MATTHEW 27:25 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
“Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.”
And all the people answered: his blood be on us and on our children! The people's acceptance of the blood guilt: his blood be on us and on our children. This verse has been catastrophically misused throughout church history to justify antisemitism. Within Matthew's narrative, the declaration communicates the tragic acceptance of the covenant-curse (Deuteronomy 27–28) by those who reject the covenant's fulfillment — a judgment that Matthew's readers, writing after 70 AD, understood in the context of Jerusalem's destruction.
Church Fathers on Matthew 27:25
Because Christ had answered nothing to the accusations of the Jews, by which Pilate could acquit Him of what was alleged against Him, he contrives other means of saving Him.
Thus do the Gentiles shew favours to those whom they subject to themselves, until their yoke is riveted. Yet did this practice obtain also among the Jews, Saul did not put Jonathan to death, because all the people sought his life. [marg. note: 1 Sam 14]
In the Gospel entitled 'according to the Hebrews,' Barabbas is interpreted, 'The son of their master,' who had been condemned for sedition and murder. Pilate gives them the choice between Jesus and the robber, not doubting but that Jesus would be the rather chosen.
Read all 29 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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