Matthew 27:13

Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

27:11-25 Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own consciences. O do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates! is what we may hear said to us, when we are entering into temptation, if we will but regard it. Being overruled by the priests, the people made choice of Barabbas. Multitudes who choose the world, rather than God, for their ruler and portion, thus choose their own delusions. The Jews were so bent upon the death of Christ, that Pilate thought it would be dangerous to refuse. And this struggle shows the power of conscience even on the worst men. Yet all was so ordered to make it evident that Christ suffered for no fault of his own, but for the sins of his people. How vain for Pilate to expect to free himself from the guilt of the innocent blood of a righteous person, whom he was by his office bound to protect! The Jews' curse upon themselves has been awfully answered in the sufferings of their nation. None could bear the sin of others, except Him that had no sin of his own to answer for. And are we not all concerned? Is not Barabbas preferred to Jesus, when sinners reject salvation that they may retain their darling sins, which rob God of his glory, and murder their souls? The blood of Christ is now upon us for good, through mercy, by the Jews' rejection of it. O let us flee to it for refuge!

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They witness against thee - This means, rather, that they accused him. They were not "witnesses," but accusers. These accusations were repeated and pressed. They charged him with exciting the people, teaching throughout, all Judea from Galilee to Jerusalem, and exciting the nation to sedition, Luke 23:5.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mt 27:11-26. Jesus Again before Pilate—He Seeks to Release Him but at Length Delivers Him to Be Crucified. ( = Mr 15:1-15; Lu 23:1-25; Joh 18:28-40).

For the exposition, see on [1372]Lu 23:1-25; [1373]Joh 18:28-40.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Matthew 27:14".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then saith Pilate unto him,.... Observing he made no reply to the accusations of the chief priests and elders, and in order to draw something out of him,

hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? art thou deaf? or dost thou not take in what is alleged against thee? dost thou not consider the nature of these charges? how many, and of what kind the depositions are now made by persons of such rank and figure? art thou under no concern to make answer to them?

Geneva Study Bible

Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Matthew 27:13. ilate noting His silence directs His attention to what they have been saying.

Bengel's Gnomen

Matthew 27:13. Τότε, then) Pilate conducted himself moderately at first in the judgment of the cause.—Πιλάτος,[1182] Pilatus, Pilate) Nonnus shortens the middle syllable; and passim, the Greeks sharpen[1183] the long vowel of the Latins in πρίμος, Τουρκουάτος Δειτάτος, etc. (primus, Torquátus, Dentatus, etc.)—οὐκ ἀκούεις, Dost thou not hear?) A separate question;[1184] cf. Mark 15:4.

[1182] Lachm. and Tisch. write it Πιλᾶτος.—ED.

[1183] i.e. They distinguish it with the acute accent.—(I. B.)

[1184] Although joined in the V. G. with the following words.—E. B.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 13. - Hearest thou not how many things (πόσα, quanta, what great things) they witness against thee? Among the charges was one that Jesus stirred up the people to revolt, both in Galilee and Judaea. The mention of Galilee offered to Pilate a chance of escaping the responsibility of the trial, and led to his sending Christ to Herod, as St. Luke relates (Luke 23:6-12). It was on the return from Herod that the final scene took place. Pilate evidently did not believe that this dignified, meek, inoffensive Man was guilty of sedition, and he desired to hear his defence, which he was willing to receive favourably (Acts 3:13). Matthew 27:13