Matthew 27:9 – Did Matthew Get It Wrong?

Do Your Homework Before You Hit Play

As a pastor, I often receive videos from people who want my thoughts on certain teachers or trending theological claims. Recently, someone sent me a video by Adam Fink from Parable of the Vineyard Ministries. Since I had never heard of him before, I decided to investigate what he teaches.

That kind of background research is critical today. The internet offers thousands of Bible teachers, but not all handle God’s Word faithfully. Before you let anyone shape your theology, take time to learn about their background, doctrinal stance, and accountability. In short: do your homework before you hit play.

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Why Careful Research Honors God

God calls believers to handle Scripture with diligence. Paul wrote, “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, NLT).

Discernment isn’t optional—it’s obedience. Paul also urged, “Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching” (1 Timothy 4:16). Luke modeled that same precision when he investigated the life of Jesus before writing his Gospel (Luke 1:1–4).

Even the early Church showed this kind of caution when evaluating which writings belonged in the New Testament. The Church accepted only those writings which could be traced back to an apostle or a close associate.¹ Careful investigation isn’t skepticism—it’s faithfulness.

When Someone Claims an Error in Scripture

A Startling Statement About Matthew

In one of Adam Fink’s videos, The Book of the Natsarim Study: 1:1–3:26 (Hidden Words of Messiah, Part 1), he acknowledges that The Book of the Natsarim contains mistakes. While that honesty is commendable, he then makes a stunning claim: if Christians reject The Book of the Natsarim because it has errors, we must also reject the Gospel of Matthew, which he says contains one too.

This reasoning is dangerous. Fink compares a single late-medieval document—of which there is only one known copy from the 1500s—to the Gospel of Matthew, preserved in thousands of early manuscripts and universally affirmed by the apostolic Church.² The two are not even close.

The Book of the Natsarim is a human invention. Matthew’s Gospel is Spirit-inspired Scripture.

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Examining the “Error” in Matthew 27:9

The Passage Under Question

Fink’s claim centers on Matthew 27:9-10:

“This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah that says, ‘They took the thirty pieces of silver—the price at which he was valued by the people of Israel.’”

The problem? The quoted words appear in Zechariah 11:12–13, not in Jeremiah.

On the surface, that seems like a legitimate mistake. Did Matthew misquote his Bible?

Why Matthew’s Reference Makes Sense

When we remember Matthew’s purpose and his divine inspiration, the accusation falls apart.

Matthew wrote to convince his fellow Jews that Jesus was the promised Messiah by showing how He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.³ His Gospel contains over sixty quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures—more than any other Gospel writer. It’s hard to imagine such a careful author suddenly misattributing a verse.

Moreover, the Holy Spirit guided Matthew’s writing, ensuring accuracy in every word (2 Peter 1:20–21). The early Church, which received Matthew’s Gospel and circulated it widely, never questioned its reliability or authorship.⁴

So, if it’s not an authorial mistake or divine oversight, what’s going on?

Was It a Copyist’s Error?

Some scholars once proposed that a scribe accidentally wrote “Jeremiah” instead of “Zechariah.” But this doesn’t fit the evidence. With thousands of surviving Greek manuscripts, textual critics have identified numerous minor variations—but in every known copy, the name Jeremiah remains.⁵

If it were a scribal error, at least some manuscripts would preserve a correction. None do. That consistency strongly suggests Matthew intentionally wrote “Jeremiah.”

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Why Matthew Cited Jeremiah

The Hebrew Arrangement of Scripture

The answer lies in how Jews arranged and referenced their Scriptures. The Hebrew Bible (our Old Testament) was divided into three sections:

1. The Law (Torah)
2. The Prophets (Nevi’im)
3. The Writings (Ketuvim)

Jeremiah held a prominent position at the beginning of the “Prophets” section. Because of that, Jewish teachers sometimes used his name as a collective reference to all the prophetic books.⁶

So when Matthew wrote, “This fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah,” he was using the common Jewish shorthand meaning, “as written in the prophetic writings.” The Gospel writer wasn’t confused—he was communicating in a way his Jewish readers immediately understood.⁷

Context Clears the Confusion

The supposed contradiction disappears once we read Matthew’s Gospel in its historical and cultural context. Matthew intentionally blended prophetic imagery: Jeremiah’s theme of judgment (Jeremiah 19) and Zechariah’s mention of thirty pieces of silver both converge in Jesus’ betrayal.⁸

This literary connection doesn’t weaken Scripture—it strengthens it. Matthew demonstrated how multiple Old Testament prophecies pointed to one ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

The misunderstanding occurs only when modern readers overlook how first-century Jews categorized and cited Scripture.

Conclusion: Truth With Discernment

In an online age filled with viral “discoveries,” bold claims, and confident teachers, believers must cultivate discernment. Truth withstands scrutiny. When someone insists the Bible contains an error, we must look deeper—into history, culture, and context—before drawing conclusions.

Matthew didn’t misquote Zechariah. He wrote under the Spirit’s guidance, using language his audience understood. Once again, the supposed contradiction reveals not a flaw in God’s Word but our need for careful reading.

So, before sharing a sensational clip or accepting a new interpretation, pause and investigate. Read widely. Test everything by Scripture. As Paul said, “Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21, NASB).

The Gospel of Matthew remains precisely what it has always been: trustworthy, inspired, and accurate.

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Footnotes

1. F. F. Bruce, The Canon of Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988), pp. 118–122.
2. Bruce M. Metzger and Bart D. Ehrman, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration, 4th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 42–46.
3. D. A. Carson, Matthew, in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 8 (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), pp. 9–12.
4. Craig L. Blomberg, The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007), pp. 185–186.
5. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 2nd ed. (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1994), p. 56.
6. Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014), p. 68.
7. ESV Study Bible (Crossway, 2008), note on Matthew 27:9–10.
8. R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, NICNT (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007), pp. 1041–1043.

Leave your thoughts or a question concerning what appears to be an error in the Bible, and I’ll do my best to find an answer. We are growing together!