Matthew 27:1-6
early in the morning <4405> [the morning.]
all <3956> [all.]
tied ... up <1210> [bound.]
handed ... over <3860> [delivered.]
to Pilate <4091 4194> [Pontius Pilate.]
Pontius Pilate governed Judea ten years under the emperor Tiberius, from his 13th to his 23rd year A.D. 26 to 36; but, having exercised great cruelties against the Samaritans, they complained to Vitellius, governor of Syria, who sent Marcellus, one of his friends, to superintend Judea, and ordered Pilate to Rome, to give an account of his conduct to Tiberius. The emperor was dead before he arrived; but it is an ancient tradition, that he was banished to Vienne in Dauphiny, where he was reduced to such extremity that he killed himself with his own sword two years after.
Judas <2455> [Judas.]
regretted <3338> [repented.]
I have sinned <264> [I have sinned.]
<121> [the innocent.]
What <5101> [What.]
<3700> [see.]
he went out <402> [and departed.]
It is not lawful <1832 3756 2076> [It is not.]
to put <906> [to put.]
since <1893> [because.]
The Jews considered it was strictly forbidden by the Divine law to bring any filthy or iniquitous gain into the temple. For this reason they now refused to allow this money to be placed in the chest in the temple, amongst the former contributions for its repairs. In this, they were right enough, but by the very act of refusing this money, they proved themselves to be gross perverters of the spirit of God's requirements: they saw not that it was much less lawful for them, who had hired Judas to this sordid action, to be employed in the service of the temple. Those that "bear the vessels of the Lord," ought to be holy. Thus our Lord's words, "Ye blind guides! ye strain at a gnat and swallow a camel."
