Matthew 27:37 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

NIV: Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

NASB: And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, 'THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.'

CSB: Above his head they put up the charge against him in writing: This Is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

NLT: A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: 'This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.'

KJV: And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

NKJV: And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The charge against the prisoner being crucified was often put on a sign above his head. This ensured that the populace would see the price of such crimes. Crucifixion's entire design was centered around terror, humiliation, pain, and dominance. Merely ending life was not the point; its greatest benefit to Rome was as a deterrent. Hanging mutilated corpses where they could be seen sent a clear message about what happened to those who defied the Empire.

Pilate, as the Roman governor, may or may not have personally written down these charges. Whether that was the case with Jesus, or if Pilate "wrote" this by dictation is irrelevant. Pilate faced an unexpectedly difficult choice of what to write. He openly declared Jesus was innocent of the crimes for which He was accused (Luke 23:4, 14). Once he gave in to mob pressure, however, the governor shifted to focus on the idea of Jesus as a self-appointed King (John 19:14–15).

Matthew's reference to Jesus' crucifixion label was "Jesus, King of the Jews." John further clarifies that Jesus' identity was specified as "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" (John 19:19). Written in three languages, it was meant to be clearly seen and understood. Ironically, this was exactly the truth, published for all who saw it. At the urging of the Jewish religious leaders, Rome had crucified the Christ, the Messiah, the rightful king of Israel.

The phrase "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" translates into Latin as Iēsus Nazarēnus Rēx Iūdaeōrum, initialized as I.N.R.I. This shorthand version is often seen in artistic representations of the crucifixion.

Stating that Jesus was Israel's King irritated Jewish religious leaders even further. Pilate might even have chosen this wording out of spite. Those who saw the sign, without knowing all that had happened before, would assume Rome was crucifying Israel's actual, recognized king. The chief priests hated that and asked Pilate to change it to clarify that Jesus claimed that role. Pilate's reply was, "What I have written I have written." (John 19:21–22.)

Matthew 27:32–44 describes Jesus' march to the cross, aided by a man named Simon of Cyrene. Jesus is offered a numbing, bitter wine, but refuses it, and is nailed to the cross. Soldiers gamble for His clothes. A somewhat sarcastic sign above Him reads "the King of the Jews." Observers, including several Jewish religious leaders, mock Jesus for not being able to save Himself. Even the criminals being executed on either side of Jesus insult Him. Mark 15:20–32, Luke 23:36–43, and John 19:16–27 cover this same process.

When Judas learns Jesus has been condemned, he regrets betraying the Lord. He throws down his ill-gotten money and hangs himself. Jesus is taken to Pilate, who finds nothing to charge Him with. Given the choice, the people shout for the release of a convicted murderer and insist on Jesus' death. Jesus is mocked by a battalion of soldiers and then taken to be crucified. On the cross, He is mocked for not being able to save Himself. After three hours of darkness, Jesus dies. He is buried by a rich follower in a new tomb. This location is tightly guarded to prevent anyone from stealing the body.

Matthew 27 begins with an official meeting of the Jewish ruling council. They affirm Jesus' condemnation from the previous night, described in chapter 26. Judas confesses his betrayal and hangs himself. Pilate tries to release Jesus, but the mob shouts for Jesus to be crucified. Jesus is humiliated by Roman soldiers and marched to be executed. On the cross, He is mocked by Jewish religious leaders and others. He dies and is buried in a never-used tomb. Extensive efforts to secure His body from being stolen only serve to prove the miraculous nature of His resurrection, which is detailed in chapter 28.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.