Matthew 27
The Story of the Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion tells of Jesus mocked, nailed to the cross, forsaken, and recognized even by a centurion as the Son of God.
Setting and Context
The crucifixion is the central event toward which the Gospel narratives move. Matthew presents Jesus as innocent, rejected, mocked, and yet fulfilling Scripture as He gives His life.
The Story
Jesus is led to Golgotha and crucified. His garments are divided, and the charge over His head names Him as King of the Jews. The scene is full of public shame and mockery.
Darkness covers the land, and Jesus cries out with the words of Psalm 22: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" His suffering is physical, public, and deeply theological.
Jesus yields up the ghost, the veil of the temple is torn, and the earth shakes. The centurion and those with him fear greatly and confess, "Truly this was the Son of God."
Meaning and Importance
Jesus is crucified at Golgotha, mocked by bystanders, and dies after crying out. At His death, creation trembles and the centurion confesses that Jesus truly was the Son of God.
The crucifixion is not a tragic interruption of Jesus' mission; it is central to it. The cross reveals human sin, divine judgment, faithful obedience, and the costly love of God. It also prepares directly for the resurrection, where the crucified Son is vindicated.
Biblical Art Connected to This Story
Diego Velazquez, circa 1632
Christ on the Cross
The painting is spare and still, making the Crucifixion feel solemn rather than theatrical.
Caravaggio, circa 1602-1603
The Entombment of Christ
The lowered body and dark space make the burial feel immediate, heavy, and communal.
Danquart Anthon Weggeland, after Mihaly Munkacsy, 19th century
Christ before Pilate
The crowded courtroom image turns the Passion into a public crisis of judgment and truth.
Giotto, circa 1305
Lamentation, The Mourning of Christ
Giotto gives the Passion a human center: grief gathered around the body of Jesus.
Key KJV Verses
Matthew 27:35
“And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.”
Read Matthew 27Matthew 27:46
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Read Matthew 27Matthew 27:50
“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.”
Read Matthew 27Matthew 27:54
“Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
Read Matthew 27What This Story Teaches
- The cross stands at the center of the Gospel story.
- Jesus suffers shame and death while remaining faithful.
- The crucifixion reveals both the seriousness of sin and the depth of God's saving purpose.
Questions about Crucifixion
Where is the crucifixion of Jesus in the Bible?
The crucifixion is recorded in all four Gospels, including Matthew 27.
What did the centurion say after Jesus died?
Matthew records the centurion saying, "Truly this was the Son of God."