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Matthew 26

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

What does Matthew 26:47 mean?

Explanation

Matthew 26:47 describes the moment when Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, arrives with a large crowd to betray Jesus with a kiss, which was the agreed-upon sign for the crowd to identify and arrest Jesus.

The crowd is described as being armed with swords and staves (clubs), indicating a readiness for violence or resistance.

They are coming "from the chief priests and elders of the people," demonstrating that this was an officially sanctioned arrest by the Jewish religious authorities of the time.

At face value, the verse captures the tension and betrayal in the scene.

On a deeper level, it represents the culmination of the religious leaders' opposition to Jesus and the tragic role Judas plays in the Passion narrative.

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Historical Context

The historical context of Matthew 26:47 is the time of Jesus' ministry, around the early first century CE, in what was then Roman-occupied Judea.

Jewish religious leaders, including the chief priests and elders, were part of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body responsible for religious and some civil governance.

They saw Jesus as a threat to the stability of their power and to the uneasy peace with the Roman authorities.

Judas’ betrayal occurs shortly after the Last Supper, during the night of Jesus' prayer at Gethsemane.

This event sets into motion Jesus' crucifixion, a historical event situated within the complexity of Jewish-Roman relations and internal Jewish sectarian disputes.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, Judas' betrayal and the ensuing arrest of Jesus are often understood as necessary steps in the divine plan for salvation.

Within this framework, Jesus' acceptance of his betrayal and arrest signifies his obedience to God's will.

Different theological interpretations offer varying views on Judas' role, some see him as a figure predestined to betray, while others view him as exercising free will in choosing to betray Jesus.

Additionally, this event has been a subject of reflection on themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the nature of evil.

Practical Applications

The passage invites several applications to daily life, encouraging reflection on personal betrayal and loyalty. It challenges individuals to consider:

The ways in which personal actions can contribute to the broader consequences within a community.
The importance of integrity, even in the face of difficult choices.
The role of forgiveness and reconciliation when faced with betrayal, as Jesus would later exemplify through his teachings and responses to those who harmed him.

Cross-References

Mark 14:43 – "And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders."
Luke 22:47 – "And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him."
John 18:3 – "Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons."

Language Study

Key phrases and words in the original Greek of this verse include:

"Judas" (Ἰούδας: Ioudas): The name of the disciple who betrayed Jesus.
"Multitude" or "great crowd" (ὄχλος: ochlos): Represents a large group of people, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
"Swords and staves" (ξίφη καὶ ξύλα: xiphē kai xyla): Signifying that the crowd was armed and possibly expecting resistance.
"Chief priests and elders" (ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ): Referring to the religious authorities and leaders among the Jewish people.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparative studies, Judas' act of betrayal is sometimes likened to other figures in ancient myths or religious narratives who betray a god or hero, such as Loki in Norse mythology.

Within other religious traditions, the idea of betrayal by a close associate is also present, exemplified by figures like Duryodhana in the Mahabharata of Hindu tradition.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives might approach this verse from the standpoint of psychology, examining the motivations behind betrayal or the dynamics of mob mentality.

Another angle could explore forensic evidence related to historical Roman methods of arrest and punishment, though these do not pertain directly to the theological content of the verse.

Commentaries

Various Bible commentaries offer insights into this verse:

The Pulpit Commentary notes the solemnity of the moment and Judas' role in fulfilling the Scriptures concerning Jesus' betrayal.
Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the premeditated nature of Judas' betrayal and the malicious intentions of the armed crowd.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges highlights the fact that Judas led the multitude, indicating his active role in the betrayal.

Each source contextualizes the verse within the larger narrative of the Gospels and highlights different aspects of the betrayal and its significance in the unfolding Passion of Christ.

Matthew 26

Matthew 26

What does Matthew 26:47 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 26:47 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?