John Calvin Commentary Matthew 27
John Calvin Commentary
Matthew 27
John Calvin Commentary
Matthew 27
"Now when morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:" — Matthew 27:1 (ASV)
But when it was morning. The high priest, with his council, after having examined him at an unseasonable hour of the night, finally resolve, at sunrise, to place him at the bar of the governor. By so doing, they observe the form of judicial proceedings, that they may not be suspected of undue haste when they run to Pilate at an unusually early hour, as usually happens in cases of tumult.
But it is probable that when Christ had been led away from their council, they immediately held a consultation and, without long delay, resolved what they would do; for we have already been told at what time Christ went out from them and met Peter, which was after the cock-crowing and just as day was breaking.
The Evangelists, therefore, do not mean that they removed from the place,239 but only relate that, as soon as it was daylight, they condemned Christ to death, and did not lose a moment in earnestly putting into execution their wicked design.
What Luke formerly stated (Luke 22:66), that they assembled in the morning, ought not to be explained as referring to the very beginning, but to the last act, which is immediately added: as if he had said that, as soon as it was day, our Lord having acknowledged that he was the Son of God, they pronounced their sentence of his death.
Now, if they had been permitted to decide in taking away life, they would all have been eager, in their fury, to murder him with their own hands; but as Pilate had cognizance of capital crimes, they are constrained to refer the matter to his jurisdiction; only they entangle him by their own previous decision.
240 For the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:59) took place in a seditious manner, as happens in cases of tumult; but it was proper that the Son of God should be solemnly condemned by an earthly judge, that he might efface our condemnation in heaven.
239 “Du lieu ou ils avoyent esté assemblez la nuict;” — “from the place where they had been assembled during the night.”;” — “from the place where they had been assembled during the night.”
240 “C’est à dire, de l’avis qu’ils en avoyent desja donné en leur conseil;” — “that is to say, by the opinion which they had already given respecting him in their council.”;” — “that is to say, by the opinion which they had already given respecting him in their council.”
"Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders," — Matthew 27:3 (ASV)
Then Judas, perceiving that he was condemned. By this adverb (τότε) then, Matthew does not fix the exact point of time, for we will find him shortly afterwards adding that Judas, when he saw that the priests disdainfully refused to take back the reward of his treason, threw it down in the temple. But from the house of Caiaphas they came straight to the Praetorium and stood there until Christ was condemned. It can hardly be supposed that they were found in the temple on that day; but as the Evangelist was speaking of the rage and madness of the council, he inserted also the death of Judas, by which their blind obstinacy, and the hardness of their hearts like iron, were more fully displayed.
He says that Judas repented; not that he reformed, but that the crime which he had committed gave him uneasiness, as God frequently opens the eyes of the reprobate, so as to begin to feel their miseries and to be alarmed at them. For those who are sincerely grieved so as to reform are said not only (μεταμελεῖν),241 but also (μετανοεῖν),242 from which is derived also (μετάνοια),243 which is a true conversion of the soul to God.
So then, Judas conceived disgust and horror, not so as to turn to God, but rather that, being overwhelmed with despair, he might serve as an example of a man entirely shut out from the grace of God.
Justly, indeed, does Paul say that the sorrow which leads to repentance is salutary (2 Corinthians 7:10); but if a man stumbles at the very threshold, he will derive no advantage from a confused and mistaken grief. Moreover, this is a just punishment with which God eventually visits the wicked, who have obstinately despised his judgment, that he gives them up to Satan to be tormented without the hope of consolation.
True repentance is displeasure at sin, arising out of fear and reverence for God, and producing, at the same time, a love and desire of righteousness. Wicked men are far from such a feeling; for they would desire to sin without intermission, and even, as far as lies in their power, they endeavor to deceive both God and their own conscience,244 but notwithstanding their reluctance and opposition, they are tormented with blind horror by their conscience, so that, though they do not hate their sin, still they feel, with sorrow and distress, that it presses heavily and painfully upon them.
This is the reason why their grief is useless; for they do not cheerfully turn to God, or even aim at doing better, but, being attached to their wicked desires, they pine away in torment, which they cannot escape.
In this way, as I have just said, God punishes their obstinacy. For although his elect are drawn to him by severe chastisements, and as it were contrary to their will, yet he heals in due time the wounds which he has inflicted, so that they come cheerfully to him, by whose hand they acknowledge that they are struck, and by whose wrath they are alarmed.
The former, therefore, while they have no hatred to sin, not only dread, but fly from the judgment of God, and thus, having received an incurable wound, they perish in the midst of their sorrows.
If Judas had listened to the warning of Christ, there would still have been place for repentance; but since he despised so gracious an offer of salvation, he is given up to the dominion of Satan, so that Satan might throw him into despair. But if the Papists were right in what they teach in their schools about repentance, we could find no defect in that of Judas, to which their definition of repentance fully applies; for we perceive in it contrition of heart, and confession of the mouth, and satisfaction of deed, as they talk. Hence we infer that they take nothing more than the bark, for they leave out what was the chief point: the conversion of the man to God, when the sinner, broken down by shame and fear, denies himself so as to render obedience to righteousness.
241 The import of those Greek words is brought out more fully in our Author’s French version. “Car ceux qui sont vrayement desplaisans pour s’amender, non seulement cognoissent leurs fautes, mais aussi changent de courage, ce qui est bien ici exprimé;” — “for those who are truly dissatisfied with themselves so as to reform, not only know their faults, but also have the resolution to amend, which is well expressed here.” He then goes on to say that Matthew attributes to Judas “;” — “for those who are truly dissatisfied with themselves so as to reform, not only know their faults, but also have the resolution to amend, which is well expressed here.” He then goes on to say that Matthew attributes to Judas “une repentance que les Grecs nomment μεταμέλεια, , qui est forcee, et laisse l’homme tout abruti; non pas celle qu’ils nomment μετάνοια, , qui est un vraye conversation de l’homme à Dieu;” — “a repentance which the Greeks call ;” — “a repentance which the Greeks call metameleia, (, (μεταμέλεια,) which is forced, and leaves the man altogether brutish; not that which they call ,) which is forced, and leaves the man altogether brutish; not that which they call metanoia, ((μετάνοια,) which is a true conversion of the man to God.”,) which is a true conversion of the man to God.”
242 The import of those Greek words is brought out more fully in our Author’s French version. “Car ceux qui sont vrayement desplaisans pour s’amender, non seulement cognoissent leurs fautes, mais aussi changent de courage, ce qui est bien ici exprimé;” — “for those who are truly dissatisfied with themselves so as to reform, not only know their faults, but also have the resolution to amend, which is well expressed here.” He then goes on to say that Matthew attributes to Judas “;” — “for those who are truly dissatisfied with themselves so as to reform, not only know their faults, but also have the resolution to amend, which is well expressed here.” He then goes on to say that Matthew attributes to Judas “une repentance que les Grecs nomment μεταμέλεια, , qui est forcee, et laisse l’homme tout abruti; non pas celle qu’ils nomment μετάνοια, , qui est un vraye conversation de l’homme à Dieu;” — “a repentance which the Greeks call ;” — “a repentance which the Greeks call metameleia, (, (μεταμέλεια,) which is forced, and leaves the man altogether brutish; not that which they call ,) which is forced, and leaves the man altogether brutish; not that which they call metanoia, ((μετάνοια,) which is a true conversion of the man to God.”,) which is a true conversion of the man to God.”
243 The import of those Greek words is brought out more fully in our Author’s French version. “Car ceux qui sont vrayement desplaisans pour s’amender, non seulement cognoissent leurs fautes, mais aussi changent de courage, ce qui est bien ici exprimé;” — “for those who are truly dissatisfied with themselves so as to reform, not only know their faults, but also have the resolution to amend, which is well expressed here.” He then goes on to say that Matthew attributes to Judas “;” — “for those who are truly dissatisfied with themselves so as to reform, not only know their faults, but also have the resolution to amend, which is well expressed here.” He then goes on to say that Matthew attributes to Judas “une repentance que les Grecs nomment μεταμέλεια, , qui est forcee, et laisse l’homme tout abruti; non pas celle qu’ils nomment μετάνοια, , qui est un vraye conversation de l’homme à Dieu;” — “a repentance which the Greeks call ;” — “a repentance which the Greeks call metameleia, (, (μεταμέλεια,) which is forced, and leaves the man altogether brutish; not that which they call ,) which is forced, and leaves the man altogether brutish; not that which they call metanoia, ((μετάνοια,) which is a true conversion of the man to God.”,) which is a true conversion of the man to God.”
244 “Et Dieu, et leur propre conscience.”.”
"saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, What is that to us? see thou [to it]." — Matthew 27:4 (ASV)
What is that to us? Here the stupidity and madness of the priests are described, for even after being warned by Judas's dreadful example, they still do not think about themselves.
I do acknowledge that hypocrites, accustomed as they are to flatter themselves, had some plausible excuse at hand for distinguishing their case from that of Judas. They did not consider themselves partakers of his crime, even though they had abused Judas's treachery.
But Judas not only confesses that he has sinned but also asserts Christ's innocence. From this, it follows that they had planned the death of a righteous man and were therefore guilty of a detestable murder.
Nor is there any room to doubt that God intended to sear their consciences with a hot iron, to expose the hidden corruption.
Let us therefore learn that when we see wicked persons—with whom we have anything in common—filled with alarm, these instances are so many prompts to repentance. Those who neglect such prompts aggravate their criminality.
We should also believe that one man's crime cannot acquit all those who are in any way involved in it. Furthermore, the leading perpetrators of a crime can gain no advantage by distinguishing between themselves and their agents, so that they might avoid suffering the same punishment.
"And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away and hanged himself." — Matthew 27:5 (ASV)
And he went away, and strangled himself. This is the price for which Satan sells the allurements by which he flatters wicked men for a time. He throws them into a state of fury, so that, voluntarily cutting themselves off from the hope of salvation, they find no consolation except in death.
Though others would have permitted Judas to enjoy the thirty pieces of silver, by which he had betrayed Christ and his own salvation, he throws them down, and not only deprives himself of their use but, along with the base reward for the death of Christ, also throws away his own life.
Thus, though God does not put forth his hand, wicked men are frustrated in their desires, so that when they have obtained their wishes, they not only deprive themselves of enjoying unsatisfying benefits but even make cords for themselves. But though they are their own executioners by punishing themselves, they do not in any way alleviate or diminish the severity of the wrath of God.
"And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is the price of blood." — Matthew 27:6 (ASV)
It is not lawful for us to throw it into the treasury. Therefore, it clearly appears that hypocrites, by focusing only on the outward appearance, are guilty of treating God with gross irreverence. As long as they do not violate their Corban, (Mark 7:11), they imagine that in other matters they are pure and are unconcerned about the infamous bargain by which they, no less than Judas, had provoked God's vengeance against themselves.
But if it was unlawful to put into the sacred treasury the price of blood, why was it lawful for them to take the money out of it? For all their wealth was derived from the offerings of the temple, and from no other source did they take the money they now hesitate to return to those funds, deeming it polluted. Now, from where did the pollution come, if not from themselves?
Jump to: