1 WHEN the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

2 And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

3 ¶ Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.

7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in.

8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.

9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value;

10 And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.

11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

19 ¶ When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. [ Although her appearance in the New Testament is brief (only 38 words) and she is unnamed there, Pontius Pilate’s wife is known for her attempt to prevent her husband’s involvement in the death of Jesus of Nazareth. As a Roman, she lived in Caesarea but seems to have accompanied her husband to Jerusalem and may have become acquainted there with aspects of Jewish culture. Later histories record her name as Procla, or perhaps Claudia Procla, and suggest she was a God-fearer or perhaps even a proselyte to Judaism. Subsequent Christian myths magnify and embellish her support for Christians. The scriptural text, however, highlights her sensitivity to spiritual promptings through dreams and her courage to speak out against unjust punishment. PROCLA’S PLACE OF RESIDENCE When in Jerusalem, the governor Pilate and Procla likely resided in the palace that Herod the Great built on the west side of the city, near the present-day Jaffa Gate. Their permanent residence would have been in Caesarea at Herod’s exquisite palace on the manmade promontory that jutted into the Mediterranean Sea. The scriptures do not mention them in connection with Caesarea, however, but only their being in Jerusalem during Passover. The New Testament provides no explanation for Procla’s cognizance of Jesus to lead to her having a dream about him. As a Roman, Procla would likely have been unfamiliar with Jewish customs before her husband received his assignment to govern Judea. Although her dream may have been an inspired, one-time occurrence, it may also indicate an existing familiarity with Jewish issues or an awareness of Jesus before his trial. Even though both Greek and Roman traditions expected women to be modest and heed their husbands’ commands, influential and strong women often privately counseled their husbands to behave in a more moral fashion. Pilate’s wife is a New Testament example of this type of influence when she advised him against involvement in the vendetta against Jesus. HISTORICAL CONTEXT According to the Byzantine historian John Malalas (Chron 10.14.1) and the apocryphal work Paradosis Pilati, the name of Pilate’s wife was Procla.1 She is only mentioned in relation to her husband, Pontius Pilate, so background from her husband’s life and policies in the Jewish territories provides some context for her surroundings. Pontius Pilate was appointed governor of Judea (A.D. 26–36) under Tiberius Caesar. According to Josephus, Pilate was especially insensitive and oppressive toward the Jews, seeking to abolish their peculiar laws and offending them by displaying in Jerusalem imperial banners bearing the image of Caesar (Ant 18.3.1; War2.9.2). The powerful treasurer of the Jewish temple apparently agreed to some of the Roman governor’s projects because Pilate used temple funds to build an aqueduct to Jerusalem. Josephus notes that Pilate killed the Jews who protested his building decisions (Ant 18.3.2; War 2.9.4) and mistook as a threat to the peace a number of Samaritans who were seeking for vessels around Mount Gerizim that they believed had been buried by Moses. He sent troops in to break up the crowds, killing many in the melee. Later protests resulted in Pilate’s dismissal from office in A.D. 36 (Ant 18.4.1). The Jewish client-king who was appointed a few years later to oversee Jerusalem, Herod Agrippa I, described Pilate to his friend the emperor Caligula as “naturally inflexible, a blend of self-will and relentlessness” (Embassy 301). PROCLA’S APPEARANCE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY Procla’s dream and concern for Jesus. In the final scenes leading up to the crucifixion of Christ, only Matthew recounts Procla’s involvement. On the morning of the crucifixion, Jewish “chief priests and elders” took Jesus, charged with treason against Rome, to stand before Pilate, the governor of Judea. Pilate could not find cause for executing Jesus. He knew the Jewish leaders were accusing Jesus out of “envy,” so he sought to defuse the contention by offering to release a prisoner, whether Jesus or Barabbas, as a Passover gift to the people, as was his custom. While Pilate sat in the “judgment seat,” Procla sent word to him: “Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him” (Matt. 27:19). Having been warned in a dream of Jesus’ innocence, she warned her husband to show mercy to the accused. The impressions she received through her dream were motivating enough to cause her to intervene at a most public and formal moment in the proceedings—when Pilate was seated in the chair of judgment. She was willing to ignite her husband’s fiery temper by causing him to be interrupted to advise him against his decision. In the apocryphal Acts of Pilate, after receiving Procla’s warning but before he told the Jewish delegation of it, Pilate explained, “You know that my wife is pious and prefers to practice Judaism with you” to which the Jews answered, “Yes, we know it” and then told them about Procla’s dream (2.1). When nothing he said or did changed their minds, Pilate “washed his hands before the multitude” and, describing Jesus as Procla had done, said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person,” thereby consenting to their request (Matt. 27:20–24). Whether Procla was indeed inclined toward Judaism or later to Christianity is not verifiable from other sources. Revelation through dreams. Matthew’s Gospel opens with stories that show how God’s revelations through dreams are trustworthy. The magi were warned not to return to Herod, Joseph was instructed to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt, and he was told when it was safe to return to Judea from Egypt—all three revelations communicated to these men in the form of dreams (Matt. 2:12–13, 19–20). Toward the end of his Gospel, Matthew again demonstrates the communication of God through a dream, but this time a woman was the recipient of the revelation. Whether all she learned about Jesus came solely from that dream or whether she had previous information to indicate that he was “just” or righteous is not clear from the passage. What is clear is that she took a stand to communicate the dream’s message. The scriptures also cite her words sent to Pilate, not a paraphrase. The dream and its poignant message caused her “[to suffer] many things this day” because of what she had learned through the revelation (Matt. 27:19). One of the costs of true discipleship with the Savior involves suffering, drinking from the same “cup” of affliction that he drank (Rom. 8:17–18; Matt. 20:22), because “without sufferings [we] cannot be made perfect” (JST, Heb. 11:40). The dream produced such discomfort as to propel Procla to act, even to plead for Jesus, whereas the Jewish leaders pleaded for Barabbas. How her suffering informed her thoughts and actions after the death and Resurrection of Jesus remains unknown. ]

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. [ the name Barabbas means "son of the father." Barabbas, like Jesus, was a son of Heavenly Father. Though a sinner, he had divinity within him as well. ]

22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. [ There is a little symbolism here. The Savior is going to exchnage his life for the life of Barabbas. Barabbas will go free, and in that exchange he will sacrifice himself for each of us as well that we might have life eternal. Pretty powerful message. ]

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

24 ¶ When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

26 ¶ Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

29 ¶ And when they had platted a crown of thorns, [ thorns in the OT are a symbol of wickedness and corruption (cf. Gen. 3:18, Num. 33:55, Isa. 5:6). It is ironic that one who's kingdom is not of this world is made to wear a crown that symbolizes the corruption of this world. ] they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his [ So this could be better translated as "and [endowed] him in his own raiment". The word endowed appears only once in the New Testament as the word endued in Luk 24:49. However, the greek word used is "endyō" which is translated as; put on, or had not on (18x), clothed with (2x), clothed in (2x), have on (2x), clothe with (1x), be endued (1x), arrayed in (1x), be clothed (1x), and is used with the nuance of 'being enveloped by' which is very much like "being encircled by" in the context of robes of righteousness. If you retranslate the word "endyo" to "endowed" gain some interesting perspectives as to how we might better understand our own temple experience where we put on, are clothed with, and endowed, or encircled by the robes of righteousness. ] s own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.

33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,

34 ¶ They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

36 And sitting down they watched him there;

37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.

39 ¶ And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads,

40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the son of God, come down from the cross.

41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the son of God.

44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.[ Since Jesus died at “the ninth hour” (Matthew 27:46), around 3:00 PM Jerusalem time. This occurred in the year AD 30 (rather than AD 33, as some LDS sources often maintain). Moreover, the calendar date of that Thursday was April 6 in the Julian calendar in Roman use at the time. Many have wondered how Jesus can have been killed on a Thursday, when the four gospels indicate that the day after he died was a Sabbath. Since the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday, does not this mean that Jesus must have died on a Friday? The answer to this simply No. While such logic was clearly assumed by traditional Christianity, which has commemorated Friday as the day of Jesus’ death for 1800 years, those who so reasoned failed to take into account that Jesus died on the eve of Passover, and that Passover is a Festival Sabbath. No matter what day of the week Passover falls upon, it is considered a Sabbath day. There were two types of Sabbaths in Jewish practice – the regular Saturday Sabbath, and the Festival Sabbath that could fall any day of the week. The Festival Sabbath even has a special name in Hebrew – it is called a Yom Tov, literally a “Good Day.” In my BYU Studies Quarterly article I demonstrate how the Gospel of John identified the Festival Sabbath which followed Jesus’ crucifixion. John 19:31states: “for that sabbath was an high day” – the Greek term megalē hē hēmera, literally meaning “a great day,” seems to have been John’s way of expressing the Hebrew term Yom Tov in the Greek text of his gospel account. In the BYU Studies Quarterly article it is also demonstrated that in the year AD 30 the Yom Tov “high day” of Passover fell on a Friday. Hence, the day of Jesus’ crucifixion has to have been a Thursday, the day before that Festival Sabbath. http://byustudies.byu.edu/content/dating-death-jesus-christ ]

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? [ Why did he have to complete this very last part on his own? If he was the one to have the power to submit or give up his life he had to; on his own endure it on his own, until it was accepted of the Father see John 19:28, 30:. See 3 Ne, 11:11. “It seems, that in addition to the fearful suffering incident to crucifixion, the agony of Gethsemane had recurred, intensified beyond human power to endure. In that bitterest hour the dying Christ was alone, alone in most terrible reality. That the supreme sacrifice of the son might be consummated in all its fulness, the Father seems to have withdrawn the support of His immediate Presence, leaving to the Savior of men the glory of complete victory over the forces of sin and death.” (Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 661.) ]

47 some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

50 ¶ Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, [ JST Matt. 27:54 … a loud voice, saying, Father, it is finished, thy will is done, yielded up the ghost. Compare to John 17: 4 What was the work that he was to do - that he had finished?

The Father gave his son 5 assignments what are they?
1) He is the Creator see D&C 38:1 - Why was it important that he was the creator to make all of this possible? How did his role as creator help him overcome death?
2) Teach the plan of salvation and set an example in all things John 1:1
3) Work out the Atonement & Resurrection I Peter 1:19-20, D&C 19:15-19
4) Commense work for the dead Moses 7:36; Luke 16, Isaiah 61:1
5) He is our Judge John 5:22, John 17:24

] yielded up the ghost. [ Have you ever wondered why did the Savior hung on so long - why did he not give up the ghost or yield sooner? He dismissed the spirit. He himself willingly gave up that life which it was impossible for man to take away. It is not said that he hung on the cross till he died through pain and agony; nor is it said that his bones were broken, the sooner to put him out of pain, and to hasten his death; but that himself dismissed the soul, that he might thus become, not a forced sacrifice, but a free-will offering for sin. Because he was a God he had the power to live, because he was born of a mortal mother he had the power to die. How are the atonement and the resurrection adjoined? All four Gospel writers agree and explicitly state that Jesus gave up the ghost. The doctrinal point being that Jesus had power within himself over his life unlike any mortal, and wilfully laid it down to accomplish the salvation of man.]

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; [ What is the purpose of the veil in the temple? It was the barrier that kept morals for entering Gods presence. Only the high priest could part the veil. What is the signifigance of the veil of the temple being rent open then? With the temple veil opened it is now possible for all of us to get through the veil - not just the high priest. now nothing stopping us from entering Gods presence; except us making the journey. So the Atonment removed the partition that would hinder us spiritually from entering God's presence and the veil is rent that removed the partition that would hinder us from bringing our physical body to live in the presence of God. This event was pretty big to rent the temple veil as The veil was the thickness that a man could stretch his had across so it was pretty thick, to rent theis massive piece of cloth it took some power. I’m sure that God didn’t pick some random event to happen immediately following his death. This was a symbol to each of us that the doors of heaven have now been opened because of the effects of the Atonement. the rending would also be symbolic of the end of the Levitical Priesthood. With John Baptist came the overthrow of the Levitical order (cf. D&C 84:28) and with Jesus came the restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood. The rent veil would mean that the relationship between God and the Levites had changed. The Law of Sacrifice is done away and He is rejecting that mode of worship from that point on. The Law of Moses has also been fulfilled so the separation between Gentile and Israel and the distinction between Israel and Levite has been ended. No longer are only the Levites, or more specifically the Priests and High Priest, permitted to approach the Holy of Holies, which was separated from the rest of the Temple by these veils. The spiritual significance could be that Jesus' intercessory actions have broken the separation between God and man by accomplishing the resurrection and forgiveness of sins. Thus, the "veil" of spiritual and physical death had been destroyed. Similar spiritual symbolism is employed in another rending of the veil which will occur Jesus' Second Advent (cf. D&C 38:8, D&C 67:10) where the veil represents spiritual darkness (cf. Ether 4:15).]and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the son of God.

55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children.

57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:

58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

62 ¶ Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. [ This they probably took from his saying, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will build it up. If so, they destroyed, by their own words, the false accusation they brought against him to put him to death; then they perverted the meaning, now they declare it. Thus the wise are taken in their own craftiness. Neither the devil nor his servants ever speak truth, but when they expect to accomplish some bad purpose by it. The Savior had promised he would be resurrected from the dead. As a matter of fact the entirity of Christs teachings involved the reference that he would rise from the dead. So if he did not rise from the dead - then he and all of his teachings were a lie. ]

64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, [ Make darn well sure that it is tightly sealed so that the disciples cannot fool the people into believing that he was resurrected by removing the body on their own. ] lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. [If that happens we will never hear the end of it. It will be worse that those who choose to follow him while he was alive.]

65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, [The Jews had a corps of Roman troops, consisting of several companies, as a guard for the temple, Acts iv. 1. These companies mounted guard by turns, some of these companies, which were not then on duty, Pilate gave them leave to employ to watch the tomb.] make it as sure as ye can.

66 so they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, [the seal, which was probably the seal of the governor, was to prevent the guards from being corrupted so as to permit the theft.] and setting a watch.