Jesus In All Of MatthewSample

Today is your second to last day in Matthew. Only one day left! Tomorrow we will wrap up with our last reading. Let’s go! 

Today's Devotional

What’s Happening?

The Jewish leadership has condemned Jesus, but only the Roman authorities had the power to kill. So now Jesus stands before Pilate, the Roman Governor (Matthew 27:2). 

But Pilate can’t find any reason to condemn Jesus - he is innocent (Matthew 27:23). 

So Pilate lets the crowd choose to release one prisoner: Jesus or a violent revolutionary named Barabbas (Matthew 27:21). They choose to release the criminal over the innocent man. 

Roman soldiers then flog Jesus and mockingly hail him as King of the Jews, not knowing that they are actually standing before the King of Kings (Matthew 27:29). 

When they arrive at Golgotha, outside the city gates of Jerusalem, the Roman soldiers crucify Jesus. 

After hours on the cross, Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Then, Jesus dies. 

Several things happen at the moment of his death: the veil of the Temple was torn (Matthew 27:51), an earthquake strikes so forcefully that tombs break open (Matthew 27:52), and out of those tombs come the resurrected bodies of “holy people.” 

In response to this, the guards assigned to Jesus are both afraid and in awe. They declare that Jesus must have really been the Son of God.

Where Is Jesus?

The story of Jesus’ death is and should be heart-wrenching to read. Yet, in this painful story, we see so much good news. 

In the releasing of the criminal Barabbas instead of Jesus, we see a picture of the release we experience because of Jesus’ death. The innocent man is condemned to die, while the criminal is set free. 

The words Jesus cried out about being forsaken come from Psalm 22. This Psalm describes circumstances that sound eerily similar to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion: mocking from all sides, pierced hands, and feet, casting lots for clothing (Psalm 22:16). 

Jesus was showing that what looks like an utter loss, has actually been in the works from the beginning. The cross was Jesus’ long-standing plan to be forsaken, so we might be accepted. 

We also see good news in the three immediate effects of Jesus’ death. 

First, the Temple curtain was torn to show that God’s people are no longer separated from their God’s presence (Hebrews 10:19). Instead, God’s Spirit would soon come and live in them as his new Temples. 

Second, the dead rise. This is a foretaste of what Jesus himself will do and a sign that because of Jesus’ saving work, death no longer has power over God’s people or gets the final word (1 Corinthians 15:23). Those who put their faith in Jesus will be raised because of his death and resurrection. 

Third, Gentile soldiers are convinced Jesus is God’s Son. This foreshadows the spreading of the good news to all nations, so that every tribe and tongue may hear and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord (Revelation 7:9).

See For Yourself.

May the Holy Spirit open your eyes to see the God who loves us enough to die for us. And Jesus as the innocent one who died in our place.