Matthew 27:25 says, “And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.”

To understand why the Jewish people said that we need to quote verses 15-26.  “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, ‘Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.’ But t he chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release to you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas!’ Pilate said to them, ‘What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?’ They all said to him, ‘Let Him be crucified!’ Then the governor said, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ But they cried out the more, saying, ‘Let Him be crucified!’ When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.’ And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children. Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.”

This solemn account is the greatest “travesty of justice” the world has ever seen. Jesus, who was innocent of any crime, was brought before Pontius Pilate (the Roman governor) by the Jewish people who wanted to see Him executed. Pilate knew He was a “JUST man” who had done nothing worthy of death and that they had delivered Him over to be crucified because of ENVY, so he tried to have Him released. But the Jews chose rather to have a ROBBER (John 18:40) and a MURDERER (Mark 15:7) released instead of Jesus. Pilate had hoped they would free Jesus and that “justice would prevail,” but after another failed attempt to persuade them to free Jesus, he gave in to the desires of the mob and “released Barabbas” and “delivered Jesus to be crucified.” But before doing that, he wanted to absolve himself from any guilt in this act, so he “washed his hands” and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.” The fact is Pilate was NOT INNOCENT; he was truly guilty of allowing an innocent Man to be put to death! He will, one day, answer for his crime of injustice as he stands before Jesus Christ at the Great White Throne judgment as the end of time (Revelation 20:11-15). Unlike Pilate, the Jews were not at all concerned about “their guilt” in this injustice and with a united voice they cried out, “His blood be upon us and on our children.” They were quite willing to take the blame, even if it meant their children would suffer because of their vicious act.

Of course, they no doubt thought they were “acting righteously” (thinking Jesus was guilty of blasphemy by declaring He was the Son of God…see Matthew 26:59-66). Yet their guilt far-surpassed that of Pilate’s and their children have indeed suffered through the centuries for rejecting their Messiah. They were invaded and dispersed throughout the world (in 70 A.D.) where they have been despised and persecuted by the masses and there was the murder of 6 million Jews in concentration camps under Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. Despite those atrocities, the worst is yet to be in the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7) when for seven long years nations will seek to exterminate them once and for all. Today we are hearing the cry, “From the river to the sea” by people around the world, which is a cry for genocide for the whole Jewish race. All of this is in response to those words spoken in hatred and in haste, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.”

I simply cannot end on that negative note. The Lord will use the “time of Jacob’s trouble” to humble many Jews and bring them to repentance. They will then long for the return of their true Messiah (Jesus) and when He comes, He will deliver them from their enemies and gather His people from around the world back to the land of Israel where He will make them the “head of the nations.” He will rule over all the world and Jerusalem will be the Divine Center for worship and government. See Isaiah 2:1-4; 60:1-61:6; Jeremiah 30:7-22; 31:27-40; 33:14-25; Zechariah 14:1-9; Romans 11:25-27.  (DO)  (619.5)