Sharper Iron — All Righteousness Fulfilled: Only Jesus Can See to Sinners’ Forgiveness

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Rev. Hans Fiene, pastor at River of Life Lutheran Church in Channahon, IL, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Matthew 27:1-10.

The morning of Good Friday started with the darkness of the Sanhedrin’s attempt to legitimize their sin of the previous night. They turn to the Roman authorities to do the dirty work of executing Jesus. None of these attempts to escape judgment succeed, however. The Passion narrative calls all sinners to recognize their guilt in sending Jesus to His death, even as God’s Word also reveals His grace in working out of His plan of salvation for sinners by delivering Jesus into death. The account of Judas within this narrative is tragic. No sinner should think himself above falling into sin just as Judas. When he changed his mind and saw what was about to happen to Jesus, however, he only tried to shift the blame to the chief priests. The chief priests utterly failed to direct Judas to the forgiveness to be found in the sacrifice Jesus was about to make; they left Judas to die in despair at his own hand. The actions of the chief priests throughout the text ironically show their own guilt, even as they refused to acknowledge it. All the while, the text points to the comfort that comes by seeking and finding forgiveness at the foot of Jesus’ cross.

“All Righteousness Fulfilled” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that digs into the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The first evangelist proclaims Jesus to Jews and Gentiles alike as the fulfillment of God’s saving words and acts throughout the Old Testament. As the Christ in the line of David and Abraham, Jesus is the promised King who comes to bring sinners from every nation to live under His gracious reign.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Matthew 27:1-10

Jesus Delivered to Pilate

27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus[a] was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”

Footnotes:

Matthew 27:3 Greek he

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.