Verse 25
The people’s response was not new (2 Samuel 1:16; 2 Samuel 3:28; cf. Acts 18:6; Acts 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 (Matthew 27:25); they provoke the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 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 (Matthew 21:43; Matthew 16:18; Matthew 13:38)." [Note: Kingsbury, Matthew as . . ., p. 124. Cf. Edersheim, The Life . . ., 2:578.]
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