Matthew 27:22-43

Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all replied, “Let Him be crucified!” And he said, “Why, what has He done that is evil?” But they continued shouting all the louder, “Let Him be crucified!” [Mark 15:14; Luke 23:4, 14, 22; John 18:39; 19:4, 6] So when Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but rather that a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands [to ceremonially cleanse himself of guilt] in the presence of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this [righteous] Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” [Deut 21:6-9; Ps 26:6] And all the people answered, “Let [the responsibility for] His blood be on us and on our children!” [Josh 2:19] So he set Barabbas free for them; but after having Jesus severely whipped (scourged), he handed Him over to be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium, and they gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. [Mark 15:16-20; John 19:1-3] They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on Him [as a king’s robe]. And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and put a reed in His right hand [as a scepter]. Kneeling before Him, they ridiculed Him, saying, “Hail (rejoice), King of the Jews!” They spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him repeatedly on the head. After they finished ridiculing Him, they stripped Him of the scarlet robe and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. Now as they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced into service to carry the cross of Jesus. [Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26] And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, [Mark 15:22-32; Luke 23:33-43; John 19:17-24] they offered Him wine mixed with gall (myrrh, a bitter-tasting narcotic) to drink; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it. And when they had crucified Him, they divided His clothes among them by casting lots. [Ps 22:18] Then sitting down there, they began to keep watch over Him [to guard against any rescue attempt]. And above His head they put the accusation against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” At the same time two robbers were crucified with Jesus, one on the right and one on the left. Those who passed by were hurling abuse at Him and jeering at Him, wagging their heads [in scorn and ridicule], [Ps 22:7, 8; 109:25] and they said [tauntingly], “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself [from death]! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, mocked Him, saying, “He saved others [from death]; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him and acknowledge Him. HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” [Ps 22:8]