending doom or judgment. By refusing to help others do God’s will and/or by making it harder than God intended, they save neither themselves nor others. See notes on vv. 3, 4.

23:15 convert. Jews in general did not proselytize widely, yet they often worked hard to convince a Gentile who showed interest in their religion (especially a “God-fearer” who came to the synagogue) to become a full-fledged convert. But if a person adopted a form of Judaism that could not save them, that convert was still lost, i.e., “a child of hell.”

23:16–22 An elaborate hierarchy of oaths or vows grew up in the oral law. Swearing by God himself was completely binding, but swearing by other holy items could leave loopholes by which people might not have to keep their vows. Jesus points out that there should be no difference between swearing “by the temple” (v. 16) or “by the gold of the temple” (v. 16), “by the altar” (v. 18) or “by the gift on the altar” (v. 18). Swearing “by the temple” (v. 21) should be as binding as swearing by God because the temple is where God “dwells” (v. 21), just as swearing “by heaven” (v. 22) should be as binding as swearing by God because “God’s throne” (v. 22) on which he sits resides in heaven (v. 22). “Blind guides” (v. 16), “blind fools” (v. 17), and “blind men” (v. 19) all stress how the Pharisees who were supposed to be Israel’s teachers were themselves spiritually blind instead.

23:23 mint, dill and cumin. Spices derived from plants. When Israelites cultivated them, a strict interpretation of Lev 27:30 required them to tithe (“give a tenth”) on every one of the crops that their land produced. Jesus rejects these Jewish leaders’ inversion of the law’s priorities because they have “neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness” (cf. Mic 6:8).

23:24 You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Involves an Aramaic play on words. “Gnat” is qalmā ʾ and “camel” is gamlā ʾ. The point is the same as in the previous verse: they scrupulously obey legal minutiae but flagrantly disobey the law’s central tenets.

23:25–28 The contrast between the external and internal recalls 15:1–20.

23:25 You clean the outside of the cup and dish. Refers to the ritual washing of containers and plates from which one ate and drank. But if the person using them is internally corrupt (“full of greed and self-indulgence”), the external cleansing proves worthless.

23:27 whitewashed tombs. Decorated or painted tomb entrances or gravestones that nevertheless mask rotting corpses nearby. A person who stepped on a grave became ceremonially unclean (see Nu 19:16), so graves were whitewashed to make them easily visible, especially at night. They appeared clean and beautiful on the outside, but they were unclean on the inside—like these scribes and Pharisees.

23:29–32 By erecting attractive memorials for the prophets their ancestors murdered, these religious leaders appear to dissociate themselves from those heinous sins of the past. But in so doing they acknowledge that they are the biological descendants of these rebellious killers, and their coming involvement with Jesus’ execution will demonstrate their spiritual link to their ancestors as well. With biting sarcasm, Jesus thus commands them to get on with their horrific plans and “complete what [their] ancestors started” (v. 32).

23:33–36 Not only have these leaders not really broken from their ancestors’ ways, they will wind up worse than them by crucifying Jesus and persecuting his followers.

23:33 brood of vipers. See note on 3:7.

23:34 prophets and sages and teachers. These include John the Baptist, Jesus, and various other early Christian leaders. Cf. 10:17, 23.

23:35 Abel . . . Zechariah. It is a coincidence that in English Abel and Zechariah start with the first and last letters of the alphabet (they do not in Greek or Hebrew). But in the order of books in the Hebrew Bible, Abel is the first recorded martyr (Gen 4:8) and Zechariah is the last (2 Chr 24:20–21). Zechariah son of. In Matthew, Zechariah is said to be “son of Berekiah,” as if he were the writing prophet by that name (Zech 1:1, 7), and the Zechariah of 2 Chr 24 is said to be “son of Jehoiada” (2 Chr 24:20). So perhaps Zechariah the prophet was murdered in similar fashion to his namesake, which would make the prophet chronologically the last recorded martyr of the OT. “Son” can also mean descendant, and rabbinic traditions point to some pre-Christian confusion concerning the ancestries of these two Zechariahs. Which explanation is best remains unclear.

23:36 generation. Often viewed as about 40 years. In AD 70, 40 years after the death of Jesus (probably in AD 30, though possibly 33), the Romans destroyed the temple and much of Jerusalem. See also v. 38. During this time all these various kinds of deaths likewise occurred at the hands of key Jewish leaders.

23:37–39 Despite the harshness of the rest of his address, Jesus ends with a lament for Jerusalem, which expresses a note of sorrow more than anger.

23:37 how often. Only John’s Gospel describes the many times Jesus had previously been in Jerusalem, perhaps explaining “how often.” hen . . . chicks. Jesus wishes he could have spiritually protected and nurtured the people of Jerusalem, like a mother “hen [with] her chicks,” but they “were not willing” to let him.

23:38 house. The temple. desolate. Bereft of spiritual truth with Jesus’ departure in 24:1 and razed by the Romans a generation later (see note on v. 36). The holy city of Israel will, however, see Jesus again when he returns in glory (24:29–31).

23:39 Blessed is he who comes. At Jesus’ return Jerusalem’s inhabitants will acclaim him with the words of Ps 118:26. Whether this acclamation will reflect genuine repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Messiah or the mournful, grudging acknowledgment of his true identity just before they go away into perdition is more difficult to determine.

24:1—25:46 This passage is called the Olivet discourse. Jesus addresses his followers on the Mount of Olives immediately after he leaves the temple for the last time. He predicts its imminent destruction (24:1–28) and his “coming on the clouds of heaven” (24:30) at some unspecified point after that (24:29–51). The upshot for his followers is that they must live obedient, faithful lives at all times because they cannot know when the end will come. But when it does arrive, everyone will be judged according to their works (25:1–46).

24:1–28 Jesus depicts what must happen in the generation in which he and his followers are living (v. 34). Numerous ominous events will occur, followed finally by the complete razing of the temple in AD 70.

24:2–3 Because Jesus predicts the complete destruction of the temple, the disciples likely assume it must bring about “the end of the age” (v. 3) as they know it. Jesus’ reply separates the two events that the disciples have linked.

24:2 not one stone . . . will be left on another; every one will be thrown down. Fulfilled literally in AD 70, when the Romans under Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple buildings. Stones were even pried apart to collect the gold leaf that melted from the roof when the temple was set on fire. Excavations in 1968 uncovered large numbers of these stones, toppled from the walls by the invaders. The Western Wall in Jerusalem, still standing today, was part of a retaining wall around the temple precincts, not part of the temple itself.

24:4–8 False messiahs, wars, famines, and earthquakes all occurred in the 40 years between Christ’s crucifixion (probably AD 30, though possibly 33) and the destruction of the temple in AD 70. Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, mentions all of them. The NT itself refers to both a famine (Acts 11:27–28) and an earthquake (Acts 16:26). These are not the signs the disciples asked about, however, for “the end is still to come” (v. 6). They are merely “the beginning of birth pains” (v. 8). These events are like a pregnant woman’s labor pains: they demonstrate there is a baby that the body wants to deliver, but they prove singularly unhelpful in predicting the precise moment of birth.

24:9–13 Persecution, martyrdom, apostasy, false prophets and their deception, an overall increase of wickedness, and a diminution of love will also characterize the years ahead. The NT letters most likely written between 30 and 70 reflect all of these: Hebrews and 1 Peter are written when persecution against Christians is increasing; Hebrews warns against the dire consequences of apostasy; 2 Peter and Jude combat false prophets; and almost all of Paul’s letters emphasize promoting love and avoiding evil. True believers, however, will stand firm to the end and be spiritually saved (v. 13).

24:14 Most think this foreshadows the Great Commission of 28:19–20, in which case Jesus now looks well beyond the first generation of his followers. But it is possible to see this prophecy too fulfilled by AD 70: The “whole world” was viewed by many as roughly contiguous with the Roman Empire (cf. Col 1:23). Paul essentially claims to have completed initial evangelism of the eastern half of the empire (Rom 15:19) as he plants churches in all representative regions to carry on his work by about 57. His subsequent desire to go to Rome and then as far as Spain can be seen as aiming to do the same thing in the western half (Rom 15:28), and he may well have accomplished it before his martyrdom between 64 and 67 if various early Christian traditions are accurate.

24:15 the abomination that causes desolation. Predicted in Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11, and some Jews believe that Antiochus IV’s desecration of the temple (“the holy place”) in 167 BC fulfills it. Jesus obviously sees another fulfillment yet to come as he looks ahead at least to when Rome will destroy the temple of his day in AD 70. Some envision a still future fulfillment in conjunction with Christ’s return.

24:16–20 When this time comes, God’s people must flee Jerusalem quickly.

24:17 housetop. Roofs were flat so that individuals could work, socialize, and even sleep there.

24:19 pregnant women and nursing mothers. They would find it much harder to travel rapidly.

24:20 in winter. Dirt roads would be muddied by rains and harder to traverse. on the Sabbath. There would be travel restrictions.

24:21 great distress. Most think Jesus is foreshadowing the “great distress” (or “tribulation”) that will surround his second coming, not talking just of the events of AD 70. But to say that at the end of the age, just before God redeems his creation fully, such misery is never to be equaled again seems so obvious as to be almost pointless. But if Jesus has in mind an event in the “middle” of human history, then the statement makes good sense. The suffering and eventual extinction of the Jews in Jerusalem and the total destruction of the city are well-known. Alternately, the verse is idiomatic for great destruction (cf. Ezek 5:9) or it means that if allowed to continue, such distress would destroy everyone.

24:22 those days. Refers to the time of unequaled distress just described. no one would survive. Apparently refers to physical life. the elect. Means Jesus’ followers.

24:24 false messiahs and false prophets. Repeats the warnings of vv. 4–5, 11. if possible. Suggests that the deception perpetrated by these individuals is so severe that, were it possible “to deceive” Christ’s true followers, even they would be led into apostasy.

24:26–28 The reason not to believe claims that the Messiah has reappeared in one particular place, outdoors or indoors, is that “the coming of the Son of man” (v. 27) will be as universally, publicly, and instantaneously disclosed as “lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west” (v. 27). Verse 28 is unusually difficult to decipher but appears to be a metaphor about the inevitability of two events following one another. An animal or human “carcass” left in the wild will invariably become carrion for birds of prey. Perhaps Jesus’ point is that so too his return will put an end to all this unparalleled wickedness and deception. However, “vultures” (v. 28) could also be “eagles,” a symbol for the Roman Empire. So maybe Jesus is recapitulating the inevitability of the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome (as in v. 15; see note there).

24:29–51 These verses describe the return of Christ. “Immediately” in v. 29 could mean that “the distress of those days” (v. 29) surrounding the destruction of the temple in some sense continues all the way until Jesus’ second coming (cf. 2 Tim 3:12). Or perhaps the “abomination that causes desolation” (v. 15) will be reenacted on a more awful scale just before Christ’s return (cf. Rev 7:14 on those in the last days who will “come out of the great tribulation”). Either way, Jesus now moves ahead to the events surrounding his return in glory. These are signs of the end (vv. 29–35), but the day and hour remain unknown (vv. 36–51).

24:29 This is apocalyptic language taken from texts like Isa 13:10; 34:4. The point is probably not that there are literal cosmic upheavals as depicted or that the universe comes to an end instantly. Rather, the significance of what is about to happen is so great that life as it has been previously experienced cannot continue. A new age is dawning.

24:30 sign. This is the only place where Jesus refers to the “sign” the disciples requested in v. 3, and he does not tell them what it is. Whatever it is—perhaps a “banner” or “standard” (see Isa 11:12; 18:3; 49:22; Jer 4:21; 51:27)—it is part and parcel of Christ’s coming so that it is not something that can enable believers to predict in advance when the second coming will occur. the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. Partially recalls Dan 7:13–14, in which a privileged human is ushered into the very presence of God to be given universal authority over the kingdoms of the earth. Here, though, the clouds usher Christ from heaven to earth. It is not clear if “the peoples of the earth will mourn” in repentance or in grief because it is now too late to repent.

24:31 angels . . . will gather. Christ’s followers will be gathered together from wherever they reside on earth for protection and reward.

24:32–33 The Parable of the Fig Tree. The budding “fig tree” (v. 32) was a crucial barometer for the coming of summer in ancient Israel. Likewise, all of the events Jesus has sketched in this sermon will enable his disciples to know that his return and the fullness of God’s kingdom that it brings are getting close.

24:34 all these things. Must refer to the same events as “all these things” in v. 33, which occur before the second coming. So Jesus cannot be predicting his return within “this generation,” i.e., the lifetime of his followers. Instead, he must be promising that all of the preliminary events, including the destruction of Jerusalem—which must take place before he can return—will take place within about a 40-year period of time. From AD 70 on, the church has consistently believed that Christ could return in its day. The events that still remain to be fulfilled can unfold so quickly that believers must be prepared for the end in every generation.

24:35 Jesus’ “words,” especially on the topics of this sermon, are more permanent and certain than even the present universe, which must give way one day to a new heaven and earth.

24:36 that day or hour. Does not mean that people should try to predict the month, year, generation, century, or millennium! After all, Acts 1:7 uses the broadest terms in Greek for “times or dates” when Jesus says his followers will not know when the kingdom will be restored to Israel, i.e., when the remaining OT prophecies that will accompany his return will be fulfilled.

24:37–41 Indeed, for unbelievers (or believers not living with alert faithfulness), the end will come as a complete surprise, just as the flood did for the people who paid no attention to Noah building the ark (Gen 6–7). The rising water “took them all away” (v. 39), i.e., they perished in God’s judgment on the earth. The imagery, therefore, of two men in a field and two women grinding with a hand mill, in which one will in each case be taken and the other left (vv. 40–41), also suggests that the one taken away will be judged. Thus there does not appear to be any secret rapture of believers taken away from the earth in this passage.

24:42 do not know. Jesus repeats the point from v. 36 (see note there) that no one can know when he will return. His followers, however, must always be prepared and alert.

24:43—25:46 Jesus’ sermon concludes with a series of parables that reinforce the need for faithful service for however long or short the interval before Christ’s second coming.

24:43–44 Christ likens himself to a burglar, not in that he comes to steal something, but in terms of the surprise factor. Just as wise homeowners never leave their houses unprotected, Jesus’ followers should never stop being ready for his return.

24:45–51 The Parable of the Faithful and Wise Servant. “The faithful and wise servant” (v. 45) is the slave put in charge of the other slaves during his master’s absence. Faithful performance of the tasks delegated to him may lead to his becoming the manager over the entire estate (vv. 45–47). Disorderly and abusive conduct, however, may be interrupted by the master returning home earlier than expected and severely punishing the slave (vv. 48–51). At the spiritual level, this parable refers to heaven and hell as the destinies of the two kinds of servants.

25:1–13 The Parable of the Ten Virgins. In the previous two parables, the figure representing Christ (or God) arrives at a time that surprises the owner of the house (24:43–44) and arrives early (24:45–51). In this parable Jesus arrives surprisingly late. Jesus covers all possible options. Christians really must stop pretending to know or trying to predict when Jesus will return.

25:1–5 In an ancient Israelite village wedding, the father of the groom would negotiate the price of the bride’s dowry at the bride’s parents’ home. Then the couple would proceed through the streets, accompanied by the wedding party, to the groom’s parents’ home, where the festivities would be completed.

25:1 virgins. Bridesmaids. lamps. Oil-lit lamps to light the way for the procession. Because they may need to wait awhile before the bridegroom emerges from the bride’s home, they need a good supply of extra oil.

25:6–9 In this case, the bridegroom seems to have been considerably delayed. The young women who did not bring extra oil realize, when they trim the wicks of their lamps, that they have already used up all their oil. They ask those with extra to share with them, but the other bridesmaids do not have enough for everyone. At a real wedding, traders would have remained available precisely for last minute provisions like this on the night of a wedding.

25:10–13 By the time the unprepared girls return with their extra oil, the procession has already arrived at the groom’s home and gone inside. At a real wedding, the late arrivals would have been publicly shamed but probably let in. But this is a parable, teaching spiritual lessons. Jesus insists that once he has returned it will be too late to repent. One must not wait to choose how to respond to him. And the salvation of one person cannot be transferred, like oil, to another. No bridegroom would ever claim not to know who some of the bridesmaids were (v. 12), but at the spiritual level of the story Christ declares, “I don’t know you,” perhaps suggesting there was never a genuine relationship at all between God and these alleged disciples. True believers will prepare in case discipleship proves more arduous than they expect.

25:14–30 The Parable of the Bags of Gold/Talents. If Jesus’ followers can never know when he will return, they must always be good stewards of all the gifts and abilities he has given them.

25:15 bags of gold. “Talents,” originally a unit of currency worth about 20 years of a day laborer’s wage (see note on 18:24). Not all people receive the same abilities or gifts from God, but everyone is responsible for making good use of what they have been given. For a similar parable, see Luke 19:12–27.

25:18 dug a hole in the ground. People often buried money in the ground under or near their homes for safekeeping. But in so doing there was no chance that their holdings could grow at all.

25:20–23 Each of the first two servants makes a 100 percent return on his investment, extraordinary by ancient standards, and each receives the master’s effusive praise.

25:24–25 The third servant claims to have feared losing his master’s money, which can easily happen with investments. He accuses the master of being harsh and unfair, though nothing elsewhere in the parable suggests that this accusation is valid.

25:26–27 The servant stands condemned by his own logic. The master points out that if he really were so harsh, then the man should have feared all the more not trying to earn more money with what had been entrusted to him. At least he could have deposited it with local bankers so it would have earned some modest amount of interest without the risks that accompanied other forms of investment.

25:28–30 Because a “bag of gold” (talent) was more literally a gold ingot, it could not easily be broken in two. The worthless slave’s original talent is given to the first slave, but the second slave was just as faithful, even though he receives no extra talent. So nothing should be read into these details about varying rewards for God’s faithful followers. The point is simply that being ready for Christ’s coming involves more than playing it safe and doing little or nothing. It demands the kind of service that produces results. “Whoever has” and “whoever does not have” (v. 29) must refer to the period of time after they have been given their “talents” to steward. Verse 30 makes it clear that Jesus’ real point is a spiritual one since the fate of the faithless slave is eternal punishment (cf. note on 8:12).

25:31–46 The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. This describes in more detail the final judgment that the end of the last two parables depict. Some interpreters view this occurring when Christ returns, just before an earthly, millennial kingdom (Rev 20:4); others equate it with the great white throne judgment (Rev 20:11–15) just prior to the eternal state.

25:32 All the nations. Both Jews and Gentiles. nations. Greek ethnē (neuter plural) sounds at first as if ethnic or people groups will be judged as a whole. But Jesus will actually “separate the people” (Greek autous, “them” [masculine plural]) “one from another,” referring to the personal judgment of each individual. Palestinian sheep and goats often looked similar from a distance and often grazed together. But they needed to be separated at nighttime because the goats required a warmer place to rest.

25:33 right . . . left. The right hand or side of an individual was considered the more honorable; the left, more disgraceful.

25:34–36 Those who are “blessed” by God (v. 34) are those who have ministered to Jesus. The examples Jesus gives all involve the works of mercy needed by the socially and economically destitute. This is not salvation by works but the fruit of repentance that demonstrates an individual’s right relationship with God through Christ.

25:37–40 The “righteous” (v. 37) are surprised not because they are said to have known Jesus but because Jesus says they have ministered directly to him. Jesus explains that whenever they did these acts of kindness “for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” (v. 40; see note there), they were doing it for him.

25:40 least of these brothers and sisters of mine. Everywhere else in Matthew “brothers and sisters” (Greek adelphoi) means either biological siblings or spiritual kin. “Least” is the superlative form of “little,” and “little ones” in Matthew always means either literal children or fellow believers. So while other biblical texts teach the need to help needy people of all religious persuasions (e.g., Luke 10:25–37; Gal 6:10), here the focus is most likely on ministering to the Christian needy. The logic is identical to that of Matt 10:40–42: welcoming the Christian messenger implies welcoming the message.

25:41 you . . . cursed. Those who have not done any of the previously mentioned acts of mercy (vv. 42–43) toward Christians in need. They show thereby that they have never welcomed the Christian message, i.e., accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior (despite mouthing the title “Lord” in v. 44). the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The destiny of the “cursed”: eternal separation from God and all things good. his angels. Demons.

25:46 eternal. Jesus parallels “eternal punishment” and “eternal life.” While the Hebrew underlying the Greek aiōnios (“eternal”) can sometimes mean “to the end of the age,” it is clear throughout Jesus’ teaching that he expects everlasting life for his followers. Unbelievers, therefore, can expect unending punishment too, not merely some limited period of purgatory or a finite hell.

26:1—28:20 Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. From here on, Matthew swiftly narrates the events that put Jesus on the cross to die but which could not keep him in his tomb (see map).

26:1–75 Ch. 26 describes the preparations for Jesus’ death. Most of the events of this chapter take place on the Thursday night before Jesus’ Friday crucifixion. Matthew also includes the plot to betray Jesus begun “two days” earlier (v. 2) and the anointing at Bethany six days earlier (vv. 6–13; cf. John 12:1), because these also directly anticipate Jesus’ execution.

26:1–16 These verses describe Jesus’ arrest and anointing for burial. Jesus reminds his followers one last time of his upcoming crucifixion (vv. 1–2). Although it appears others are in charge of his destiny, his predictions and voluntary surrender (vv. 52–56) demonstrate that he gives his life freely. Judas, who aids Caiaphas and his henchmen in the arrest (vv. 3–5, 14–16), and Mary of Bethany, who pours perfume on Jesus’ head (vv. 6–13; cf. John 12:1–8), may have been the first two to believe that Jesus was really going to die. But they reacted in diametrically opposite ways.

26:1–5 More specifically than in his earlier three passion predictions (see notes on 16:21–28; 17:22–23; 20:17–19), Jesus now specifies the very day of his betrayal.

26:3 Caiaphas. Joseph Caiaphas was high priest in Israel from AD 18 to 36. He would have presided over the Sanhedrin (v. 59), the highest Jewish court in the land. In 1990 a first-century tomb with an ornate ossuary (a limestone chest containing the bones of the dead) with his name inscribed on it was discovered near Jerusalem (see photo); it quite possibly is the very box used to rebury his bones (see note on 8:21).

26:4–5 arrest Jesus secretly . . . during the festival. As it turns out, the best opportunity to arrest Jesus comes during the festival of Passover. Despite the crowds, the authorities are able to arrest him somewhat secretly under the cloak of night (vv. 47–56).

26:6–13 Jesus’ anointing at Bethany is sandwiched between the two parts of the plot to arrest Jesus, showing that there is a connection between the two (see note on vv. 1–75). John 12:1–8 gives the precise chronological placement of this event; Matthew (following Mark 14:3–9) places it here to create a thematic grouping of passages.

26:6 Bethany. See note on 21:17. Simon the Leper. See Mark 14:3. Presumably he was now healed, perhaps even by Jesus himself.

26:7 an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. Recalls Luke 7:37, but virtually all of the remaining details of that anointing, including its setting, differ from this account. It is most likely a separate event. reclining. Refers to the posture of resting one elbow on a cushion next to a low-slung table, stretching one’s legs out perpendicular to it, and eating with the free hand. It was standard posture for formal banquets.

26:8–9 John 12:4–6 specifies that Judas Iscariot was the primary objector and that his motive was insincere because he was a greedy thief.

26:11–12 Jesus alludes to Deut 15:11, which goes on to remind the Israelites that they may help the poor and needy at any time (and are expected to do so). Jesus’ words thus offer no excuse for neglecting the poor but allow for the one-time expenditure of the money often used to perfume a body for burial in a way that allows Jesus to appreciate the gesture before he dies.

26:13 Jesus prophesies that this event will be regularly retold in the preaching of the gospel. Its inclusion in the Gospels forms a large part of the fulfillment of that prophecy.

26:14–16 The motive for Judas seeking to betray his master (“hand him over,” v. 16) probably goes beyond the desire for money, although “thirty pieces of silver” (v. 15) may have equaled 120 drachmas, i.e., more than four months’ minimum wages. Most likely, he could not accept the fact that Jesus was not going to lead a literal rebellion to help overthrow Rome.

26:17–35 This passage describes what is called the Last Supper, the meal from which Christians developed their practice of the Lord’s Supper (communion, the Eucharist). See especially 1 Cor 11:17–34. In this context, it was the Jewish Passover meal, celebrated on the first day (which began at nightfall) of the weeklong Festival of Unleavened Bread (v. 17; see Exod 12). “The first day” was the 14th of Nisan (March-April) and was also called the day of Preparation of the Passover. The Passover meal was eaten the evening of the 14th after sunset—and therefore technically on the 15th, since the Jewish day ended at sunset. The Festival of Unleavened Bread lasted seven days, from the 15th to the 21st of Nisan (see Lev 23:5–6).

26:18–19 As with the securing of the donkey for Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem (21:1–3), this could either be a prearranged strategy or a sign of Jesus’ supernatural knowledge and authority.

26:18 My appointed time. Ultimately refers to the time of his death.

26:20 reclining at the table. See note on v. 7.

26:21 As with the previous predictions of his death and resurrection, this one shows that Jesus is not caught off guard by these tragic events.

26:23 The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me. Not a clear disclosure of the betrayer’s identity because all will have dipped their bread into the sauce as part of the Passover ritual. It was the custom—still practiced by some in the Middle East—to take a piece of bread or a piece of meat wrapped in bread and dip it into a bowl of sauce (made of stewed fruit) on the table.

26:24 Like so many biblical texts, this one juxtaposes divine sovereignty with human responsibility without any hint of tension between the two. The death of the divine Messiah is predicted in Isa 52:13—53:12, but the actual perpetrators are fully accountable. It would be better for [the betrayer] if he had not been born. Refutes any notion of universalism (that everyone will eventually be saved) or annihilationism (that the lost simply cease conscious existence after death).

26:25 You have said so. A veiled affirmative, perhaps also implying Judas’s self-indictment. John 13:22–30 suggests that most of the disciples did not hear this particular interchange.

26:26–28 When Jesus “took bread” (v. 26) and “took a cup” (v. 27) and declared, “This is my body . . . This is my blood” (vv. 26, 28), he is adding rich symbolism to the already highly symbolic Passover meal (see notes on vv. 26, 27, 28).

26:26 took bread . . . broke it. The broken bread represents his body, soon to be crucified.

26:27 a cup. The cup of wine, probably the third of four in the Passover meal and symbolizing redemption, stands for the blood shed in his death “for the forgiveness of sins” (v. 28).

26:28 covenant. God’s new one, prophesied in Jer 31:31–34.

26:29 Jesus may have left the fourth and final cup of wine of the Passover ceremony undrunk to anticipate the great end-time banquet still to come (Isa 25:6–8).

26:30 hymn. One of the praise psalms or Hallel psalms (Pss 113–118) with which the Passover meal concluded (see note on Mark 14:26). the Mount of Olives. Immediately opposite the eastern gate to the temple precincts and the city of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley.

26:31–35 Jesus predicts Peter’s denial. In v. 31 Jesus interprets Zech 13:7 as predicting an attack on himself as the Messianic “shepherd,” leading to “the sheep” (his followers) being “scattered.” Verse 56 fulfills v. 31, and 28:7 fulfills v. 32. Peter protests that he will not desert his Lord, but Jesus replies that Peter will “disown” him “three times” that “very night, before the rooster crows,” i.e., well before daybreak (vv. 33–34). The disciples deny they could engage in such treachery (v. 35), but vv. 56, 69–75 prove Jesus right.

26:36–46 Gethsemane is a garden at the base of the Mount of Olives. The name means “oil press.” Olive trees flourished there. No other passage in the Gospels so clearly and poignantly expresses Jesus’ humanity. Even having repeatedly predicted the events to come, he longs to avoid such agony. His “soul is overwhelmed with sorrow” (v. 38). But he also surrenders entirely to God’s will (v. 39). This pattern of praying is repeated twice more (vv. 42, 44).

26:37 Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. These three disciples—Peter, James, and John—form Christ’s inner circle (cf. 17:1).

26:39 cup. A metaphor for God’s wrath (see note on 20:22). If there were any way possible, the completely human Jesus would avert the horrible suffering ahead. Here is the classic example of one not getting what they ask for in prayer, but through no fault of the one praying!

26:41 The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. The truth of this principle is illustrated by the disciples, who, with far less at stake than Jesus, cannot stay awake and pray. Even Christ’s closest followers may want to obey him, but they find their bodies and/or sinful human natures unable to cooperate.

26:46 my betrayer. At last Judas comes with the authorities. There will be no more time for sleep or prayer.

26:47–56 All of the details of Jesus’ arrest highlight how Jesus understands exactly what is happening to him, has the ability to resist, but voluntarily chooses to submit to God’s plan.

26:47 Judas, one of the Twelve. It seems odd for Matthew to repeat this so soon after v. 14, but he may be underlining the indignity of one so close to Jesus turning into his betrayer. Roman guards would have brandished the “swords”; Jewish ones, the “clubs.”

26:48 kiss. Jesus may have resembled one or more of his disciples in his appearance so that in the darkness of night it would have been hard to be sure which one he was. The kiss would identify him. Men frequently greeted each other with kisses on both cheeks, but as a sign of friendship not hostility! Judas’s treachery is turning even more ironic (cf. Luke 22:48).

26:49 Judas cannot bring himself to call Jesus anything more exalted than “Rabbi” (“teacher”).

26:50 Do what you came for. The Greek here is terse: lit. “What you came for.” “Do” completes the probable sense. friend. A surprisingly kind address, given that Judas has come to betray Jesus.

26:51 his sword . . . the servant of the high priest. John 18:10 identifies the disciple wielding his sword as Peter and the servant of the high priest as Malchus.

26:52–54 Jesus uses what may have been a commonsense proverb (v. 52) to remind Peter that violence begets violence, whereas he has come so that the Scriptures that predict his atoning death for humanity’s sins might be fulfilled (vv. 24, 54, 56). After all, if he needed violent resistance, he could call on as many as 72,000 (“twelve legions of”) angels to annihilate the arresting party (v. 53)! Luke 22:51 adds that Jesus proceeds to heal the servant’s ear.

26:55 Am I leading a rebellion . . . ? Jesus asks if he is being treated as if he were an insurrectionist. He notes there would have been easier times and ways to arrest him (except that it might have inflamed the crowds).

26:57–68 Several irregularities are evident in Jesus’ appearance before the Sanhedrin: the court was not to come to a verdict at night, convene during the Festival, meet in the high priest’s home, or condemn an accused person without witnesses to testify on behalf of the accused. But desperate leaders sometimes ignore their own laws; some of these may have been formulated only later; and 27:1–2 suggests some pretense of legality after daybreak.

26:57 Caiaphas. See note on v. 3.

26:59 Sanhedrin. See note on Mark 14:55. looking for false evidence. Shows that the authorities knew Jesus was innocent of any true violation of their law.

26:60 false witnesses. Mark 14:56 explains why they were initially of no use.

26:61 I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days. Sounds like a distorted version of John 2:19.

26:63 remained silent. Jesus’ silence reflects his unwillingness to defend himself because he knows his mission is to die. Messiah. See note on 1:1. Son of God. See note on 14:33.

26:64 You have said so. Under oath, Jesus has to reply, and he uses the same veiled affirmative as in v. 25. He may also be suggesting that this is Caiaphas’s way of phrasing things, but Jesus prefers to call himself the “Son of Man sitting at [God’s] right hand.” coming on the clouds of heaven. Recalls Dan 7:13. Jesus is more than an earthly Messiah, and he will be an ascended and then returning Lord.

26:65 tore his clothes. Represents extreme sorrow at what was perceived as blasphemy. blasphemy. In pre-70 Judaism it included not merely pronouncing the divine Name, as was also true later, but also a variety of statements or actions that transgressed a perceived boundary between humanity and deity. For Jesus to associate himself with Daniel’s heavenly son of man could have been seen as blasphemy by those who rejected Jesus’ claim.

26:66 worthy of death. Blasphemy was a capital offense in ancient Judaism.

26:67–68 The soldiers mock Jesus’ reputation. For them he isn’t even a prophet (see note on 13:57), much less the Messiah.

26:69–75 Despite his earlier protestation (vv. 33), Peter disowns Jesus. The contrast between Peter’s and Jesus’ behavior is striking. Jesus gives a true confession of his identity, even though it costs him his life. Peter denies even knowing Jesus, eventually doing so with a self-condemning oath (v. 74), with only two servant girls and some unspecified bystanders listening.

26:73 your accent. When speaking Aramaic Galileans had a different accent than Judeans had.

26:75 Before the rooster crows. Recalls v. 34. Peter remembers his vain boasting and weeps bitterly.

27:1–66 Judas takes his own life while Jesus continues to allow the events to unfold that will culminate in his death and burial.

27:1–10 If Judas had any thought that his actions might provoke Jesus finally to rebel against Rome, the outcome of the night’s events proved otherwise (vv. 1–2). Horrified, Judas tries to undo his deed, but he fails. No doubt in great emotional turmoil, he commits suicide (vv. 3–10).

27:1 made their plans how to have Jesus executed. Suggests a final wrap-up to the trial after daybreak, creating an aura of legality (see note on 26:57–68).

27:2 Pilate. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea from AD 26 to 36. Jewish authorities must involve him because under Rome they had lost the right to execute their own condemned (John 18:31).

27:3 seized with remorse. Greek metamelomai, not the standard word for repenting. Judas recognizes his horrible mistake but cannot undo the consequences of his actions. The only option he can countenance is hanging himself in despair. See note on Acts 1:18–19.

27:6–8 Ironically, despite the gross injustice they have perpetrated against Jesus, the chief priests refuse to disobey a minor law about the use of money (cf. 23:23).

27:6 blood money. The silver is called this because it purchases Jesus’ bloody death.

27:7 the potter’s field. Traditionally believed to have been in the southern end of the Hinnom Valley, just outside Jerusalem. Even when Matthew wrote this Gospel, it was still known as and called “the Field of Blood” (v. 8).

27:9–10 Prophecy is again fulfilled typologically (see notes on 1:22; 2:15; 12:15–21; 15:7–9) as key events related to God’s interaction with humanity form parallel patterns to those of their predecessors. Matthew creates a composite quotation from bits of Zech 11:12–13; Jer 19:1–13; 32:6–9. He refers only to Jeremiah in keeping with a convention of referring to the lesser known or less obvious of two passages in such a composite.

27:11–26 Jesus appears before Pilate. Like Caiaphas and the Jewish leaders before them, Pilate and the Roman authorities think they have condemned Christ. But they have actually condemned themselves by their actions, although Jesus’ death also makes possible their forgiveness, should they repent.

27:11–14 A Roman official would care little if a Jew made blasphemous religious claims. But if he aspired to be “king of the Jews” (v. 11; cf. 2:2–3; 21:5), the empire would need to take action. Jesus’ reply in v. 11 uses the same veiled affirmative as in 26:64, with the same possible additional implications. This time he refuses to say anything more.

27:15 governor’s custom. The custom of an annual Passover amnesty is at most only hinted at in other historical sources, but it makes good sense to placate the Jews at the time they celebrate their liberation from Egyptian oppression centuries earlier. Pilate thinks he can pit the crowd against its leaders and free the innocent Jesus, but the people opt for one of their freedom fighters, Barabbas (v. 21; see John 18:40).

27:16 Jesus Barabbas. He is only called this in Matthew, and only in some manuscripts. Still, Jesus was a common name and many scribes might have preferred not to note that the man whose release kept Jesus of Nazareth in prison shared his name. It is hard to imagine any Christian inventing this detail. Ironically, Barabbas means “a son of [his] father,” contrasting with Jesus as the heavenly Son of his Father, God.

27:19 dream. Roman rulers often put significant stock in a dream as an omen. This explains why Pilate keeps trying to release Jesus, but to no avail.

27:22–24 The authorities may well have stirred up the crowd to call for Jesus’ crucifixion, just as they persuaded the people to ask for Barabbas’s release.

27:22 Crucify. Usually meant to affix a person to a cross-shaped pair of wooden beams, either with ropes or nails through palms and ankles, with arms outstretched until the person was so fatigued that they could no longer lift their head off their chest enough to breathe. It was a standard but very cruel form of execution the Romans used for slaves and the worst of criminals.

27:24 I am innocent . . . your responsibility! Pilate finally capitulates to the crowd’s request but symbolically and verbally distances himself from any responsibility in the matter.

27:25 His blood is on us and on our children! Tragically, throughout church history this cry has too often been used to justify many forms of anti-Semitism. Yet only the individuals observing Pilate’s proceedings are condemning themselves. our children. Refers to the next generation of offspring. The destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 could well be the fulfillment of this self-curse. So this verse does not refer to all Jewish people of all time; it does not even refer to all Jews in Jesus’ day.

27:26 flogged. Beating a person’s back for however long the soldiers desired, with a whip embedded with bits of metal or bone on its end, tore the flesh and left searing wounds sufficient to kill some who were thus tortured, even without further punishment. Jesus would have been very weak after he was flogged.

27:27–31 The soldiers mock Jesus by dressing him as a pretend king, with a robe of royal color, a crown (but of thorns to further torture him), and a staff as a scepter. In a culture of honor and shame, the indignity of the mock allegiance to Jesus as king adds psychological torture to the physical abuse they continue to mete out.

27:27 the Praetorium. Housed Pilate’s palace and the Roman guard.

27:32–44 The torment and shame that Jesus has repeatedly predicted would befall him now ensue, culminating in his excruciating death by crucifixion.

27:32 man from Cyrene. The Synoptics all describe the commandeering of Simon of Cyrene (in modern Libya) for this task. It is easy to imagine Jesus, weakened from the flogging, not going very far without collapsing under the heavy weight and needing the help afforded here. cross. Typically, this would have meant the crossbeam. Jesus started out for the site of his crucifixion carrying his own cross (John 19:17).

27:33 Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Probably called this because of the skull-like rock formations in the nearby hillside or the number of skulls of other victims that dotted the landscape.

27:34 wine. Functioned as a mild sedative and pain reliever, but Jesus refuses to alleviate the agony he has been called to endure. gall. Animal bile, but can refer to some bitter substance more generally.

27:35 divided up his clothes. The condemned were usually crucified naked, which heightened the shame. casting lots. Probably resembles modern dice-rolling.

27:37 The inscription on a cross advertised the crime for which someone was executed. Matthew draws attention to Jesus as king because it resonated with his emphasis on Jesus as Son of David.

27:40–44 Despite the mockery, only by not saving himself can Jesus make salvation possible for anyone else, including his enemies.

27:40 destroy the temple and build it in three days. See 26:61.

27:43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants. An allusion to Ps 22:8. Jesus experiences the same treatment his ancestor David experienced.

27:45–56 Jesus’ final words, the reaction of nature, and the responses of the onlookers all testify that he was no mere mortal.

27:45 afternoon darkness. Some have linked this with a solar eclipse in AD 33. But nothing prevents it from being considered a more supernatural event in 30, the more likely year for Jesus’ death.

27:46 Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? The preservation of these Hebrew words shows how memorable Jesus’ cry was. This is the moment Jesus shoulders the sins of humanity and recognizes the rupture of his previously unbroken communion with his heavenly Father—agony worse than his physical suffering. Jesus, as son of David, reuses David’s language from Ps 22:1. He too is experiencing abandonment, but the psalm goes on to envision future hope beyond the immediate despair. Eli. “My God” in Aramaic. It sounds like “Elijah” (v. 47). If Jesus’ speech was slurred or unclear or if some of the listeners were unfamiliar with Aramaic, they would not have understood the rest of his words.

27:48 It is uncertain whether this second offer of a drink was meant to assuage his thirst and keep him alive a little longer or dull his senses and hasten his death.

27:50 he gave up his spirit. He died. The phrase may also suggest his voluntary submission to his destiny.

27:51 curtain of the temple was torn. A small, localized earthquake (v. 54) ensues, but it is strong enough to rip the curtain of the temple completely in two. God is preparing the way for the period of time in which he will relate to people without the various barriers in the temple that symbolized degrees of access to God. See Heb 10:19–22.

27:52–53 The grammar in the Greek here does not suggest that anyone was raised before Jesus was; the sentence spanning both verses includes both “were raised to life” (v. 52) and “came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection” (v. 53). Many mysteries remain: Who were these people? Why did God select them to be raised along with Jesus? To whom did they appear? How long did they stay in “the holy city” (i.e., Jerusalem)? The text answers none of these questions. But it parallels Paul’s point that Jesus is the “firstfruits” of the resurrection of all people (1 Cor 15:20) and fulfills OT expectations that many people would be resurrected at the time of the day of the Lord (Dan 12:2).

27:54 Son of God! For a Roman centurion to call someone “the Son of God” may have meant Jesus was unjustly condemned and now deified upon his death. Matthew, however, recognizes testimony to the eternal and exclusive deity of Jesus.

27:55 Many women. Women played a significant role in the ministry of Jesus, in caring for his needs and those of his disciples (see also Luke 8:1–3).

27:56 Mary Magdalene. See Luke 8:2. James. “James the younger” (Mark 15:40), probably the same as the apostle James son of Alphaeus (see Matt 10:3 and note), in which case his mother “Mary” is otherwise unknown. the mother of Zebedee’s sons. Salome, mother of the other apostle James and the apostle John.

27:57–61 Romans typically left the corpses of crucified people unburied for wild animals or birds to scavenge. Jews believed in burying everyone, however modestly. The new, rock-hewn tomb and the devotion Joseph lavishes on the body give Jesus a very honorable burial (vv. 59–60).

27:57 Joseph. From Arimathea and a prominent member of the Sanhedrin (Mark 15:43), he disagreed with its decision to condemn Christ (Luke 23:50–51). John 19:38 says, “Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.”

27:60 big stone. Sets the stage for 28:2. It is unlikely that the two Marys later go to the wrong tomb since they observe the burial (v. 61).

27:62–66 Various Jewish authorities remember Jesus’ predictions of his death and resurrection. Even though they are convinced he was a “deceiver” (v. 63), they don’t want to risk the disciples coming to steal his body and claiming he has been raised from the dead. Pilate allows the Jewish authorities access to an imperial guard and a wax seal to secure the tomb.

27:62 The next day . . . after Preparation Day. Preparation Day refers to the day preparations were made for the Sabbath (Saturday); thus “Preparation Day” is Friday (Mark 15:42). So the “next day” after this day of preparation is Saturday.

27:63 three days. See 12:40 and note; 16:21; 17:23; 20:19.

28:1–20 Matthew includes three scenes concerning Jesus’ resurrection: the foundational appearance (vv. 1–10), the debunking of the earliest rival explanation of events (vv. 11–15), and Jesus’ parting commission of his disciples (vv. 16–20).

28:1 the first day of the week. Sunday. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary. See 27:56, 61. Mark 16:1 includes Salome in the group and gives the reason for their going to the tomb: to provide more embalming spices.

28:2–3 violent earthquake. May have been an aftershock from the one two days earlier (27:51, 54). an angel of the Lord . . . clothes were white as snow. Corresponds to the “young man dressed in a white robe” in Mark 16:5. Luke 24:4 has two men “in clothes that gleamed like lightning,” but perhaps only one spoke on this occasion—Matthew’s and Mark’s focus of attention.

28:4 The guards. See 27:62–66. became like dead men. Suggests they were unable to move for a time, like in a “dead faint.” The events of vv. 2–4 appear to precede the women’s arrival at the tomb.

28:5 Do not be afraid. Given the guards’ terror, it is appropriate for the angel to tell the women not to be afraid.

28:6 he has risen. Relying solely on Paul’s letters, one can demonstrate that the first post-Easter disciples, who clearly believed in Jesus’ bodily resurrection, incorporated the truth of Jesus’ resurrection into their earliest teaching and preaching. In other words, Saul of Tarsus, just after his conversion (in ca. AD 32, about 16 years before the council of Gal 2:1–10 in 48; see Gal 1:18; 2:1) was taught the list of eyewitnesses to the event (1 Cor 15:3–8), already widely agreed upon as fundamental information for new believers. But because Jesus died no earlier than AD 30, resurrection belief is scarcely some slowly evolving myth. just as he said. Harks back to Jesus’ predictions in 12:40; 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 26:32. Come and see the place where he lay. Offers empirical proof of the empty tomb. This is not just some “spiritual” resurrection that leaves the corpse still in its grave.

28:7 going ahead of you into Galilee. Jesus had promised to go ahead of them into Galilee after he had risen (26:32). His tomb is just outside Jerusalem in Judea. The return to Galilee, which is distinctive to Matthew’s Gospel, may well be seen by Matthew as the fulfillment of Isa 9:1–2, which he quotes in Matt 4:15–16. A light dawns on those living in the land of the shadow of death.

28:8 afraid yet filled with joy. A reasonable response to such wondrous events.

28:9 Jesus met them. Before the women could report back to his disciples, Jesus met them and greeted them. clasped his feet and worshiped him. A posture of obeisance by these women and their acknowledgment of Jesus’ deity flow from this appearance of Jesus. Note that no ancient legend would have made women the first witnesses to the resurrection, given that a woman’s testimony was generally not admitted in legal contexts.

28:10 go and tell. Jesus repeats the command of v. 7. my brothers. Jesus treats the disciples as family.

28:11–15 This is the sequel to 27:62–66. The soldiers could have been executed for shirking their duties, but the Jewish authorities bribe them to tell their superiors the very story about grave-robbing that their presence at the tomb was designed to thwart! Should news of all this reach Pilate, the Jewish authorities would satisfy him, no doubt with a very large bribe, in order to keep the soldiers out of trouble.

28:16–20 These verses include the Great Commission (vv. 18–20). The uniquely Jewish mission of 10:5–6 and 15:24 now gives way to the mandate for worldwide, multiethnic ministry. As many as possible, Jew and Gentile alike, must be given opportunity to become part of the “people who will produce [the] fruit” of God’s kingdom (21:43).

28:16 the eleven disciples. The Twelve minus Judas. mountain. No record is given of Jesus’ previous instruction about a specific mountain in Galilee. Perhaps it is the (also unspecified) location of the Sermon on the Mount (chs. 5–7).

28:17 they worshiped him; but some doubted. Could also be translated “they worshiped, but they doubted.” For such an unprecedented event as a resurrection, it is easy to envision any or all of the disciples both acclaiming Jesus’ deity and being very perplexed as to what exactly had happened and wondering if all this was real.

28:18–20 As a result of his faithfulness to his mission, Jesus once again has returned to his exalted position as divine Son of God with “all authority in heaven and on earth” (v. 18). Christ’s program of missions for his followers flowed from this: to “make disciples of all nations” (v. 19). It involves three steps: (1) going, (2) “baptizing them,” and (3) “teaching them to obey everything” Christ has commanded.

28:19 make disciples. By his authority, Jesus commands the eleven to “make disciples” of “all nations” (Greek ethnē, i.e., all people groups in the world). To begin this process in the first century certainly meant that they would have to “go” to many places, but the main command is “make disciples.” While discipling requires bringing people to saving faith in Christ, it involves much more, including all the nurture they need throughout the rest of their lives. baptizing them. Jesus singles out for special mention the command to baptize them in the triune name of the Godhead, the earliest known use of this Trinitarian formula. An unbaptized follower of Jesus in the apostolic era would have been viewed as quite an anomaly. in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. That “the name” is singular of three persons suggests a unity of being of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

28:20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Is never exhausted, even over a lifetime. with you always. Jesus promises his (spiritual) presence with them always, empowering them for the task. The One who was introduced near the beginning of the Gospel as “God with us” (1:23) plays precisely that role as the Gospel ends. to the very end of the age. Refers to the end of human history as we know it, when Christ will return. Then he will be visibly present with all of his people for all eternity.