Matthew 27 2

Matthew 27:2 kjv

And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Matthew 27:2 nkjv

And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Matthew 27:2 niv

So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.

Matthew 27:2 esv

And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.

Matthew 27:2 nlt

Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

Matthew 27 verses

Matthew 27 2 Meaning

Matthew 27:2 describes the physical transfer of Jesus from the custody of the Jewish authorities to the Roman governor. After being condemned by the Sanhedrin on religious charges of blasphemy, Jesus, already bound, was led away and officially delivered to Pontius Pilate. This action marked a crucial jurisdictional shift, moving Jesus from Jewish religious court to Roman political trial, enabling the death penalty which the Jewish court was not permitted to carry out under Roman occupation. It signifies the formal handing over of Jesus for His ultimate crucifixion, fulfilling both human actions and divine purpose.

Matthew 27 2 Context

This verse immediately follows the Jewish religious trial and condemnation of Jesus by the Sanhedrin (Matt 26:57-68) and the subsequent lamentable fate of Judas (Matt 27:1-10). It sets the stage for the Roman trial of Jesus. Historically and culturally, Judea was under Roman occupation. While Jewish religious councils like the Sanhedrin could try religious cases, they did not possess ius gladii, the authority to execute capital punishment. Any sentence requiring the death penalty had to be ratified and carried out by the Roman procurator, in this case, Pontius Pilate. Therefore, the act of "leading Him away and delivering Him" to Pilate was a necessary step for the Jewish authorities to achieve their objective of putting Jesus to death, transitioning the charge from blasphemy (a Jewish religious offense) to sedition or treason (a Roman political offense). This shift highlights the collaboration of both Jewish and Gentile powers in fulfilling God's redemptive plan, albeit unknowingly on their part.

Matthew 27 2 Word analysis

• And (δὲ, de): A conjunction often meaning "but" or "and," connecting actions sequentially. Here, it marks the continuation and logical progression from the Sanhedrin's decision to the next stage of Jesus' ordeal.

• when they had bound Him (δέσαντες αὐτὸν, desantes auton):

  • δέσαντες (desantes): An aorist participle from deō (δέω), meaning "to bind," "to tie," "to fasten." It implies that Jesus was already secured, likely tightly, signifying His state as a prisoner, stripped of His freedom. This binding would have been either maintained from His initial arrest or reapplied/tightened after His trial before Caiaphas, for transport. It indicates the loss of liberty and the complete subjugation to the authorities.
  • αὐτὸν (auton): "Him," referring to Jesus.

• they led Him away (ἀπήγαγον, apēgagon):

  • ἀπήγαγον (apēgagon): Aorist indicative from apagō (ἀπάγω), meaning "to lead away," "to bring to trial," "to put to death," or "to conduct someone." It often specifically refers to leading someone to prison or execution. The term implies force and coercion, describing a procession from one place of custody and judgment to another.

• and delivered Him (καὶ παρέδωκαν, kai paredōkan):

  • καὶ (kai): "And," another conjunctive, linking the act of leading away with the specific action of delivery.
  • παρέδωκαν (paredōkan): Aorist indicative from paradidōmi (παραδίδωμι), a critically significant Greek word. It means "to give over," "to hand over," "to betray," or "to commit." While it is the same word used for Judas's "betrayal" of Jesus (e.g., Matt 26:15, 21), here it signifies the formal act of handing over Jesus into the legal jurisdiction and custody of Pilate. This word carries profound theological weight in the New Testament, used not only for betrayal but also for God "delivering up" Jesus for our sins (e.g., Rom 4:25, 8:32), indicating divine purpose through human actions.

• to Pontius Pilate the governor (Ποντίῳ Πιλάτῳ τῷ ἡγεμόνι, Pontiō Pilatō tō hēgemoní):

  • Ποντίῳ Πιλάτῳ (Pontiō Pilatō): Pontius Pilate, the historically attested Roman prefect (procurator) of Judea from 26-36 AD. His name immediately signals the transfer to the highest Roman authority in the region.
  • τῷ ἡγεμόνι (tō hēgemoní): "The governor," from hēgemōn (ἡγεμών), meaning "a leader," "a commander," or "a governor." In the context of Roman administration, this title accurately describes a provincial governor like Pilate, who held supreme military, judicial, and financial authority. This emphasizes Pilate's power to carry out the death sentence, a power the Sanhedrin lacked.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And when they had bound Him, they led Him away": This phrase details the initial condition and action: Jesus is securely restrained, confirming His status as a prisoner. The action of "leading Him away" indicates movement under guard, towards the next stage of the legal process. It suggests a methodical, purposeful transport of a prisoner who has already been deemed guilty by the previous court.
  • "and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor": This crucial phrase marks the jurisdictional shift. The Jewish religious authorities officially hand over Jesus, effectively washing their hands of direct execution but fully intending for the Roman power to complete the death sentence. "Delivered" emphasizes not just a physical transfer but a handing over of authority, a surrender to the power structure of the Roman Empire for judgment and sentence. This highlights Pilate's role as the arbiter of life and death in the Roman province, and implicitly, the Jewish reliance on Roman power to fulfill their religious conviction regarding Jesus' blasphemy.

Matthew 27 2 Bonus section

The precision of Matthew's detail regarding Pontius Pilate highlights the historicity of the Gospel accounts and connects Jesus' crucifixion directly to a known historical figure and administrative system. The word paradidomi ("delivered Him") not only refers to the literal transfer but also echoes the theological truth that God the Father "delivered up" His Son for humanity's redemption, indicating that even in the actions of ungodly men, God's sovereign plan was unfolding (Acts 2:23). This scene underscores the legality, albeit perverted, that marked every step toward the cross, making Jesus' sacrifice a public, historically verifiable event under civil law, not a mere religious persecution confined to Jewish sects.

Matthew 27 2 Commentary

Matthew 27:2 is a terse but deeply significant verse. It encapsulates the transition of Jesus' trial from a Jewish religious sphere to a Roman political one. The act of "binding" Him underscores His absolute subjugation as a prisoner, preparing Him for further judgment. "Leading Him away" highlights the public procession of one accused, soon to be condemned. The core of the verse, "delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor," is pivotal. It reveals the strategic maneuvering of the Jewish leaders, who, lacking the power of execution, leveraged the Roman state to eliminate Jesus. This also illustrates the meticulous fulfillment of prophecies where the Son of Man would be "delivered over" (e.g., Matt 17:22; 20:19), ultimately into the hands of Gentiles for crucifixion. Pilate, as the Roman hēgemōn, represented the ultimate earthly authority in Judea, unknowingly serving as an instrument in God's broader redemptive plan, facilitating the crucifixion necessary for atonement. The verse starkly presents the intertwining of human judicial systems, political power, and divine purpose in the Passion narrative.