Matthew 27:22 kjv
Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
Matthew 27:22 nkjv
Pilate said to them, "What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said to him, "Let Him be crucified!"
Matthew 27:22 niv
"What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" Pilate asked. They all answered, "Crucify him!"
Matthew 27:22 esv
Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!"
Matthew 27:22 nlt
Pilate responded, "Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?" They shouted back, "Crucify him!"
Matthew 27 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 27:17 | "Which one do you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus called Christ?" | Pilate's initial attempt to offer a choice. |
| Mt 27:20 | The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds... | Incitement of the crowd by leaders. |
| Mt 27:23 | Pilate said, "Why? What evil has He done?" But they cried out all the more, "Let Him be crucified!" | Pilate's query about guilt; persistent demand. |
| Mt 27:24 | So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing... he took water and washed his hands... | Pilate's attempt to disclaim responsibility. |
| Mk 15:11 | But the chief priests stirred up the crowd... | Mk's account of the crowd's incitement. |
| Lk 23:20 | Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus. | Pilate's repeated desire to free Jesus. |
| Lk 23:23 | But they kept on pressing with loud voices, demanding that He be crucified... | Persistence and loudness of the crowd's cry. |
| Jn 18:38 | Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" After saying this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him." | Pilate's declaration of Jesus' innocence. |
| Jn 19:4 | Pilate came out again and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him." | Pilate reiterates Jesus' innocence. |
| Jn 19:6 | When the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out, "Crucify! Crucify!" | Religious leaders instigating the cry. |
| Jn 19:12 | From then on Pilate tried to release Him, but the Jews cried out... | Pilate's repeated efforts against pressure. |
| Deut 21:23 | for he who is hanged is accursed of God. | Foreshadowing of the cursed nature of crucifixion. |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"— | Jesus becoming a curse on the cross. |
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows... we did not esteem Him. | Prophecy of Messiah's rejection by men. |
| Isa 53:5 | But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement for our well-being fell upon Him... | Prophecy of substitutionary suffering. |
| Acts 2:23 | this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. | God's sovereign plan for the cross, human agency. |
| Acts 4:27 | For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus... both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel. | Fulfillment of Psalm 2, collusion against Messiah. |
| Acts 7:52 | Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. | Stephen's charge of historical rejection and murder of Messiah. |
| 1 Cor 1:23 | but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness. | The scandal of the cross. |
| Phil 2:8 | He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. | Jesus' obedience leading to crucifixion. |
| Heb 12:2 | Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame... | Jesus' endurance of the cross. |
| Rev 1:7 | every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. | Future confrontation with those who crucified Him. |
Matthew 27 verses
Matthew 27 22 Meaning
Matthew 27:22 presents a pivotal moment in the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, where Pilate, sensing no fault in Jesus and attempting to appease the Jewish leaders and the incited crowd, proposes a rhetorical question regarding Jesus' fate. The unified and forceful response from the crowd reveals their definitive choice for His crucifixion, contrasting sharply with Pilate's assessment and demonstrating humanity's rejection of the Anointed One.
Matthew 27 22 Context
Matthew 27:22 occurs during the trial of Jesus before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judea. After Jesus' arrest, an unlawful nocturnal trial by the Sanhedrin (Jewish high court) condemns Him on charges of blasphemy, but they lack the authority to execute Him. Therefore, they bring Him to Pilate, presenting a political charge of sedition against Caesar (Lk 23:2), hoping to secure a death sentence. Pilate, upon questioning Jesus, finds no fault in Him (Jn 18:38, Lk 23:4). According to custom, he offers to release a prisoner at Passover. He presents a choice between Barabbas, a notorious criminal and insurrectionist, and Jesus, "who is called Christ." The chief priests and elders manipulate the crowd to choose Barabbas and demand Jesus' crucifixion. Verse 22 captures Pilate's direct challenge to the crowd's preference and their deafening, fatal reply, sealing Jesus' destiny according to God's will and humanity's sin.
Matthew 27 22 Word analysis
- Pilate said to them: This highlights Pilate's role as the authority figure, albeit one under significant external pressure. "To them" refers to the entire multitude gathered, comprising not just the chief priests and elders who stirred them up, but also the broader populace present. Pilate attempts to pass the decision onto the people, reflecting his indecision and political expediency.
- "What then shall I do with Jesus": Pilate's question exposes his dilemma. He finds Jesus innocent, yet he is coerced by the religious leaders and the volatile crowd. The phrase signifies a governor attempting to find a political solution to a religious conflict that has turned into a riotous demand, trying to deflect responsibility while also perhaps genuinely seeking a way to avoid executing an innocent man. It is a desperate plea for direction from the very crowd he should be ruling.
- "who is called Christ?": The term "Christ" (Greek: Christos, Χριστός) is a transliteration of the Hebrew Mashiach (מָשִׁיחַ), meaning "Anointed One." This title carries immense theological weight, identifying Jesus as the promised Messiah. Pilate, a Gentile Roman, likely uses it factually, referencing Jesus' common designation, rather than fully understanding its Messianic significance. However, by asking "What shall I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?", Pilate implicitly brings the crowd's own Messianic expectation into question. It forces them to either acknowledge Jesus as the Christ and release Him, or reject the Christ by demanding His crucifixion. Their choice, "Let Him be crucified," is thus a profound rejection of their own promised deliverer.
- They all said: The unanimity suggested by "all" (Greek: pantes, πάντες) emphasizes the overwhelming, collective will of the mob. It portrays a unified cry, not merely from a few dissenters. This signifies the peak of popular rejection, showing how quickly public opinion, once manipulated, can turn against truth and justice. The Greek verb for "said" here is a strong form, indicating a cry or shout, conveying the intensity and volume of their demand.
- "Let Him be crucified!": The imperative phrase expresses a definitive, aggressive command. "Crucified" (Greek: staurou, σταυρόω, to fix on a cross) refers to the brutal Roman method of execution. It was reserved for the worst criminals, rebels, and slaves, designed to inflict maximum pain and public humiliation. This demand highlights the extreme animosity towards Jesus, as stoning (a Jewish method of execution) would have been the usual punishment for blasphemy. Their choice of crucifixion, a Roman method, further reveals their desperate desire for Jesus' death, seeking to use Roman law to carry out their vengeful desires. It also fulfilled prophetic expectations of His death.
Matthew 27 22 Bonus section
The insistence on crucifixion (rather than stoning, the Jewish method for blasphemy) by the crowd meant that Jesus would die a Gentile death. This foreshadowed that His salvation would extend beyond Israel to the Gentiles (Jn 12:32, Acts 2:39). Furthermore, Pilate's question about what to do with "Jesus who is called Christ" (the Anointed One) becomes a timeless question for every individual. What will one do with Jesus? Will He be received as Christ, or will He be effectively "crucified" by one's indifference or rejection? The collective voice of the crowd, "They all said, 'Let Him be crucified!'" highlights the conformity to groupthink and how easily a mob can be swayed to unrighteousness, demonstrating the moral depravity and spiritual blindness inherent in humanity apart from divine grace.
Matthew 27 22 Commentary
Matthew 27:22 is a chilling summary of human perversion of justice and the rejection of God's Anointed One. Pilate's question reveals his attempt at a middle ground, a weak moral stance seeking public validation rather than upholding righteousness. His inability to act according to his own judgment of Jesus' innocence (Jn 18:38) showcases his political weakness and fear of civil unrest or denouncement to Caesar. The crowd's vehement demand, instigated by the religious elite, encapsulates the tragic rejection of the Messiah by His own people (Jn 1:11). The cry "Crucify Him!" is not just a call for execution but a deep-seated rejection of Jesus' kingship and claims, an active participation in God's eternal plan for redemption through the suffering of His Son. It signifies humanity's guilt and underscores the necessary substitutionary sacrifice for sin. The scene tragically sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the suffering Messiah (Isa 53).