Examine the main differences between Matthews and Lukes accounts of Jesus trial, crucifixion and death and explain what both teach about the person of Jesus through these accounts

Of Special Interest to Jewish Christians;

• Matthew 26:3, The name of the High Priest is given. Caiaphas was High Priest between A.D. 18 and 36.
• Matthew 26:15, Judas is given thirty pieces of silver for betraying Jesus. In the Old Testament Law Codes this was the sum given to the owner of a slave as compensation for the death of his slave in an accident (Exodus 21:32). It became the symbolic price of a life. Due to inflation and the passing of time, it was not a large sum of money in the first century.
• Matthew 26:31, The Old Testament reference is from Zechariah 13:7 and is included, like many others, to show that events in the life and death of Jesus are unfolding according to the prophecies.
• Matthew 26:53, The language about God sending armies of angels is very similar to passages found in the scrolls from the Dead Sea caves which probably belonged to the Essene, a Jewish sect living in the first century.
• Matthew 27:24, Pilate washes his hands. This is the most dramatic of the many ways used by Evangelists to stress that Pilate was reluctant to condemn Jesus and it was the Jewish authorities who were responsible for his death. Jewish Christians saw this rejection by the Jewish authorities as crucial. It was their justification and defence against the charge, levied by their relatives that they had deserted the faith of their fathers. They had not deserted the faith of their fathers, the faith of their fathers (as interpreted by the Jewish authorities) had deserted God.
• Matthew 27: 52-53, The earthquake and resurrection of the saints at the death of Jesus emphasises the belief that his death marks the beginning of a new era. The Resurrection was the start of the general resurrection that will be completed on the Last Day at the end of the world. It is part of the language of the Jewish Apocalypse. By placing this description of the effect of Jesus’ death here, Matthew changes the emphasis of what the centurion says. His statement is now a reaction to the effects of the death of Jesus, rather than to the death of Jesus itself, as in Mark.
• Matthew 27: 62-66, The story of the setting of the guard. The sequel is in Matthew 28:11-15. This story is found only in Matthew. It is highly defensive and included to refute a belief commonly held among Jews. It certainly suggests that the accusation that the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus was around when the Gospel was written.
• Matthew 28:1, as a guard has been set, the women can only come to look at the grave.

Matthew has followed Mark’s account closely, just altering and adding a little to aid the readers of his Church to understand the person and message of Jesus. From the changes he made, redaction scholars deduce that he has a Jewish-Christian picture of Jesus and Jewish interests. In this gospel, Jesus is the suffering Messiah. It had not been expected that the Messiah would suffer, so Matthew is careful to show that what happened is a fulfilment of the prophecies. He is also concerned to show the Church as a separate entity to traditional Judaism, and as the bearer and interpreter of the story of salvation.