Matthew 27:22

Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? [They] all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

Pilate {G4091} saith {G3004} unto them {G846}, What {G5101} shall I do {G4160} then {G3767} with Jesus {G2424} which {G3588} is called {G3004} Christ {G5547}? They all {G3956} say {G3004} unto him {G846}, Let him be crucified {G4717}.

Pilate said to them, "Then what should I do with Yeshua, called `the Messiah'?" They all said, "Put him to death on the stake! Put him to death on the stake!"

“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify Him!”

Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do unto Jesus who is called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified.

Matthew 27:22 KJV captures a pivotal moment in the Passion narrative, revealing Pontius Pilate's attempt to release Jesus and the vehement demand of the crowd for His crucifixion. This verse highlights the profound rejection of Jesus as the Messiah by those who witnessed His ministry firsthand.

Context

This verse occurs during Jesus' trial before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. Pilate, having found no fault in Jesus worthy of death, sought to release Him, perhaps hoping to appease the Jewish leaders and the crowd during the Passover feast. It was customary to release a prisoner at this time. Pilate offered the choice between Jesus, "which is called Christ," and Barabbas, a notorious criminal. The chief priests and elders had successfully incited the crowd to demand Barabbas' release and Jesus' execution, creating immense pressure on Pilate. This moment underscores the intense political and religious tensions of the era and the deep-seated opposition to Jesus' claims.

Key Themes

  • Rejection of the Messiah: The crowd's unanimous cry, "Let him be crucified," demonstrates a clear and dramatic rejection of Jesus, the Anointed One, despite His teachings and miracles. This rejection was a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the suffering servant, as seen in Isaiah 53:5.
  • Human Culpability and Divine Will: While the verse shows human responsibility in the act of condemning Jesus, it also points to God's overarching plan for salvation. The crucifixion, though a result of human sin and choice, was part of God's redemptive purpose, as acknowledged in Acts 2:23.
  • Pilate's Dilemma and Capitulation: Pilate's question reveals his struggle to maintain order and his personal conviction of Jesus' innocence. However, faced with the overwhelming will of the crowd and fearing a riot, he ultimately succumbs to their demands, famously washing his hands of the matter in Matthew 27:24.
  • Mob Mentality: The verse powerfully illustrates the dangerous influence of a collective, inflamed passion, where individual reason is often overridden by the shouts of the multitude.

Linguistic Insights

The term "Christ" (Greek: Christos) means "Anointed One" or "Messiah." Pilate's question, "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" highlights Jesus' controversial identity. The crowd's demand to "crucified" (Greek: staurootheto) signifies a brutal and humiliating form of execution, typically reserved for the worst criminals, emphasizing the depth of their hatred and rejection.

Practical Application

Matthew 27:22 serves as a timeless reminder of the human tendency to reject truth and righteousness, especially when it challenges popular opinion or personal comfort. It prompts us to consider our own response to Jesus: Will we, like Pilate, try to evade responsibility, or like the crowd, reject Him outright? Or will we recognize Him as the innocent Messiah who suffered for our salvation? The verse calls believers to stand firm in their faith, even when faced with societal pressure, and to embrace the one whom the world rejected, who is the very foundation of eternal life.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Isaiah 53:2

    For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him.

  • Isaiah 53:3

    He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were [our] faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

  • Acts 13:38

    Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

  • John 19:14

    And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!

  • John 19:15

    But they cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.

  • Isaiah 49:7

    ¶ Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, [and] his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, [and] the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

  • Psalms 22:8

    He trusted on the LORD [that] he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

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