"THREE WRONGS MAKE ONE RIGHT"

Matthew 27:1-35

Someone does you wrong. It could be your boss, neighbor or even a supposed

friend. When it happens oftentimes, the one offended feels this gives them

the right to get back at them?

Well, all my life I have heard the expression, “Two wrongs do not make one

right.”

Maybe, two wrongs don’t make one right. But can three wrongs make one

right? Let us see in the use of the word “delivered.” The word “delivered”

means to yield up, entrust, transmit betray, bring forth, cast, commit,

deliver (up), give (over, up) surrender.

I. Jesus was “DELIVERED” to be crucified in Gethsemane for the wrong

reason (Matthew 27:3 and 26:14-16)

Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. Judas delivered Jesus up

for cold cash. Judas betrayed Jesus for greed.

For thirty pieces of silver Judas delivered up Jesus. This was the price

of a slave (Ex 21:32). It is likely that this sum was fixed on by them to

show their contempt of Jesus. They regarded Jesus of little value. This was

their evaluation of the One who had healed their sick, their blind, their

lame, their demon-possessed; who had raised their dead and fed their

multitudes. There is no doubt, also, that they understood that such was the

anxiety of Judas to obtain money, that he would betray his Lord for any sum.

The whole sum, therefore, for which Judas committed this crime, was fifteen

dollars.

See I Timothy 6:10. All sorts of evil grow out of the love of money. The

love of money is the parent of all manner of evils. Men murder, cheat, lie,

rob, run saloons, gambling houses, all for the love of money. For love of

money Judas sold his Master.

Love of money is a:

A. Deceitful thing

I have never heard anybody confess the sin of greed. Greed is something

that none of us think he has.

B. Debasing thing

Nothing shows our depravity more than greed.

C. Destructive thing

I Timothy 6:6-10

See Proverbs 15:27

Mark 4:19

WRONG #1

II. Jesus was “DELIVERED” to be crucified at Gabbatha for the wrong

reasons (John 19:13)

Gabbatha is not elsewhere used. It comes from a word signifying to be

elevated. The name given to the place by the Hebrews was conferred from its

being the place of the tribunal, as an elevated place. It appears to have

been a checkered marble pavement, or mosaic floor, on which his seat of

judgment was erected

A. For ENVY the religious crowd delivered Jesus (Matthew 27:18)

Pilate may not have known anything about the religious significance of a

suffering and crucified Christ, but his shrewd mind was full of knowledge as

to the lengths men will go when they begin to gang up on someone of whom

they are jealous. It is apparent that one of the sins that crucified Jesus

was envy.

1. Consider the character of envy

Envy has been called the vilest affection, and the most depraved. Envy

had its origin in the heart of the devil in the beginning of creation when

he desired a place above God.

Imagine the temper and passion of the religious leaders in Jerusalem who

were determined against all odds, to bring about the defeat and the death of

Jesus of Nazareth. They begrudged his extraordinary powers by which He had

caught the attention of the masses. They were soured and enraged as they saw

their popularity slipping from them. They were green with envious resentment

because of the grip which Jesus had upon the common people.

2. Consider the consequences of envy

a. Cramps the intellect

The religious crowd saw Jesus give sight to the blinded, health to the

sick, and raise the dead. Yet envy so twisted their minds until they

declared that Jesus was in a league with the devil. Envy closed their mind

against Jesus. Envy blinded them to the claims and worth of Christ.

b. Corrupts the emotions

Envy fouled the emotions of the Pharisees against Jesus. Envy

propelled the chief priest and elders to seek the crucifixion of Christ. The

man must be silenced and the message must be stopped

The mob delivered Jesus to be crucified for ENVY.

WRONG #2

B. For FEAR Pilate delivered Jesus (Matthew 27:20-26)

Pilate could have prevented the death of Jesus: he had the armed force at

his command, and should have dispersed this infamous mob. However, it was a

dangerous time for a riot with more than a million Jews in Jerusalem, and

probably not a thousand Roman soldiers in the castle. If one occurred, it

would be reported to Rome, and Pilate could hardly make a plausible defense

to the emperor. He therefore yielded, and gave his sanction to confessed

wrong, rather than endanger himself. Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified

for FEAR. See Proverbs 29:25.

1. He feared the mob

2. He feared their motive

“Oh the black depths of the wickedness of the human heart.”

He who is swayed by the opinions of his fellow men, rather than by God's

Word, will be betrayed into innumerable sins and errors, which will prove a

snare to his soul.

Pilate, you need something stronger than water to wash the blood of that

just person off your hands. You cannot rid yourself of responsibility by

such an act. He who has power to prevent a wrong is guilty of the act if he

permits others to do it, even though he does not actually commit it himself. WRONG #3 Can three wrongs make one right? Let us see.

II. Jesus was “DELIVERED” up at GOLGOTHA for all the right reason (See

verse 33 and compare with it Romans 8:32 and Acts 2:23)

The death of Jesus was accomplished, by being delivered from one tribunal

to another, and one demand of his countrymen, to another, until they

succeeded in procuring his death. However, the deeper truth is that He was

given or surrendered by God to the hands of men. Why did God suffer such a

person to be so treated? Did he not know what wicked men intended to do?

And had he not power to prevent it? Yea. He knew all that those wicked men

intended to do. And he had power to blast all their designs in a moment.

But he did not exert that power, because he so loved the world! Because it

was the determined counsel of his love, to redeem mankind from eternal

death, by the death of his only begotten Son. For Love the Father delivered

Jesus.

Delivered for all the right reasons:

A. Delivered to PRESENT the saint’s standard (I Peter 2:2)

B. Delivered to PROVIDE the sinner’s substitute (I John 3:5)

C. Delivered to PRODUCE the snuffer's sympathizer

“Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief”

Hebrews 2:17

Hebrews 4:15,16 “For we have....”

Conclusion:

Though two wrongs do not make one right. Three wrongs can make one right.

Yours because HIS

Bro. Jimmy Chapman

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