Matthew 26:47-68
Q.1. Why did the chief priests change their minds about arresting Jesus? How did they identify Him? Did He resist arrest? How did He respond? What did He say about the Scriptures? – (Mt.26:47-56 c.f. Mt.26:5)
Matthew had recorded earlier that the chief priests and elders had decided not to arrest Jesus during the Passover festival, fearing a riot (Mt.26:4-5). All this changed when Judas Iscariot offered to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Mt.26:14-16). Judas took the initiative in the arrest of Jesus. He knew where Jesus was, because he had earlier met in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and the other disciples. Judas having received a Roman cohort and officers from the chief priest and the Pharisees came there with lanterns and torches and weapons (Jn.18:2-3 c.f. Mt.26:47). Many of the large crowd arresting Jesus would not have been able to recognize Him, so Judas had given them a sign – whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him (Mt.26:48). Jesus drew attention to the contradiction of Judas’s kissing the One Whom he was betraying (Lk.22:48). Nevertheless, Jesus allowed Himself to be taken captive (Mt.26:50). When Peter cut off the ear of the servant of the High Priest (Mt.26:51), Jesus immediately healed him. This was further proof of His divine origin (Lk.22:51). He told Peter – … Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword (Mt.26:52). He reminded His disciples – do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (Mt.26:53). Jesus could easily have resisted arrest and annihilated the opposition. A legion was made up of six thousand troops. He was referring to a force of seventy-two thousand angels. Nevertheless, Jesus was submitting Himself entirely to His Father’s plan. He pointed out – How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way? … But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets (Mt.26:54 & 56).
Q.2. Where did the disciples go? Where did they take Jesus? What transpired at the Council? Of what was He accused? Why did Jesus respond to the question of the High Priest? What did He claim? – (Mt.26:56-64)
As Jesus had prophesied – all the disciples left Him and fled (Mt.26:56). It is almost certain that John was referring to himself as the disciple who was known to the High Priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard, and helped Peter gain entrance (Jn.18:15-16 c.f. Jn.13:23; 21:20&24). However – Peter remained standing outside the door … and was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, and sat down with the officers to see what the outcome would be (Jn.18:16; Mt.26:58). Jesus was taken to the High Priest’s residence where the Jewish Sanhedrin had gathered. They tried desperately to find a case against Jesus, worthy of death (Mt.26:57, 59-60). The best they could find was a charge that He claimed that He would destroy the Temple (Mt.26:60-61 c.f. Jn.2:19&21). All the while, Jesus knew it was a ‘set-up’, and kept His silence (Mt.26:62-63). Then the High Priest asked Him under oath – … I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God (Mt.26:63). Jesus responded by quoting from Daniel 7:13 who spoke of the Ancient of Days – … You have said it yourself; Nevertheless, I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven (Mt.26:64). Jesus claimed unequivocally to be Messiah and God.
Q.3. Why did the High Priest react so strongly? What did the Council conclude? How was Jesus treated by the Jewish leaders? Why the vehemence? Why did they invite Jesus to prophesy? – (Mt.26:65-68 c.f. Mk.10:65)
The only options were for the Jewish Council to either accept Jesus as the Messiah … or to write Him off as a blasphemer. The reaction of the High Priest was to tear his robes declaring – … He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? … (Mt.26:65). The Council reacted similarly – … He deserves death! (Mt.26:66). Their religious outrage knew no bounds. They blind-folded Jesus and – spat in His face and beat Him with their fists. Others slapped Him, and said, “Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?” (Mt.26:67-68 c.f. Mk.14:65). These actions against any blind-folded and defenceless man were utterly shameful and unjust.