The Meaning of Matthew 27:23 Explained

Matthew 27:23

KJV: And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

YLT: And the governor said, 'Why, what evil did he?' and they were crying out the more, saying, 'Let be crucified.'

Darby: And the governor said, What evil then has he done? But they cried more than ever, saying, Let him be crucified.

ASV: And he said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him be crucified.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the governor  said,  Why,  what  evil  hath he done?  But  they cried out  the more,  saying,  Let him be crucified. 

What does Matthew 27:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 27:22-31 - The Stain Water Could Not Wash Away
No judge ought to have asked the crowd what he should do. But every man has to do with Christ. He is ever standing before the bar of conscience, and each of us must accept or condemn, do homage or crucify. If we do not pronounce for Him, we pronounce against Him; and there is a moment when our verdict becomes irrevocable. "What I have written, I have written." We are all writing our legend, and affixing it to the Cross for the universe to read, and a day comes when it is irreversible.
We may wash our hands after the deed of treachery is done, but water will not avail for Pilate, for Lady Macbeth, or for us. We need the blood of Christ, ere we can be cleansed from all sin, 1 John 5:6.
The King of men must wear a crown of the thorns with which sin is so closely identified. See Genesis 3:18. Only thus can the crown of universal empire be won! The robe of mockery must precede His Ascension vesture. The reed is appropriate, for it is through such that he wins and rules. See Isaiah 42:3; Isaiah 57:15. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 27

1  Jesus is delivered bound to Pilate
3  Judas hangs himself
19  Pilate, admonished of his wife,
20  and being urged by the multitude, washes his hands, and releases Barabbas
27  Jesus is mocked and crowned with thorns;
33  crucified;
39  reviled;
50  dies, and is buried;
62  his tomb is sealed and watched

Greek Commentary for Matthew 27:23

Why, what evil hath he done? [τι γαρ κακον εποιησεν]
(τι γαρ κακον εποιησεν — ti gar kakon epoiēsen This was a feeble protest by a flickering conscience. Pilate descended to that level of arguing with the mob now inflamed with passion for the blood of Jesus, a veritable lynching fiasco. But this exhibition of weakness made the mob fear refusal by Pilate to proceed. So they “kept crying exceedingly” (περισσως εκραζον — perissōs ekrazon imperfect tense of repeated action and vehemently) their demand for the crucifixion of Jesus. It was like a gladiatorial show with all thumbs turned down. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 27:23

Mark 15:13 Crucify him [Σταυρωσον αυτον]
Luke 23:21 repeats the verb. Matthew 27:22 has it, “Let him be crucified.” There was a chorus and a hubbub of confused voices all demanding crucifixion for Christ. Some of the voices beyond a doubt had joined in the hallelujahs to the Son of David in the triumphal entry. See notes on Matthew 27:23 for discussion of Mark 15:14. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 27:23 mean?

- And he said What for evil did He commit - all the more they kept crying out saying Let [Him] be crucified
δὲ ἔφη Τί γὰρ κακὸν ἐποίησεν Οἱ περισσῶς ἔκραζον λέγοντες Σταυρωθήτω

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἔφη  he  said 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: φημί  
Sense: to make known one’s thoughts, to declare.
κακὸν  evil 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κακός  
Sense: of a bad nature.
ἐποίησεν  did  He  commit 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
Οἱ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
περισσῶς  all  the  more 
Parse: Adverb
Root: περισσῶς  
Sense: beyond measure, extraordinary.
ἔκραζον  they  kept  crying  out 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: κράζω  
Sense: to croak.
λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Σταυρωθήτω  Let  [Him]  be  crucified 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: σταυρόω  
Sense: to stake, drive down stakes.