The King of the Jews

Matthew 27:1-66

Key verse 27:11

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.

Verses 1-10. Judas had several opportunities to repent before Jesus was condemned (Mat 26:1-2, 23-25, 47-50), so why do you think he was seized with remorse now? What did he do in his remorse? How can we avoid suffering an end like Judas's? What was the blood money ultimately used for? What is the significance that these events were foretold by God through the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 32:9; Zec 11:12-13)? 

Verses 11-14. How did Jesus answer Pilate when he asked him if he was the king of the Jews? How did Jesus respond to the charges brought against him? What does this show about Jesus? 

Verses 15-26. Based on what Pilate knew, what would have been the right thing to do (18-19, 23-24)? Yet what did Pilate do instead? Pilate proclaimed himself innocent of Jesus' blood. Was he? 

Verses 27-44. How did the Roman soldiers abuse and mock Jesus before and after nailing him to the cross (27-36)? What was the official charge against Jesus (37)?  What theme(s) do you find in the way Jesus was mocked by the soldiers, crowds, and religious leaders? What does it show about Jesus that he allowed all these things to be done to him? 

Verses 45-46. What did Jesus cry out in the ninth hour (46)? What was the significance of this cry (see Psalm 22)?  

Verses 47-56. What happened in Jesus' last moments? What happened after he breathed his last? What did these things reveal about Jesus and the significance of his death? 

Verses 57-66. What was done with Jesus' body? What did the religious leaders fear would happen?