Catholic Bible Study: Matthew 27:32-66

Podcast: Catholic Bible Study by the Augustine Institute
Episode Date: December 15, 2025
Host: Dr. Tim Gray
Guest: Dr. Michael Barber

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Tim Gray and Dr. Michael Barber conduct a detailed Catholic exegesis of Matthew 27:32-66, exploring the highly charged events leading up to and including the Passion of Christ—Jesus’s trial before Pilate, the crowd’s choice of Barabbas over Jesus, the scourging, and the crowning with thorns. Their analysis draws on deep theological, historical, and Scriptural knowledge, connecting Jesus’s suffering and kingship with Old Testament prophecy and the lived faith of Christians today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Fulfillment of Prophecy

• Daniel 7 and the Son of Man
  • The "handing over" (paradidomi) of Jesus to Pilate connects to Daniel 7, where the saints (and the Son of Man) are delivered into the hands of the Gentile beast (Rome).
  • “Jesus embodies what the righteous, what the saints are going to undergo. And there’s another side to this: we too are called to enter into that suffering.” (Dr. Barber, 02:37)
• Jesus as the Son of Man
  • The identity of the Son of Man representing Israel inevitably means sharing in Israel’s suffering, not escaping it.

2. The Fate of Judas (07:38 – 11:05)

• Contrast Between Judas and Peter
  • Judas confesses his sin (“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”), but despairs instead of trusting in God's mercy.
    • “It’s great to recognize our sin and to humble ourselves before the Lord, but then we have to entrust ourselves to God’s mercy. And this is where Judas makes a fateful mistake.” (Dr. Gray, 08:15)
  • Peter’s sorrow leads to restoration because he seeks God’s mercy; Judas’s leads to despair and suicide.
• Innocent Blood
  • The cry of “innocent blood” (08:30) is noted as the gravest of sins in Second Temple Judaism, foretelling God’s judgment.

3. Jesus before Pilate – The True King and the Counterfeit (11:05 – 16:31)

• Jesus’s Silence and Suffering Servant Motif
  • Jesus refuses to answer his accusers, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy:
    • “He opened not his mouth.” (Dr. Barber, 12:33)
    • The governor, Pilate, is “greatly amazed” by this, aligning Jesus with the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (12:50).
• Envy and the Logic of the Crowd
  • The leaders act out of envy (13:19), the root sin of the devil, mirroring Adam and Eve’s desire to be “like God without God” (13:22).
• Barabbas: The ‘Son of the Father’
  • Barabbas (“Bar Abba” = ‘son of the Father’) represents a counterfeit to Jesus, proposing violent revolution over the way of sacrificial love (14:02).
    • “Jesus gives us a different way… you can’t convert by killing the people you’re trying to convert.” (Dr. Gray, 14:52)
  • The people, influenced by the chief priests, choose Barabbas—symbolizing a rejection of Christ’s path (15:16).

4. Pilate’s Dilemma and the Blood Theme (16:31 – 22:05)

• Pilate’s Hand-Washing: Culpability and Cowardice
  • Pilate washes his hands before the crowd, claiming innocence of Jesus's blood (16:31).
    • “It’s very significant that Jesus is portrayed as the righteous one who is killed… And then at the same time, Jesus is able to bring redemption of the world through that terrible crime.” (Dr. Barber, 16:49)
• Political Pressure and the Risk of Riot
  • Dr. Gray explains the Roman context: for Roman governors, riots were career-ending (18:11–19:27), especially during volatile festivals like Passover.

5. The Passion: Scourging and Crowning with Thorns (24:16 – 27:53)

• Brutality of the Scourging
  • Historical accounts stress its brutality, often leaving the victim physically destroyed before crucifixion (24:51).
    • “Scourging was excessively brutal in the ancient world… They flayed him to the bone with scourges. You could see his bones.” (Dr. Barber, 25:25)
• Crowning with Thorns: Mocked as King
  • Soldiers mock Jesus’s claim to kingship, placing a crown of severe thorns on his head (26:37–27:14), fulfilling another aspect of the suffering servant.
  • Dr. Gray describes the Christ thorn tree in Jerusalem and personal anecdotes about the sensitivity and blood flow from wounds to the head, highlighting the intense suffering (27:11–27:53).

6. The Radical Kingship and Love of Christ

• Despite the suffering, Jesus’s passion is always an expression of deeper love:
  • “He’s suffering because he loved you and me so much. And so we have a lot to give thanks to our Lord for.” (Dr. Gray, 27:53)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Prophecy and Suffering:
  • “One of the things you often hear is that Jesus suffered so we don’t have to. That’s not the case… Jesus actually shows us no, we are called to share in his suffering. We are called to pick up our own cross and follow after.” — Dr. Michael Barber (06:40)
• On Pilate’s Wash of Hands:
  • “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” — Pilate, as read and discussed (16:31)
  • “God is able to bring great good out of even the worst evil.” — Dr. Michael Barber (17:42)
• On Mary Magdalene at the Crowd:
  • “Every time I pray the mysteries of the Rosary, I think of… when they go to the crowd, Pilate says, who do you want?… And it is just so heartbreaking because the camera zooms out and it’s so futile. All the crowd is calling Barabbas and she’s doing all that she can to try to secure the release of Jesus.” — Dr. Michael Barber on Zeffirelli’s film and Mary Magdalene (22:05–24:05)
• On Christ’s Kingship through Suffering:
  • “What kind of king allows himself to be vulnerable and to be crowned with thorns? … He was suffering because he loved you and me so much.” — Dr. Tim Gray (27:53)

Important Timestamps

• 01:24 – Daniel 7 and the prophetic context of Jesus’s “handing over”
• 07:38 – The fate of Judas and the meaning of repentance vs. despair
• 11:05 – Jesus stands before Pilate, fulfilling prophecy
• 14:02 – Barabbas as “Son of the Father” and the false choice offered the crowd
• 16:31 – Pilate’s fear of riot and hand-washing scene
• 24:16 – The scourging and crowning with thorns: physical suffering and fulfillment of scripture
• 27:53 – Reflection on the meaning of Christ’s kingship and his suffering as supreme act of love

Tone and Style

The discussion is deeply scholarly but highly accessible, blending exegetical insight with relatable, pastoral reflections. Both Dr. Gray and Dr. Barber employ a conversational tone, balancing precise theological points with personal anecdotes and prayerful encouragement for the listener.

For Further Reflection

This episode sets the groundwork for the crucifixion itself, to be discussed in the next podcast. Listeners are encouraged to meditate on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, contemplate Christ’s true kingship revealed not by force but by sacrificial love, and to reflect on their own participation in the cross as the path to sharing in Christ’s glory.

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