the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 3 of 5
Matthew 27:1-18
The day dawns – a day of which there had never been the like in the history of the world and in eternity! The first rays of morning light find the chief priests and the elders planning out the sentence of death which they had decided on earlier. But somebody pays them a visit. They know him well: it is the traitor, thanks to whom they have secured the end they sought. What does he want? Judas affirms the innocence of his Master, brings back the money, and expresses his remorse. "That is your affair," reply the others, without the least compassion. Then the wretched man goes off and hangs himself, losing not only his life, but his soul, and even the money for which he had sold it! The priests, who had no scruples about buying innocent blood, do have some scruples when it is a question of putting the money into the temple treasury!
The Lord Jesus has been led before Pilate, the governor. It might have been thought easy for Him to get some backing from the Roman judge against the hatred of His people. But the Lord keeps silence; except, however, to acknowledge His title as King of the Jews. "As a sheep before her shearers is dumb so He openeth not His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7; cf. v. 12, 14; Matthew 26:63).
