Matthew 23:1 ¶ Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
Matthew 23:2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:
Matthew 23:3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Matthew 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Matthew notes that Jesus is speaking to the multitudes and His disciples as this chapter opens, but you know the religious leaders were still present. He acknowledged that the scribes and Pharisees “sit in Moses’ seat”; in other words, they had assumed the position of religious authority in the nation. It does not mean, however, that they were rightly representing God. He also seems to acknowledge that they teach according to the law, but their words are empty; they do not practice what they teach. Jesus explained that the people were to be obedient to God’s law, but they were not to follow the example of the Pharisees because they did not practice what they taught. They are quick to burden the people with demands and responsibilities, but they showed no compassion toward the people as they struggled to meet these demands.
The last chapter closed with a question directed toward the Pharisees concerning what they thought about the Messiah. The Messiah was to be their deliverer. Their primary thought was that He would be a physical deliverer, but His primary purpose was to provide spiritual deliverance. It seems that Jesus wants the people to consider His teaching in contrast to that of the Pharisees and realize that He is their Messiah. They taught so as to burden the people, but Jesus taught with a heart to easing the burdens of the people. I am reminded of words He spoke previously.
Matthew 11:28–30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
John MacArthur made a good observation: “You see the word of God is not corrupted even in the mouth of a false prophet. It remains the powerful word of God. So if they teach what Moses taught, you must respond.”
Coffman also made a good observation on this section: “The evil and inconsistent life of the scribes and Pharisees was a strong deterrent to the acceptance of God's will in that day; and similar evil on the part of Christian teachers in all ages has the same hindering results.”
Matthew 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
Matthew 23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Matthew 23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
Jesus noted that the scribes and Pharisees do all their works to be seen of men—e.g., their phylacteries were broad and conspicuous, and the same was true of the borders of their garments. These actions were intended to show that they were more spiritual than other men. They loved to take the seats of honor at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues; they loved getting special attention as they walked down the streets, and they loved being called Rabbi (Master)!
According to Easton’s Dictionary, phylacteries “consisted of strips of parchment on which were inscribed these four texts: Exodus 13:1-10; 11-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:18-21, and which were enclosed in a square leather case….This case was fastened by certain straps to the forehead just between the eyes.”
The border of the garments were significant based on an instruction from the Lord to Moses recorded in Numbers. The purpose was to serve as a constant reminder to obey the commandments of the Lord.
Numbers 15:37–40 “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.”
Theses religious leaders obviously thrived on a works mentality and actually believed this was pleasing to God. Jesus taught, however, that God looks on the heart and is not pleased with a spirit of pride that seeks to parade one’s spirituality.
Matthew 6:1–6 “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.”
Matthew 23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Matthew 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
Jesus is basically saying that you should not seek to emulate their attitude of pride. Jesus declared that we should not call any man master except Christ or any man father except God, our Father in heaven. Those who follow Christ are all brothers and children of God the Father; we are servants of God. All honor and glory are to be directed to God the Father and His Son Jesus, not to any man.
I decided to look at the Greek for the words “Rabbi” in v 8 and “masters” in v10. The first designates one who is your master; the second refers to a teacher. It is important to note that Jesus is saying that only He has the ultimate authority in both areas of one’s life.
Scripture goes on to reveal that He gifts others through the Holy Spirit to serve as leaders and teachers under His authority to minister to the church.
Ephesians 4:7–12 “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men….And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”
Matthew 23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
Matthew 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
The Lord’s declaration in these verses goes against all that our culture promotes. He declared that the greatest among us are those who are your servant. Those who seek to exalt self will be humbled, and those that humble self will be exalted. This was another direct slap in the face to the Pharisees.
Obviously, Jesus is teaching from a heavenly perspective—not a worldly one.
Matthew 23:13 ¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
At this point Jesus begins to address the scribes and Pharisees directly with a series of woes. Jesus uses the word “woe” to denote judgment against them. By calling the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, He is identifying them as spiritual in name only. Their teaching will result in not only keeping themselves out of the kingdom of heaven, but also will prevent many others from entering it as well.
How are they doing this? By mishandling the word of God with false teaching. They refused to recognize Jesus as the Messiah and, in turn, influenced many others not to accept Him as well. Had they been teaching the truth of scripture, they would have recognized Jesus.
John 5:36–39 “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me…. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
The second woe—Jesus accused the religious leaders of taking advantage of widows, a class of people who were basically defenseless against them and could have greatly benefitted from their compassion. I can’t help but make a comparison to the false teachers on TV today that take advantage of the poor to their own profit.
Jesus also noted that they prayed long prayers just to appear more spiritual. Considering the way Jesus paired these two accusations, John Gill suggested that these prayers were possibly made as a pretence on behalf of the widows after bilking them of their money and/or property.
Adam Clarke offered the following enlightenment: “They were in vogue for their long prayers, which they continued sometimes three hours; that perhaps they sold them, as do the Roman priests their masses, or pretended others should be more acceptable to God for them; and so might spoil devout widows by the gifts or salaries they expected from them.”
“ye shall receive the greater damnation” – This phrase once again suggests that there are degrees of punishment in hell.
Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
The third woe—Jesus accused them of traveling far and wide to make just one convert only to mislead him with their false teaching. “To make one a twofold child of hell” sounds like he would have been better off having never come in contact with them and deceived by their false teaching. If they had never been deceived by the false teaching of the Pharisees, they might have come to saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus.
Guzik makes the following observation: “In this respect, the religious leaders were similar to Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses today. They were courageous and energetic messengers, but with a false message.”
Matthew 23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Matthew 23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
Matthew 23:18 And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Matthew 23:19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
The fourth woe—Jesus rebuked them for their whole teaching regarding swearing or making an oath in the name of . (fill in the blank) They considered an oath affirmed by swearing by the gold of the temple more binding than swearing by the temple alone. Jesus notes that they are fools and lacking in understanding as revealed by considering a simple question—“What is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?” They also considered an oath affirmed by a gift offered on the altar as more binding than affirming it by the altar. Once again they showed themselves to be fools and void of understanding as revealed by a similar question—“What is greater the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?”
Exodus 29:37 “Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.”
Matthew 23:20 Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
Matthew 23:21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
Matthew 23:22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
The Savior then goes on to declare that any oath affirmed by the altar included everything that touched it. Any oath affirmed by the temple included the One that dwelt there (believed to be God). Any oath affirmed by heaven includes God, the one that sits on that throne.
The way they categorized the oaths that were more binding was in direct connection to their intended goal—accumulating wealth and possessions.
What is important to note is that they considered some oaths, promises or commitments to be more binding than others. That same type of thinking still prevails today. A person’s word is no longer considered his bond; it is always subject to circumstances and/or intent.
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Matthew 23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
The fifth woe—Jesus notes that though the scribes and Pharisees are diligent to pay their tithes, even down to the herbal condiments, they neglect the more important matters of “the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” Yes, to tithe was correct, but they should not have neglected the more important matters.
“the law” – a reference to God’s law as revealed in His word
“judgment” – a reference to justice that is based on truth and without partiality
“mercy” – a reference to showing compassion
“faith” – a reference to moral conviction of the truthfulness of God and His word
One commentator reminded me of the words of the prophet Micah that sum up our responsibility before God in much the same way.
Micah 6:8 “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
To “strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” is to have one’s priorities all wrong.
JFB offers further enlightenment: “It was the custom, says TRENCH, of the stricter Jews to strain their wine, vinegar, and other potables through linen or gauze, lest unawares they should drink down some little unclean insect therein and thus transgress” the law.
Leviticus 11:41 “And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.”
Matthew 23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Matthew 23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
The sixth woe—Jesus continues by accusing the scribes and Pharisees of concentrating on how they appear to others outwardly while neglecting spiritual cleanliness of the heart and mind. He even pinpoints the sins of extortion and excess as those evidencing that they were spiritually unclean—sins that were rooted in their focus on self to the detriment of others. He warned them that they should take care to be spiritually clean; that would then be evidenced in their outward appearance. I can’t help but be reminded of the words of Paul.
Ephesians 5:25–27 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
It is God’s word that cleanses us—not the words or traditions of men.
Once again, it is important to note as stated by Gill: “…these men preferred the rituals of the ceremonial law, and the traditions of the elders, above the duties of the moral law; and reckoned that the latter were nothing, if the former were wanting….“
Matthew 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Matthew 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
The seventh woe—Jesus basically emphasizes the truth of the previous woe with this pronouncement. This time He compares the religious leaders to “whited sepulchers,” tombs kept beautiful on the outside, but inside they contain the dead and all the uncleanness associated with death. Though they might appear righteous to other men, God sees into their hearts of hypocrisy and sin. Scripture declares this truth many places.
Genesis 6:5 “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
1 Samuel 16:7 “…for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
1 Chronicles 28:9 “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts:”
Psalms 44:20–21 “If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god; Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.”
Psalms 139:1–2 “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.”
Acts 15:8 “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us….”
Guzik adds the following cultural insight: “It was the custom of the Jews of that time to whitewash the tombs in the city of Jerusalem before Passover so that no one would touch one accidentally, thus making themselves ceremonially unclean.”
Matthew 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
Matthew 23:30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Matthew 23:31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Matthew 23:32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
The eighth woe—Jesus pronounces the final woe against the religious leaders using yet one more example of their hypocrisy. He notes how they build tombs to honor the prophets and adorn the graves of righteous men of old, all the while declaring that they never would have persecuted and killed these men if they had lived in those days. Jesus reminded them that they were the children of the very men that killed the prophets; and just like their forefathers they were just as guilty. They were headed to hell just as surely as were their fathers. The proof—They were already planning to kill Jesus, the promised Messiah, One who is greater than all the prophets.
I think I would pause and think before getting on the “amen” bandwagon against the Pharisees. Have you ever thought: “I wouldn’t have been as foolish as Eve to fall for the trickery of the serpent.” “I wouldn’t have been as foolish as Adam to blatantly disobey my Creator.”
I think we all like to think we would have done better. However, I know that if I had been Eve, I would have done the same. The difference in me and the scribes and Pharisees is that by God’s grace I recognized my sin and my need of the Savior.
Matthew 23:34 ¶ Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
Matthew 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Matthew 23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.
At this point Jesus begins to prophesy. He declares that He will send them (yet future) prophets, wise men and scribes to testify to the truth of His message. I think it is significant to note that this is yet another of His affirmations that He is one with God. He goes on to say that they will kill and crucify some of these men (e.g., Stephen and James). Some they will flog in their synagogues and persecute to the point of following them from city to city. Because of this, they will stand condemned for the righteous blood that had been shed on earth from “the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.”
I understand this in the same way that I understand we are all guilty of Adam’s sin. These men were in essence condemned as guilty for the sin of all godly men—from the murder of Abel to the death of Zechariah (specific identity not verified; possibly the prophet Zechariah)—when guilty of killing even one (i.e., Jesus).”
Zechariah 1:1 “ In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah….”
“All these things….” – This phrase looks ahead to the judgment pronounced in the following verses.
Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Matthew 23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.
Matthew 23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The chapter closes with words that reflect the heart of God on behalf of these men and the people that follow them. Yes, He is angry at their hypocrisy; however, His heart has ever been that they would turn from their wicked ways and accept Him as their Savior. He addresses the religious leaders and nation collectively by identifying with the city of God they have polluted—Jerusalem. The purpose of sending the prophets and other messengers of His word has ever been to gather His people together in faith and tenderly care for them—as a hen takes care of her little chicks. The sad truth: “…and ye would not!”
“How often…” – So many times the Lord sent His prophets and basically begged His people to turn to Him in faith and experience His blessings—but they would not. Finally, He sent His only Son, the promised Messiah, and Him they are planning to kill.
God will never force one to accept Him; it is a matter of one’s choice! I like this quote from Spurgeon: “It is the will of God that saves; it is the will of man that damns.”
Because of their rejection of Jesus, Jerusalem and the people of Israel will suffer great destruction.
Jesus then declares that He will not return (to establish His kingdom is implied) until they are ready to welcome Him believing that “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” From the scripture we know that will not happen until the end of the seven-year period known as the 70th week of Daniel or Jacob’s trouble. This will all be explained further in the next two chapters when Jesus explains in more detail the time of His coming to His disciples.
Matthew 26:1 ¶ And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,
Matthew 26:2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
I will honestly note up front that I encounter some difficulties trying to synthesize the gospel accounts of these events. I am sure that it is a problem with my understanding and not being able to read it in the original language from a 1st century perspective. The problems all have to do with minor details. The major details are very much in sync and relate eyewitness testimonies that support the primary truth being conveyed.
Matthew notes that it is two days until Passover, and the Son of man is going to be betrayed and crucified. I wonder if the disciples even processed what He said.
Matthew 26:3 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,
Matthew 26:4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
Matthew 26:5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
Meantime, the chief priests, scribes and elders were gathered together at the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas, plotting how they might deceitfully accuse Jesus and arrange for His death. They wanted to avoid the feast day and any possible problem with the people.
Matthew 26:6 ¶ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Matthew 26:7 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.
Matthew 26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
Matthew 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
I am including scripture from John that appears to be describing this same event, in spite of a few discrepancies. John notes that this event occurred six days before Passover, which would indicate that Matthew’s account is not strictly chronological or it is another similar event entirely—but I don’t think so.
John 12:1–11 “Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein….the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.”
In light of the accounts of both apostles, it seems that Jesus was staying at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany with His friends—Lazarus, Martha and Mary. Note: Martha is still busy doing and serving, and Mary is still at the feet of Jesus.
According to John, at supper that evening Mary took a pound of spikenard, a very expense ointment, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with her hair. Matthew doesn’t identify the woman, and indicates that she poured it on His head. I have no problem believing she probably did both. The response of the disciples, and Judas in particular, are so much the same as to indicate that they must be referencing the same event.
John focuses on the response of Judas, because he wants to point out that Judas was the treasurer of the group and was a thief. Though he expressed his concern regarding what could have been done for the poor if they had sold the ointment, he was using his position for personal profit—much like so many of the false teachers and preachers that permeate the airwaves and lead many large churches today. Note: Research revealed that the precious ointment was worth about a year’s wages.
John also notes that the chief priests also wanted to kill Lazarus since he was a living testimony to the truth that Jesus was the promised Messiah. His resurrection had caused many to believe on Jesus.
Matthew 26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Matthew 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Matthew 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Matthew 26:13 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.
When Jesus realized that Mary’s action was being criticized, He affirmed her actions as a good thing. He noted that there would always be poor people among them, but He would not always be with them—at least in physical form. That sounds arrogant and unloving. Since we always take scripture as a whole, we know that is not the case. Jesus is trying to prepare them for His death and the fact that they will be left with their faith to carry on. God will provide for all, rich and poor, who depend on Him. Anything He withholds from us or allows to impact us is for our good when our desire is to serve Him.
Jesus declared that Mary had anointed Him for burial and that her actions would be told wherever the gospel was preached throughout the world. I loved Spurgeon’s quote concerning this scripture: “Is anything wasted which is all for Jesus? It might rather seem as if all would be wasted which was not given to him."
Matthew 26:14 ¶ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
Matthew 26:15 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.
Matthew 26:16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Luke provides further insight on this section of scripture.
Luke 22:3–4 “Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.”
Satan entered into Judas Iscariot—something that he could only do because he had rejected Jesus as the Messiah, his Lord and Savior. Judas then went to the chief priests and offered to deliver Jesus to them for a price. They eventually agreed on 30 pieces of silver, the value of a slave, in payment for his betrayal. From that moment on, Judas was on alert for an opportune time to accomplish his objective.
Adam Clarke notes, “Being disappointed of the prey he hoped to have from the sale of the precious ointment, he sold his Master to make up the sum.”
Matthew 26:17 ¶ 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?
Matthew 26:18 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.
Matthew 26:19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.
Mark 14:12 “And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?”
Luke 22:7–8 “Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.”
John 13:1 “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”
These verses represent the discrepancy in accounts that are most puzzling regarding Jesus’ last supper with His disciples. From my research, Burton Coffman offers the most reasonable explanation since even the synoptics all agree that Jesus’ body was removed from the cross on the day of preparation during which the Passover lambs were killed.
“In view of the above, Christ's last meal, called the Passover, was not actually that. At least, it was not on that Passover day. It preceded the Passover. There is no evidence that a lamb was prepared and eaten by the Lord and his disciples. The true Lamb was present with them, and he would be slain on the morrow of this same 14th Nisan, fulfilling the type to the letter. No one should be disturbed by the designation of this last meal as the Passover by the synoptics, for without doubt the term was used in an accommodative sense because it so resembled and so nearly coincided with the actual Passover. John's gospel makes it impossible to believe that it was actually the ordinary Passover.”
Luke 22:10–12 “And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready.”
I included Luke’s account since he included more specifics concerning how they were to identify the man that would accommodate them. All accounts imply either prior planning or supernatural intervention—either of which is readily believable to me.
Matthew 26:20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
Matthew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Matthew 26:22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
Matthew 26:23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
At the appropriate time Jesus sat down with the twelve for the evening meal. As they ate, He unexpectedly announced that one of them would betray Him. This caused each one to question if it could be he. Jesus answered that it was “he that dipped his hand with me in the dish.” Mark seems to clarify that His answer was not specific.
Mark 14:20 “And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.”
Guzik makes the following observation: “Jesus said this not to point out a specific disciple, because they all dipped with Him. Instead, Jesus identified the betrayer as a friend, someone who ate at the same table with Him.”
John’s narrative indicates that this thought must have been especially troubling to John and Peter because they asked Jesus more privately (after He had washed their feet) who it was. To them He gave a more specific answer.
John 13:23–26 “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.”
Matthew 26:24 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.
Matthew 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
The message of verse 24 should have been very chilling to Judas, but his heart had already been sold to the devil. Though he pretended concern, we are told by John that his heart was so hardened that Satan was once again able to take possession of him.
John 13:27 “And after the sop Satan entered into him.”
Adam Clarke made an insightful comment: “…when men are completely hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, they can outwardly perform the most solemn acts of devotion, without feeling any sort of inward concern about the matter.”
Matthew 26:26 ¶ 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.
Matthew 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Luke 22:19 “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”
We now come to the scripture that provides the basis for our observance of the Lord’s supper. It stood out to me as I read the different accounts that Jesus did not command this observance to be continued. The instruction that this was to be observed on a regular basis in the church came through Paul.
1 Corinthians 11:23–30 “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
It’s very obvious that the Lord is using the bread and wine to picture the sacrifice that He was going to make to provide for our salvation. It was not and did not become His actual flesh and blood. The purpose for continuing this observance is to remind us of His sacrificial provision for the remission of sins, the suffering He endured to provide for our salvation as we look forward to His return.
Jesus also makes clear to the disciples that He is instituting a new covenant—a covenant that was foretold by Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 31:31–33 “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
This covenant would supersede the old covenant as established with Moses. The fact that the instruction for this observance was given to the church through Paul shows that it was intended to embrace all people that choose to follow Jesus in faith.
Matthew 26:29 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.
Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Jesus notes that He will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until He is able to drink it anew with His disciples in the Father’s kingdom.
Matthew ends his account of the last supper at this point and states that they sang a hymn together before leaving to go to the Mount of Olives.
Luke informs us that:
There was a dispute among the disciples as to who would be the greatest.
The Lord informed Peter that Satan wanted his opportunity to tempt him and that he would deny his Lord three times before the rooster crowed that day. (Hebrew accounting of day was evening and morning.)
The Mount of Olives was a customary place of retreat for Jesus.
Luke 22:24 “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.”
Luke 22:34 “And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.”
Luke 22:39 “And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives….”
Judas was very familiar with this place.
John 18:2 “And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.”
It is interesting to note that John does not include the last supper; however, he is the only one that tells us of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, and he places it before identifying Judas by handing him the sop but before informing Peter that he would deny Him.
John 13:4–11 “He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.” (In other words, Judas was still present.)
It also appears from John’s record that all the teaching included in John 14-17 took place either before they left for the Mount of Olives or while they were on the way there, but clearly before crossing the brook and entering the Garden of Gethsemane.
John 18:1 “When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.”
Matthew 26:31 ¶ 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.
Matthew 26:32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
“offended” = to entrap, i.e. trip up…or entice to sin
“smite” = to knock (gently or with a weapon or fatally)
Jesus is warning the disciples that the events about to transpire that night would really test their faith in Him. He pictures Himself as the shepherd and them as the sheep. He notes that in fulfillment of prophecy they will act like sheep without a shepherd when He is taken and killed.
Zechariah 13:7 “…smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
Jesus also encouraged them to understand that He will resurrect from the grave and meet them in Galilee.
Matthew 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Matthew 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Matthew 26:35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Again, Luke adds a little more insight.
Luke 22:31–34 “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death.
Poor, precious Peter—his heart was truly willing, but his flesh would prove weak. He boldly declared that his faith would not waiver even if everyone else’s did. Jesus then told Peter that Satan wanted to tempt him to sin. At this point, this would have been a special revelation to Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Jesus lovingly told Peter that He had already prayed for his faith not to fail. He then basically tells Peter that once he has come through his experience with his faith still in tact, he should strengthen his fellow believers with his testimony.
Peter then boldly declares that he will stand strong with Jesus, even to the point of going to prison or even death. It was then that Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times before the crowing of the rooster the next morning. Once more Peter assured Jesus that he would never deny him—even if it meant his death. Matthew also notes that the other disciples joined Peter in declaring their loyalty to the Lord.
Because of the signs of the times that surround us and the general moral decay of our culture, I am already praying for God’s empowerment to be able to stand strong in the face of persecution—no matter how terrifying it may become. I am also praying the same for my precious family. If Peter could deny the Lord so readily after spending intimate time with Him in person for three years, how vulnerable are we! I would never have believed as we started our family that this would ever have to be a prayer on my lips as a citizen of the United States of America. Oh how I wish that the person who completes the bride would accept Jesus as Savior so we can go home! I do take comfort in knowing that we have the supernatural empowerment of the Holy Spirit indwelling us—something Peter was not yet privileged to possess during his time of temptation.
Matthew 26:36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
Matthew 26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Once Jesus and the disciples got to the garden called Gethsemane, He asked the disciples to sit and wait while he went apart to pray. He took Peter, James and John with Him a little further and asked them to “watch with Him.” This was His inner circle, and He wanted their support as He sought the Father in prayer for strength and comfort to endure what was coming. The wording indicates that He was heavy with grief.
Matthew 26:39 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.
Jesus then went a bit further apart from His inner circle and fell on His face in prayer. His prayer (my paraphrase)—Father, if it is possible, I’d really rather not suffer what is to come; nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done.
Matthew 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Matthew 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Jesus then came back to Peter, James and John and found them asleep. He questioned Peter, the one who had declared unfailing loyalty—Couldn’t you watch (and pray is implied) with me even one hour? He then exhorted Peter to watch and pray so that he would not be tempted. What would be the temptation? Events to come would be a trial of his faith. He reminded Peter that though the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.
Oh, how I identify with Peter! The spirit is willing, but the flesh is so weak. I am so looking forward to being rid of this body of sinful flesh and receiving a new body with no taint of sin!
I liked the following comment by David Guzik: “Jesus found victory at the cross by succeeding in the struggle in Gethsemane. Peter - just like us - failed in later temptation because he failed to watch and pray. The spiritual battle is often won or lost before the crisis comes.”
Matthew 26:42 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.
Once again Jesus went apart to pray asking the Father to let this cup pass—but once again affirming His desire to do the Father’s will. Paul explains it a bit further in his letter to the Galatians. I think it is important to note that it is Jesus the man that is struggling so with the flesh at this time.
Galatians 5:17 “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”
Matthew 26:43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
Matthew 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Once again, Jesus returned to His disciples to find them asleep. He didn’t bother to say anything to them this time; He knew they were tired and would need what little rest they could get. He then went again and prayed to the Father a third time—with the very same request.
I think it is at this point that Luke provides further information.
Luke 22:43–44 “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
I think Jesus is so disturbed at the thought of being separated from His Father for any amount of time as He bore our sins, that it caused Him to sweat “great drops of blood.” Though the Father’s will required that Jesus drink the cup before Him, it was a Father’s heart to send an angel from heaven to strengthen His Son.
I think it is important to notice that Jesus was sincerely persistent with His prayers. Though He is repeating the prayer, it is not with “vain repetition” that was warned against in chapter 6.
Matthew 6:7 “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.”
Jesus is praying with heartfelt intensity for deliverance, but His overriding desire is to do the Father’s will. He is the perfect model for us to follow in our own prayer lives.
Matthew 26:45 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.
When He returned to the disciples the third time to find them sleeping yet again, He spoke (mainly to Himself I believe) and told them to sleep on and get what rest they could before having to deal with what was coming. The hour for Jesus’ betrayal was now come, and He would suffer to the point of death at “the hands of sinners.”
Matthew 26:46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Matthew 26:47 ¶ 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.
How much time elapsed from the previous verse is not revealed, but it could not have been long. Jesus must have heard the throng of people headed His way, and woke the disciples up. He told them that His betrayer was “at hand.” The wording indicates that Jesus intended to meet His betrayer; He never intended to try to escape.
While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came leading a great multitude of people armed with swords and clubs. Matthew also notes that the crowd included some of the chief priests and elders.
I think Adam Clarke’s comment expressed the truth: “They did not come as officers of justice, but as a desperate mob. Justice had nothing to do in this business. He who a little before had been one of the leaders of the flock of Christ is now become the leader of ruffians and murderers!”
Matthew 26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
Matthew 26:49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
Matthew 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
Judas had previously told the arresting officers with him that the man he greeted with a kiss was the man they wanted. This was necessary since the Roman guards who were part of arresting mob probably did not know Jesus by sight. At this point John provides some further insight.
John 18:4–9 “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.”
In my thinking, this had to have occurred before Judas identified Jesus with a kiss, or maybe the kiss of betrayal came between the two questions.
Jesus approached the crowd and asked them who they were looking for. They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I am he.” When Jesus identified Himself, the crowd fell backward to the ground. Jesus then asked them once again whom they sought, and they again said “Jesus of Nazareth.” Once again Jesus told them that would be He. He then asked that they let his friends go peacefully.
As Matthew often does, he noted that Jesus once again was cognizant of showing that He spoke the truth. This was in reference to the prayer He had lifted up to the Father within their hearing prior to entering Gethsemane.
John 17:12 “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
Jesus asked Judas why he had come--with such a formidable force seems to be implied. The soldiers then took hold of Jesus to arrest Him.
Matthew 26:51 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.
Matthew 26:52 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.
Matthew 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Matthew 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
This action by Peter is recorded in all four gospels, but only John identifies Peter as the perpetrator. Peter intended to live up to his declaration I think, so he begins his attack by cutting the ear off a servant of the high priest that John identifies as Malchus.
John 18:10 “Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.”
Only Luke, the beloved physician, tells us that Jesus healed Malchus’ ear.
Luke 22:51 “And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.”
Jesus immediately told Peter to put away his sword unless he wanted to die by the sword. He reminded Peter that He could pray to His Father, and He would send twelve legions of angels to fight on His behalf. If he did that, however, the scriptures that foretold His death would not be fulfilled. From Jesus’ perspective, that could never be.
“legion” = Easton’s Dictionary: “a regiment of the Roman army….It originally consisted of three thousand men, but in the time of Christ consisted of six thousand, exclusive of horsemen, who were in number a tenth of the foot-men.”
Matthew 26:55 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.
Matthew 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
Jesus addressed His next remarks to the multitudes. My paraphrase: Why did you come with such a show of force to arrest me? I’ve been teaching daily in the temple. Why not take me then?
Again Matthew notes that everything was happening in accordance with the prophecies foretold in scripture. This is yet another reference to the writing of Zechariah as well as to the words of Jesus quoted previously in this chapter.
Zechariah 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
Matthew 26:31 “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.”
Sadly, he also notes that all of His disciples deserted Jesus and fled for their lives.
Matthew 26:57 ¶ And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
The arresting officers proceeded to take Jesus to Caiaphas, the high priest; and the scribes and elders were already assembled in anticipation of His arrival.
John 18:12–13 “Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
John notes that they bound Jesus and took Him first to Annas, the previous high priest and father-in-law to Caiaphas. Ellicott notes that this was probably done in order to gain information with which to make their accusation against Him before the Council.
John also informs us how Jesus was treated at His encounter with Annas.
John 18:19–24 “The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.”
Matthew 26:58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
Though Peter ran with the others, he followed at a distance to the palace of the high priest and mingled among the servants to find out what would happen. John informs us that he went as well and also provides further information.
John 18: 15-16 “And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.”
John was from a prominent family and was known by the high priest, and it was through his intervention that Peter was able to enter the palace grounds.
Matthew 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Matthew 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
Matthew 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
Though the chief priests, elders and all the council sought witnesses that would provide the accusations to justify putting Jesus to death, they could find none. Many false witnesses stepped forward, but evidently their testimony wasn’t even acceptable to those intent on killing Jesus. Finally, two false witnesses came forward declaring that Jesus had stated that He could destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.
Technically, the witnesses were testifying correctly—but out of context—as explained by John.
John 2:19–21 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body.”
David Guzik notes the following concerning the illegalities associated with the judicial treatment of Jesus:
According to Jewish law, criminal cases could not be tried during the Passover season.
According to Jewish law, only an acquittal could be issued on the day of the trial. Guilty verdicts had to wait one night to allow for feelings of mercy to rise.
According to Jewish law, all evidence had to be guaranteed by two witnesses, who were separately examined and could not have contact with each other.
According to Jewish law, false witness was punishable by death. Nothing was done to the many false witnesses in Jesus' trial.
According to Jewish law, a trial always began by bringing forth evidence for the innocence of the accused, before the evidence of guilt was offered. This was not the practice here.
Matthew 26:62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Matthew 26:63 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.
Matthew 26:64 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.
Caiaphas then stood and addressed Jesus asking if He had a response to the accusation. Jesus didn’t answer, so Caiaphas asked Him again. This time he invoked “the living God” as the authority demanding an answer from Him. He pointedly asked Jesus if He was “the Christ, the Son of God.” How he got there from the accusation under review is beyond me.
The NIV Commentary explains it well: “The outcome is now inevitable. If Jesus refuses to answer, he breaks a legally imposed oath. If he denies he is the Messiah, the crisis is over—but so is his influence. If he affirms it, then, given the commitments of the court, Jesus must be false. After all, how could the true Messiah allow himself to be imprisoned and put in jeopardy?”
Jesus answered in the affirmative. He also added that the day was coming when Caiaphas (and all the others gathered there) would see the Son of man (referencing himself) sitting on the right hand of power (God’s hand being understood) and coming in the clouds of heaven. This is a reference to the words of the prophet Daniel.
Daniel 7:13–14 “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
Jesus was warning them of the eternal consequences of their actions.
Matthew 26:65 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.
Matthew 26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
At the words of Jesus the high priest rent his clothes (a sign of grief, indignation or shock) and declared that Jesus had spoken blasphemy before the Council so there was no need for further witnesses. In other words, he understood implicitly that Jesus was declaring Himself the Messiah spoken of by Daniel. He asked for and got a declaration of guilty and pronounced a death sentence; it seems that the verdict was unanimous. The problem—they did not have the authority to carry out their sentence; that would have to come from the authority of Rome.
Matthew 26:67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
Matthew 26:68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
They then began to torture Jesus by spitting in His face and hitting Him with both their fists and their palms. Mark tells us that they covered His face.
Mark 14:65 “And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him….”
Then they taunted Him saying that if He was really the Messiah, He should prove it by telling them who had hit Him.
Matthew 26:69 ¶ Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
Matthew 26:70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
Matthew 26:71 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.
Matthew 26:72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
Matthew 26:73 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.
Matthew 26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Matthew 26:75 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.
This chapter closes with an account of the shameful denials by Peter. As Peter was waiting outside the palace, he was warming himself by the fire.
Luke 22:55 “And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.”
One of the servant girls noted that she thought she recognized Peter as one of Jesus’ disciples, but Peter immediately denied it. He evidently decided to relocate and went to the porch. Another servant girl pointed out to those around them that Peter was a follower of Jesus, but again Peter denied it; this time with an oath that he didn’t even know the man.
Eventually, another person approached him and declared that Peter had to be a follower of Jesus because his speech (accent) betrayed him. This must be the same man noted by John as recognizing Peter as the one who had cut off the ear of his kinsman. At this point Peter began to curse and swear that he did not know “the man.”
John 18:26 “One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?”
Immediately the rooster crowed.
Luke adds a little more.
Luke 22:61 “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.”
That look must have devastated Peter; he left and wept bitterly at what he had done.