Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 27:25
Then answered all the people, and said, His blood [be] on us, and on our children.
25. His blood be on us, and on our children ] Also peculiar to Matthew. St Peter finds as the sole excuse for his fellow countrymen, “I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers” (Act 3:17). The prayer of Jesus on the cross for His murderers was meant for these as well as for the Roman soldiers.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
His blood be on us … – That is, let the guilt of putting him to death, if there be any, be on us and our children. We will be answerable for it, and will consent to bear the punishment for it. It is remarked by writers that, among the Athenians, if anyone accused another of a capital crime, he devoted himself and children to the same punishment if the accused was afterward found innocent. So in all countries the conduct of the parent involves the children in the consequences of his conduct. The Jews had no right to call down this vengeance on their children, but, in the righteous judgment of God, it has come upon them. In less than forty years their city and temple were overthrown and destroyed. More than a million of people perished in the siege. Thousands died by famine; thousands by disease; thousands by the sword; and their blood ran down the streets like water, so that, Josephus says, it extinguished things that were burning in the city. Thousands were crucified suffering the same punishment that they had inflicted on the Messiah. So great was the number of those who were crucified, that, Josephus says, they were obliged to cease from it, room being wanted for the crosses, and crosses for the men. See the notes at Matt. 24. To this day, also, the curse has remained. They have been a nation scattered and peeled; persecuted almost everywhere, and a hissing and a byword among people. No single nation, probably, has suffered so much; and yet they have been preserved. All classes of people, all the governments of the earth, have conspired to overwhelm them with calamity, and yet they still live as monuments of the justice of God, and as proofs, going down from age to age, that the Christian religion is true – standing demonstrations of the crime of their fathers in putting the Messiah to death, and in calling down vengeance on their heads.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mat 27:25
His blood be on us.
God taking self-cursers at their word
God said Amen to this woeful curse, which cleaves close to them and their posterity, as a girdle to their loins, soaking as oil into their bones to this very day. Thirty-eight years after this fearful imprecation, in the same place, and close by the same tribunal where they thus cried out, His blood be on us and on our children, historians tell us that Herod, wanting money, demanded of the Jews so much out of their treasury as would pay for the making of a water-course. But the Jews, supposing it a needless work, not only denied him, but gave him outrageous stud spiteful speeches, tumultuously flocked about him, and with great clamours pressed upon him, even as he was in his seat. Whereupon, to prevent mischief, he sent to his soldiers to apparel themselves like citizens, and under their gowns to bring with them a dagger or poniard, and mingle themselves amongst the multitude; which they did, observing who they were that made the greatest uproar. And when Herod gave the sign, they fell upon them, and slew a great multitude. Many also, for fear of loss or danger, killed themselves; besides others, which seeing this massacre, suspecting treason among themselves, fell one upon another. What a dispersed and despised people they are ever since 1 exiled, as it were, out of the world, by the common consent of all nations, for their inexpiable guilt. And beware by their example, of wishing evil to ourselves or others, as our desperate Goddamn-toes do at every third word almost, and God will undoubtedly take them at their words, as He did those wretches that wished they might die in the wilderness (Num 14:28). As He did John Peters, the cruel keeper of Newgate in Queen Marys days; who commonly, when he would affirm anything, were it true or false, used to say, If it be not true, I pray God, I rot ere I die; and he had his desire. So had Sir Gervase Ellowais, lieutenant of the Tower, hanged in our remembrance on Tower-hill, for being accessory to the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury: who being upon the gallows, confessed it was just upon him, for that he had oft in his playing of cards and dice wished that he might be hanged if it were not so-and-so. In the year 1551, the devil in a visible shape lifted up a cursing woman into the air in Germany; and therehence threw her down in the view of many people, and brake her neck. Another brought her daughter to Luther, entreating his prayers for her, for that she was possessed by the devil, upon her cursing of her. For when she had said in a rage against her daughter, The devil take thee, he took possession of her accordingly. The same author relates a like sad story of a stubborn son, cursed by his father, who wished he might never stir alive from the place he stood in, and he stirred not for three years. Cursing men are cursed men. Seest thou another suffer shipwreck, look to thy tackling. (J. Trapp.)
His blood be on us and on our children
I. Consider the daring impiety and wickedness of thus calling down on themselves the blood of Christ.
II. Consider the heavy wrath of God which fell on them. In the destruction of Jerusalem.
1. We gather an awful warning from this history. The fulfilment in the Jew of Gods righteous anger.
2. It establishes the perfect innocence of the condemned Saviour. The destruction of the Jewish nation was Gods seal to the perfect righteousness of Him whom they put to death.
3. This fearful vengeance upon the Jewish nation stands also as an evidence of the truth of the gospel.
4. We have also a moral evidence of the truth of the scriptures in the whole Jewish nation. God hath kept them separate from the nations.
5. Learn to pity and pray for all who do not know the Lord Jesus. (J. Pratt.)
The responsibility of blood
Can we bring this blood upon ourselves? The murderers of Christ may be amongst ourselves. The means of blessing perverted into a curse. The means of blessing is the blood of Jesus Christ, prefigured by sacrifice. Blood provided must be blood imputed. His blood be on us-this is our salvation. Blood provided, imputed, accepted. It was sin that compassed His death. You then who knowingly continue in sin have identified yourselves with the enemies who killed our Lord. His blood is on you. (P. B. Power, M. A.)
.
The horrid imprecation of the Jews
I. The aggravating circumstances with which the imprecation was attended, and the solemnity, unanimity, and warmth with which it was expressed.
II. The wonderful manner with which it was accomplished, in the destruction of the city and nation of the Jews.
III. The justice of God vindicated, in respect to these sufferers. His wisdom, by making them, in their destruction, an irrefragable proof of our Saviours Divine mission; and in their dispersion, means of propagating those Divine oracles that foretold and described him.
IV. Inferences to be deduced-
1. To abstain from all rash and horrid imprecations, and to aim at simplicity of speech, as well as sincerity of heart, and integrity of manners.
2. TO admire the inscrutable methods of Gods providence, in bringing about the salvation of sinners; and making the scandal of the cross turn to its greatest advantage.
3. To attribute the infidelity of those men to a judicial blindness, who live where the gospel of Christ is professed, and yet shut their eyes against the light of it.
4. To be fearful of despising the mercies of God, and falling into that sin, by which Gods peculiar people forfeited His protection and favour. (F. Atterbury.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 25. His blood be on us and on our children.] If this man be innocent, and we put him to death as a guilty person, may the punishment due to such a crime be visited upon us, and upon our children after us! What a dreadful imprecation! and how literally fulfilled! The notes on chap. 24, will show how they fell victims to their own imprecation, being visited with a series of calamities unexampled in the history of the world. They were visited with the same kind of punishment; for the Romans crucified them in such numbers when Jerusalem was taken, that there was found a deficiency of crosses for the condemned, and of places for the crosses. Their children or descendants have had the same curse entailed upon them, and continue to this day a proof of the innocence of Christ, the truth of his religion, and of the justice of God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Then answered all the people,…. They were as unanimous in their imprecations upon themselves, as in desiring the crucifixion of Christ:
and said, his blood be on us, and on our children; not for the cleansing of them from sin, which virtue that blood has, but if there were any stain, blot, or pollution, through the shedding of it, they wished it might be on them and theirs: not for the forgiveness of sins, which that blood was shed for; but on the contrary, if there was any sin and guilt in it, they desired it might be imputed to them: nor for their justification before God, and security from wrath to come, both which are by his blood; but all the reverse of this, that if there were any punishment, and condemnation, and death, due for the shedding of it, they imprecated it all upon themselves, and their posterity: so this phrase is used in Jos 2:19, and in other places, and in the Talmud s: and it is a notion of the Jews, that the guilt of innocent blood, and the blood of that innocent man’s children, lie not only upon the persons immediately concerned, but upon their children to the end of the world: and so the judges used to address the witnesses upon a trial, after this manner t;
“know ye, that capital causes, are not as pecuniary ones: in pecuniary causes, a man gives his money, and it atones for him; but in capital causes, , “his blood, and the blood of his seed, hang upon him”, to the end of the whole world: for lo! of Cain it is said, “the voice of the blood of thy brother cryeth”, c. his blood, and the blood of his seed.”
And this imprecation of theirs, has been notoriously verified in them for though this blood was shed for many of them, and Christ prayed for the forgiveness of them, and they had the Gospel, and the doctrine of remission of sins first preached among them, which was made the power of God unto salvation to some of them, even of those who were concerned in the crucifixion of Christ; yet, on the generality of them, his blood was in the sense they wished it; and for the shedding of it, wrath came upon them to the uttermost, in the entire destruction of their nation, city, and temple, and very remarkable it is, that great numbers of them were put to death by crucifixion; and very likely some of those very persons, that were so clamorous for the crucifying of Christ; and if not, at least their children; five hundred of the Jews and more, were sometimes crucified in a day, whilst Titus was besieging the city; till at length there wanted “room for crosses”, “and crosses for bodies”, as Josephus u says, who was an eyewitness of it: and to this day, this dreadful wish of the blood of Christ upon them, is to be seen in their miserable, abject, and captive state; and will be, until such time that they look to him whom they have pierced, and mourn.
s T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 110. 1. Yoma, fol. 2l. 1. & Avoda Zara, fol. 12. 2. t Maimon. Hilch. Sanhedrin, c. 12. sect. 3. u De Bello Jud. l. 6. c. 12.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
His blood be upon us and upon our children ( ). These solemn words do show a consciousness that the Jewish people recognized their guilt and were even proud of it. But Pilate could not wash away his own guilt that easily. The water did not wash away the blood of Jesus from his hands any more than Lady Macbeth could wash away the blood-stains from her lily-white hands. One legend tells that in storms on Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland his ghost comes out and still washes his hands in the storm-clouds. There was guilt enough for Judas, for Caiaphas and for all the Sanhedrin both Sadducees and Pharisees, for the Jewish people as a whole ( ), and for Pilate. At bottom the sins of all of us nailed Jesus to the Cross. This language is no excuse for race hatred today, but it helps explain the sensitiveness between Jew and Christians on this subject. And Jews today approach the subject of the Cross with a certain amount of prejudice.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
25. His blood be on us. There can be no doubt that the Jews pronounced this curse on themselves without any concern, as if they had been fully convinced that they had a righteous cause before God; but their inconsiderate zeal carries them headlong, so that, while they commit an irreparable crime, they add to it a solemn imprecation, by which they cut themselves off from the hope of pardon. Hence we infer how carefully we ought to guard against headlong rashness in all our judgments. For when men refuse to make inquiry, and venture to decide in this or the other matter according to their own fancy, blind impulse must at length carry them to rage. And this is the righteous vengeance of God with which he visits the pride of those who do not deign to take the trouble of distinguishing between right and wrong. The Jews thought that, in slaying Christ, they were performing a service acceptable to God; but whence arose this wicked error, unless from wicked obstinacy, and from despising God himself? Justly, therefore, were they abandoned to this rashness of drawing upon themselves final ruin. But when the question relates to the worship of God and his holy mysteries, let us learn to open our eyes, and to inquire into the matter with reverence and sobriety, lest through hypocrisy and presumption we become stupefied and enraged.
Now as God would never have permitted this execrable word to proceed from the mouth of the people, if their impiety had not been already desperate, so afterwards he justly revenged it by dreadful and unusual methods; and yet by an incredible miracle he reserved for himself some remnant, that his covenant might not be abolished by the destruction of the whole nation. He had adopted for himself the seed of Abraham, that it might be
a chosen nation, a royal priesthood, his peculiar people and inheritance, (1Pe 2:9.)
The Jews now conspire, as with one voice, to renounce a favor so distinguished. Who would not say that the whole nation was utterly rooted out from the kingdom of God? But God, through their treachery, renders more illustrious the fidelity of his promise, and, to show that he did not in vain make a covenant with Abraham, he rescues from the general destruction those whom he has elected by free grace. Thus the truth of God always rises superior to all the obstacles raised by human unbelief.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) His blood be on us, and on our children.The passionate hate of the people leads them, as if remembering the words of their own Law, to invert the prayerwhich Pilates act had, it may be, brought to their remembranceLay not innocent blood to Thy people of Israels charge (Deu. 21:8), into a defiant imprecation. No more fearful prayer is recorded in the history of mankind; and a natural feeling has led men to see its fulfilment in the subsequent shame and misery that were for centuries the portion of the Jewish people. We have to remember, however, that but a fractional part of the people were present; that some at least of the rulers, such as Joseph of Arimatha, Nicodemus, and probably Gamaliel, had not consented to the deed of blood (Luk. 23:51), and that even in such a case as this it is still true that the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father (Eze. 18:20), except so far as he consents to it, and reproduces it.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. His blood be on us Terrible imprecation of wrath upon themselves and offspring. In less than forty years from this exclamation the Romans came. They crucified such numbers of Jews that, Josephus says, there was no room for more crosses. Doubtless some of these very persons, and certainly their children, died by this very death, perhaps on the very spot.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” ’
For the idea here compare 2Sa 1:16; 2Sa 3:28. The people recognised quite clearly what Pilate was trying to do, and had been worked up into such a fever that they replied vociferously, “His blood be on us, and on our children.” They had recognised the symbol and were quite ready to take the blood guilt on themselves if it would frustrate Pilate. They treated the death of Jesus as lightly as the Chief Priests had treated Judas. But little were they aware of how literally God would take it, for within forty years their city would become a blood bath the like of which has rarely been seen since. Then they would bear their blood guilt indeed. We should note here how in Dan 9:26 the ‘cutting off’ of the Anointed One (Messiah) is also connected with the destruction of Jerusalem.
‘All the people.’ Strictly this means ‘all who were present there’, that is, all the crowd as they bayed as one. They knew the pressure that unanimity could apply. Compare ‘all Jerusalem’ in Mat 2:3. Once again the whole city was, as it were, aroused against Jesus. We should recognise that the idea is not that the whole Jewish nation will bear the guilt, and indeed many of that nation would come to Christ in the years that followed. It is rather that Jerusalem will bear the guilt, as indeed it did in a terrible way.
(As we have constantly stressed the guilt cannot be laid at the door of the Jewish nation as a whole, except in so far as it can be laid at the doors of all men. It is strange how people who would never take on themselves the guilt of a particular crime in which they were not directly involved, will nevertheless happily apply such guilt to others. I remember well how as a teacher in a school made up mainly of West Indians there were some who vociferously informed me that I wholly shared the guilt of the practise of slavery, while even the more well disposed still thought that there was some truth in it. And when I pointed out that I accepted no guilt at all for what others had done, and that I abhorred slavery, they yelled me down. Furthermore they would never admit that black tribes and Arabs were equally involved in the infamous trade, and therefore equally bore the blame. That would never do, for it might suggest that it was not white men who were totally to blame. And yet how quickly they would speak of it being unfair if a class was made to bear the guilt of a few (when it was often far more justified). It was a matter of ‘rules for some, and rules for others’. It is in a similar way that the Jews throughout history have often quite unfairly been made to bear the guilt of what happened here. But while certainly every Jew will have to give account for his failure to respond to Christ, as indeed will all who have so failed, it was only the minority, even in Jesus’ day, who were really responsible for it, and who can really be described as having been guilty of crucifying the Son of God).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 27:25. His blood be on us, &c. As this terrible imprecation was dreadfully answered in the ruin so quickly brought on the Jewish nation, and the calamities which have since pursued that wretched people, in almost all ages and countries; so it was peculiarly illustrated in the severity with which Titus, merciful as he naturally was, treated the Jews whom he took during the siege of Jerusalem; of whom Josephus himself writes, that , having been scourged, and tortured in a very terrible manner, they were crucified, in view and near the walls of this city, (perhaps, among other places, on mount Calvary; and it is probable that this might be the fate of some of those very persons who now joined in this cry, as it undoubtedly was of many of their children.) For Josephus, who was an eye-witness, expressly declares, “That the number of those thus crucified was so great that there was not room for the crosses to stand by each other, and that at last they had not wood enough to make crosses of:” a passage which, especially when compared with the verse before us, must impress and astonish the attentive reader beyond any other in the whole history. If this were not the very finger of God, pointing out their crime in crucifying his Son, it is hard to say what could deserve to be called so. Elsner has abundantly shewn, that among the Greeks, the persons on whose testimony others were put to death, used by a very solemn execration to devote themselves to the divine vengeance, if the persons so condemned were not really guilty. See his Observat. vol. 1: p. 123. Joseph. War, lib. 5. 100: 11 and Doddridge. Bishop Fleetwood observes, that the modern Jews are as virulent against the name of Jesus, as their fathers were against his power; so that they suffer as their fathers did, and for a like reason.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 27:25 , . . .] Defiant and vindictive cry, in the hurry of which ( . , Chrysostom) the verb is left to be understood (Mat 23:35 ). Comp. 2Sa 1:16 , and see on Act 18:6 . From what we know of such wild outbursts of popular fanaticism, there is no ground for supposing (Strauss; comp. also Keim, Scholten, Volkmar) that the language only represents the matter as seen from the standpoint of Christians , by whom the destruction of the Jews had come to be regarded as a judgment for putting Jesus to death. And as for their wicked imprecations on their own heads, they were only in accordance with the decrees of the divine nemesis, and therefore are to be regarded in the light of unconscious prophecy.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
Ver. 25. His blood be on us, and on, &c. ] God said Amen to this woeful curse, which cleaves close to them and their posterity, as a girdle to their loins, soaking as oil into their bones to this very day, Psa 109:18-19 . Thirty-eight years after this fearful imprecation, in the same place, and close by the same tribunal where they thus cried out, His blood be on us, &c., historians tell us, that Herod, wanting money, demanded of the Jews so much out of their treasury as would pay for the making of a water course. But the Jews, supposing it a needless work, not only denied him, but gave many outrageous and spiteful speeches, tumultuously flocked about him, and with great clamours pressed upon him, even as he was in his seat. Whereupon to prevent mischief, he sent to his soldiers to apparel themselves like citizens, and under their gowns to bring with them a dagger or poniard, and mingle themselves among the multitude; which they did, observing who they were that made the greatest uproar. And when Herod gave the sign, they fell upon them, and slew a great multitude. Many also, for fear of loss or danger, killed themselves; besides others, which seeing this massacre, suspecting treason among themselves, fell one upon another. What a dispersed and despised people they have been ever since! exiled, as it were, out of the world, by the common consent of all nations, for their inexpiable guilt. And beware by their example of wishing evil to ourselves or others, as our desperate God-damn-me’s do at every third word almost, and God will undoubtedly take them at their words, as he did those wretches that wished they might die in the wilderness, Num 14:28 . As he did John Peters, the cruel keeper of Newgate in Queen Mary’s days; who commonly, when he would affirm anything, were it true or false, used to say, If it be not true, I pray God I rot ere I die; and he had his desire. So had Sir Gervase Ellowais, Lieutenant of the Tower, hanged in our remembrance on Tower Hill, for being accessory to the poisoning of Sir Thomas Overbury; who being upon the gallows, confessed it was just upon him, for that he had often in his playing of cards and dice wished that he might be hanged if it were not so and so. In the year 1551, the devil in a visible shape lifted up a cursing woman into the air in Germany; and therehence threw her down in the view of many people, and brake her neck. Another brought her daughter to Luther, entreating his prayers for her, for that she was possessed by the devil, upon her cursing of her. For when she had said in a rage against her daughter, Involet in te diabolus, The devil take thee, he took possession of her accordingly. The same author relateth a like sad story of a stubborn son, cursed by his father, who wished he might never stir alive from the place he stood in, and he stirred not for three years. Cursing men are cursed men. Alterius perditio tua fit cautio. Seest thou another suffer shipwreck, look to thy tackling.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25. ] , Euthym [181] : but more probably with a much wider reference as the adherence of blood to the hands of a murderer is an idea not bearing any necessary reference to punishment , only to guilt .
[181] Euthymius Zigabenus, 1116
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
on. Greek. epi. App-104. Not the same as verses: Mat 27:19, Mat 27:30.
children = offspring. Greek. Plural of teknon. App-108.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25.] , Euthym[181]: but more probably with a much wider reference-as the adherence of blood to the hands of a murderer is an idea not bearing any necessary reference to punishment, only to guilt.
[181] Euthymius Zigabenus, 1116
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 27:25. , …, all the people, etc.) An argument against the Jews why they are at present in exile, although that exile is somewhat less severe than formerly.- , …, upon us, etc.) cf. Deu 28:18; Psa 69:24; Psa 109:17. They mean, We will be accountable for it.[1189]
[1189] They bind themselves with the bonds of guilt, but yet do not thereby set Pilate free from it. You may possibly, in a single moment, commit an act which you must pay the penalty of throughout your whole life, nay, even throughout eternity. Nor are there wanting persons who have much less hesitation in incurring guilt than Pilate had.-V. g.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
His: Mat 21:44, Mat 23:30-37, Num 35:33, Deu 19:10, Deu 19:13, Jos 2:19, 2Sa 1:16, 2Sa 3:28, 2Sa 3:29, 1Ki 2:32, 2Ki 24:3, 2Ki 24:4, Psa 109:12-19, Eze 22:2-4, Eze 24:7-9, Act 5:28, Act 7:52, 1Th 2:15, 1Th 2:16, Heb 10:28-30
and: Exo 20:5, Eze 18:14-32
Reciprocal: Gen 27:13 – Upon Exo 12:6 – the whole Lev 20:9 – his blood Deu 21:6 – wash their hands Jos 10:26 – hanged 2Sa 14:9 – the iniquity 1Ki 2:33 – return upon Psa 3:1 – how Psa 18:4 – floods Psa 59:12 – For the Psa 140:9 – let the mischief Pro 12:13 – wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips Pro 17:13 – General Isa 5:23 – take Isa 24:6 – hath Jer 7:6 – and shed Jer 26:19 – Thus Jer 32:18 – recompensest Jer 36:25 – made Joe 3:21 – will Mic 3:10 – build up Zion Hab 1:4 – for Hab 2:10 – consulted Mat 26:74 – began Mat 27:4 – What Mar 6:26 – General Joh 11:48 – and the Act 4:27 – the people Act 23:12 – bound Act 28:4 – a murderer Jam 5:6 – have
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7:25
The people understood from this performance of Pilate that he was hesitating because of a conscientious regard for the possible results of turning Jesus over to crucifixion. In order to remove that obstacle and secure the desired decree, they uttered the awful statement, His blood be on us, and on our children. This rash sentence proved to be a prediction that was fulfilled forty years later. In the year 70 A. D. the city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and the Jewish people suffered untold miseries in the siege. That event was a part of the Roman military strategy, but God caused it to come upon the Jews because they had slain His own Son.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 27:25. His blood, i.e., the guilt of the punishment, if He be innocent, be upon us. Pilate formally puts the responsibility upon them; but in a fanatical hate they assume it themselves, even adding, and on our children. Peculiar to Matthew, who wrote mainly for Jewish Christians. The imprecation has been a fearful legacy from that generation. But the curse will be turned to a blessing, and the blood of Christ be on that people in its cleansing, healing power (Rom 11:25-26). As the persecutions of the Jews have been mainly through unjust civil enactments, compare the last cry of the chief priests: We have no king but Cesar (Joh 19:15).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
That is, “Let the guilt and punishment of his blood rest upon us and our posterity.” A most horrid and impious imprecation; the dreadful effects of it began to come upon them forty years after, in the destruction of Jerusalem, and has rested and remained upon their posterity to this day, near eighteen hundred years; the Jews being vagabonds over the earth, abhorred by all nations where soever they come. The just God has heard their wicked wish, and caused that blood to fall upon them in so severe, righteous a manner, as must pierce the heart of those that read and observe it.
God has given them blood to drink, as indeed they were worthy. This ought to be a terror and a warning to all persons, that they avoid all cursed imprecations, and wicked wishes upon themselves or others. Woe to such as wish damnation to themselves, pox and plague upon others; how if God says Amen, and ratifies in heaven the wicked Jews: His blood be on us, and on our children?
Yet what they with a wicked mind put up as a direful imprecation, we may with a pious mind offer up to God as an humble petition; Lord, let thy Son’s blood, not in the guilt and punishment, but in the efficacy and merit of it, be upon us, and upon our posterity after us, for evermore.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, {i} His blood [be] on us, and on our children.
(i) If there is any offence committed in slaying him, let us and our posterity suffer for it.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The people’s response was not new (2Sa 1:16; 2Sa 3:28; cf. Act 18:6; Act 20:26). "All the people" in the context refers to the crowd present, not just the Sanhedrin or the whole Jewish nation. This phrase did not cover the Jews who believed on Jesus but unbelieving Israel. Therefore it is inappropriate to use this verse to justify anti-Semitism. [Note: See Hagner, Matthew 14-28, p. 828; France, The Gospel . . ., pp. 1057-58.]
"The viciousness of their anger could hardly be described more graphically than by this horrible utterance." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., pp. 310-11.]
"Owing to the leaders’ abject repudiation of Jesus, they unwittingly effect, not the salvation of Israel as they had anticipated, but just the opposite, Israel’s demise as God’s special people: they bring a curse upon themselves and the people (Mat 27:25); they provoke the destruction of Jerusalem (Mat 22:7); and they unknowingly make themselves responsible for the transfer of God’s Rule to another nation, the church, which becomes God’s end-time people (Mat 21:43; Mat 16:18; Mat 13:38)." [Note: Kingsbury, Matthew as . . ., p. 124. Cf. Edersheim, The Life . . ., 2:578.]