Faith

Friday, March 27, 2026Faith

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... we hear a deeper meaning to the words of the crowd. They might understand their own words as a curse, but "His Blood" is salvation itself.

Archbishop Richard G.
Henning

''Let His blood be upon us and upon our children." (Matt. 27:25). This line is a heartbreaking moment in the Matthean Passion account -- the account that we will hear for Palm Sunday this year. It is shouted by the crowd as Jesus is on trial before Pilate. In recent times, this verse has engendered considerable controversy. Some commentators suggest that the verse is anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic. They fear that such language helped engender the "blood libel" against the Jews -- charging the Jewish people with the responsibility for the death of Jesus. Of course, that libel has been cited to falsely justify tragic hatred and tragic violence in the past. Nonetheless, we must distinguish the sin of this prejudice from the text of the Bible. The Scriptures summon us to love of God and neighbor.
Even if individuals have misused the text, the Gospel of Matthew is not anti-Jewish or anti-Semitic. In fact, the Gospel of Matthew is the most Jewish of the four Gospels. It was written for a primarily Jewish Christian community, and it strives to link the Christ event to the hopes and expectations of Israel. It presents a Jesus Who recalls the foundational figure of Moses and Who counsels His disciples to be rigorous in observing the Law (Matt. 5:18). The Gospel does address a time and context with real conflict between and among Jews -- some of whom believed Jesus to be the Messiah and some who rejected the notion.

If this is not a moment of blame or hatred, then what does this language reveal? We are hearing strong language, and there is a sense of tragedy to the moment. Remember that the Old Testament begins with a tragic story of human beings who reject God's will and pursue their own ends. The tragedy intensifies across the whole of the Old Testament as the people repeatedly fail in their covenant obligations. The narrative contrasts the inconstancy and infidelity of God's people with the unfailing nature of Divine Providence. So, on this level, the crowd before Pilate stands in that tragic tradition -- rejecting God's Messiah and inviting the same kind of doom that had come upon the people in ages past. However, this represents only the surface layer of the exchange.
The more profound message of the Old Testament is the utter faithfulness of the Lord. And the Passion accounts themselves are fundamentally stories of the Son of God returning that pure and utter faithfulness to the Father. Jesus' offering of Himself is an act of communion with the Father for the salvation of the world.
Understanding this, we hear a deeper meaning to the words of the crowd. They might understand their own words as a curse, but "His Blood" is salvation itself. "Let His blood be upon us and our children" is no curse -- it is a prayer of blessing. A faithless people now find hope in the faithfulness of this Jesus. His blood, poured out on the cross and nourishing His people in the Eucharist, brings redemption and life.
The Matthean Passion account follows the Markan order and includes some unique details. But I would argue that it is this unique detail that brings us to the heart of the matter. Here, a Jewish Evangelist reveals that Jesus is the fulfillment of the covenant and the resolution of the great tragedy of human rebellion. It is not a moment to blame any one people, but an acknowledgement of what God's mercy and grace accomplish for all people. Indeed, let His blood be upon us, for it is our best and only hope.

- Archbishop Richard G. Henning is the Archbishop of Boston