Reading the Gospels Together

The Trials – Part 3

If we use Mark’s story as the base we can move on now to see what Matthew has done with it. As we read Matthew’s story what we discover is that he has made very few changes to the story he inherited from Mark. The trial scene before the Jewish authorities is essentially the same with some minor word changes. And the denial by Peter is told with almost the same words. And following the trial when morning came Matthew follows Mark in telling his readers that Jesus was now brought before Pilate.

At this point in the story Matthew does make a significant addition to Mark. Matthew tells his readers about the fate of Judas who had betrayed Jesus in the dark of night. Only Matthew tells this story. Luke has a different version of the aftermath of Judas in his book of Acts but its purpose for Luke is mostly to lead to the replacement of Judas by Matthias. Matthew tells his readers the tragic story of the attempted repentance by Judas and his eventual suicide. One cannot help but feel pity for Judas. Repentance seems impossible for him and there is no way out – there is no Jesus to rescue him! Matthew’s story serves mostly to darken his readers’ view of the religious leaders. They are heartless. And the episode does permit Matthew to draw in one more OT reference – the matter of the thirty pieces of silver and the potter’s field. I think there is a way in which the matter of Judas is still left hanging by Matthew. Does he want his readers to pity Judas and his crime? Is there a way left open? One can only wonder since Matthew says no more about Judas, but his little story does make his readers wonder.

Matthew returns now to follow Mark for the trial of Jesus before Pilate. Matthew’s story begins by following Mark quite closely. Matthew does elaborate on the story of Barabbas making him also bear the same name as Jesus. The choice is between Jesus, the “son of the father” and Jesus, the one called the Messiah. Which Jesus will be chosen? Only Matthew makes this play on the names. What significance Matthew gives to all of this is not clear. Barabbas was the real seditionist and belongs to this world. Jesus is the true Messiah. Perhaps Matthew was letting his readers know that the world will choose its own every time and abandon God. But all of that is speculative.

Following the matter of Barabbas Matthew’s story begins to shift away from Mark in significant ways. Matthew takes more and more responsibility away from Pilate and piles it upon the Jews. Only Matthew tells his readers the story of Pilate’s wife’s dream as a warning that Pilate should have nothing to do with Jesus’ death. If Mark seemed to imply that Pilate really wanted to release Jesus, Matthew highlights it. Matthew comes closer than any other gospel writer to exonerate Pilate all together. Only Matthew tells of Pilate washing his hands of the whole event in a symbolic action declaring his innocence. And only Matthew puts the dreadful words, “His blood be upon us and on our children” on the lips of the Jewish people as they cry out for Jesus’ death. Those words have come back to haunt Christians throughout the ages as a justification for anti-Semitism and other prejudice actions toward Jewish people. Matthew’s story betrays a bitter hostility on his part toward Jews who did not follow Jesus and likely reflects a bitter struggle between Matthew’s community and the Jewish community nearby. Though Matthew’s story is basically the same as Mark’s these changes do cast the story in another light. Historically it is still likely that we should view Pilate as the sinister, cruel tyrant who was only playing with both Jesus and the Jews as a kind of morbid sport. This is the way history outside the gospels knows Pilate. Matthew may have had his reasons for heaping the blame upon the Jews but that does not vindicate Pilate.

As Matthew’s story comes to a close he returns to follow Mark closely regarding the story of the mockery of Jesus. But when we listen to Matthew’s story we must notice that he has lost some of the darkness and the punch that Mark built into his story. Mark brings us to our knees. Matthew leaves us standing and observing the story. And so we move on to the death of Jesus.