Matthew26

Jesus foretells his crucifixion, and a woman anoints him for burial, an act Jesus commends. Judas Iscariot agrees to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. During the Passover, Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper and identifies Judas as his betrayer. In Gethsemane, Jesus prays in agony while his disciples sleep, before being arrested following Judas's kiss. He is then condemned by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy, while Peter denies him three times, fulfilling prophecy.

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The Passover and the Betrayal Announced

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

Ye know that after two days the passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas;

and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.

But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people.

The Anointing at Bethany

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

there came unto him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, as he sat at meat.

But when the 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.

But Jesus perceiving it 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 poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

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

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

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

and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver.

And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them.

Preparation for the Passover

Now on the firstdayof unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee to eat the passover?

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

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

Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples;

and as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

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

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

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

And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said.

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

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

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

for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I shall 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 a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Prediction of Peter’s Denial

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in 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 raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.

But Peter answered and said unto him, If all shall be offended in thee, I will 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 saith unto him, Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

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

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

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

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

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, 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.

Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done.

And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy.

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

Then cometh he to the 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.

Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betrayeth me.

The Arrest of Jesus

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 is he: take him.

And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him.

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, do that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

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

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

Or thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels?

How then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not.

But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.

But Peter followed him afar off, unto the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end.

Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death;

and they found it not, though many false witnesses came. But afterward came two,

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

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

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

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

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

what think ye? They answered and said, He is worthy of death.

Then did they spit in his face and buffet him: and some smote him with the palms of their hands,

saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ: who is he that struck thee?

Peter Denies Jesus

Now Peter was sitting without in the court: and a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilæan.

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 saith unto them that were there, This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth.

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

And after a little while they that stood by came and said to Peter, Of a truth thou also art one of them; for thy speech maketh thee known.

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

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

Study Notes for Matthew 26

Verse 2

Jesus’ final prediction frames the entire Passion narrative as a divine necessity. He emphasizes that the Son of Man is betrayed specifically 'to be crucified,' underscoring the manner of his sacrificial death.

Verse 3

Caiaphas was the High Priest appointed by the Romans (A.D. 18–36). The assembly of chief priests, scribes, and elders constituted the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court.

Verse 5

The leaders feared the large crowds of Passover pilgrims, many of whom viewed Jesus as a popular prophet. They wanted to avoid a riot that might provoke Roman intervention.

Verse 6

Simon the Leper was likely a man Jesus had previously healed. Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, was also the home of Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.

Verse 7

Alabaster boxes were precious containers used for expensive perfumed oils. The quantity of ointment used here indicates a great expense, perhaps a year's wages.

Verse 12

Jesus interprets the act of anointing as preparation for his imminent burial. This act, done out of devotion, was more significant than the disciples’ practical concern for charity.

Verse 13

This verse is a profound promise of universal recognition for the woman’s deed, emphasizing that true devotion, even if seemingly wasteful, will be eternally remembered within the Gospel message.

Verse 14

Judas Iscariot (likely meaning 'man of Kerioth') initiated this meeting, suggesting his betrayal was driven by greed or disillusionment, rather than simple coercion.

Verse 15

Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave injured by an ox (Ex. 21:32), emphasizing the low value placed on Jesus' life and fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12.

Verse 17

The Feast of Unleavened Bread began concurrently with the Passover meal. This preparation indicates the disciples were following the requirements for the annual celebration.

Verse 18

Jesus’ knowledge of the specific man shows his divine foresight. 'My time is at hand' underscores his sovereign control over the timing and setting of his final hours.

Verse 21

The announcement of betrayal, made during the sacred Passover meal, heightens the tragedy and treachery of Judas’s act.

Verse 24

This verse balances divine sovereignty (Jesus goes 'as it is written') with human responsibility. Judas’s betrayal fulfills prophecy, but he remains morally accountable for his choice.

Verse 26

Jesus reinterprets the elements of the Passover meal, establishing the Eucharist (Communion) as the central ritual of the New Covenant, replacing the need for animal sacrifice.

Verse 28

This is a pivotal theological statement. The 'new testament' (new covenant) points to Jeremiah 31:31. Jesus’ blood is shed once and for all to achieve the 'remission of sins' for humanity.

Verse 29

Jesus looks forward to the eschatological banquet (the Marriage Supper of the Lamb), signaling that the Lord's Supper is a temporary anticipation of the fullness of the Kingdom.

Verse 31

Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7, indicating that the disciples’ flight and scattering is a necessary fulfillment of Scripture regarding the suffering Shepherd.

Verse 34

Peter’s overconfidence is checked by Jesus’ precise prophecy. This highlights the contrast between Peter’s bold, yet fragile, human commitment and the certainty of Jesus’ divine knowledge.

Verse 36

Gethsemane means 'oil press.' Jesus takes the three closest disciples (Peter, James, and John) deeper into the garden, indicating the intensity of the struggle about to occur.

Verse 39

The prayer reveals Jesus’ true humanity (desiring to avoid the 'cup' of suffering and God's wrath) and his perfect submission to the Father’s will. This obedience is central to the atonement.

Verse 41

This famous instruction warns against spiritual complacency and temptation. The 'spirit is willing' acknowledges the disciples' intentions, but the 'flesh is weak' emphasizes their human inability to endure without God’s strength.

Verse 45

Jesus’ instruction to 'Sleep on now' is likely ironic or sarcastic, immediately followed by the command to 'Rise, let us be going,' signaling the moment of betrayal has arrived.

Verse 47

The presence of a great multitude with swords and clubs suggests that the Sanhedrin feared resistance or a popular uprising, treating Jesus as a dangerous criminal.

Verse 50

Jesus addresses Judas as 'Friend' (Gk. *hetairos*), a term of ironic courtesy used for companions, emphasizing the depth of the betrayal by one who was considered an intimate.

Verse 52

Jesus rejects the use of violence to advance the Kingdom, establishing a principle of non-retaliation and affirming that His mission must be accomplished through self-sacrifice, not force.

Verse 53

Jesus emphasizes that His submission is voluntary, not coerced. He possesses the power to call twelve legions (over 72,000) of angels, but chooses the path of suffering to fulfill prophecy.

Verse 56

The fulfillment of prophecy is the ultimate justification for these events. The disciples’ flight confirms Jesus' earlier prediction (v. 31), demonstrating the necessary scattering of the flock.

Verse 57

Caiaphas’s palace served as the immediate location for the illegal, rushed night trial before the full Sanhedrin could convene officially the next morning.

Verse 59

The council sought 'false witness' because they needed a capital charge under Jewish law, which required two agreeing witnesses, but Jesus had committed no legitimate crime worthy of death.

Verse 61

This charge is a distorted reference to Jesus’ earlier statement, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19), referring to his body, not the physical building.

Verse 63

The High Priest uses a solemn oath formula required by Jewish law, forcing Jesus to state his identity under divine obligation, thereby creating the basis for the charge of blasphemy.

Verse 64

Jesus affirms his messianic identity ('Thou hast said') and immediately asserts his divine authority by referencing Daniel 7:13 and Psalm 110:1, claiming power and future judgment.

Verse 65

Tearing the clothes was a traditional sign of distress or horror, used here to demonstrate outrage over perceived blasphemy—the only capital crime Jesus could be convicted of under their law.

Verse 69

Peter’s denial is narrated immediately after Jesus' bold confession, providing a stark contrast between Jesus’ courageous submission and the disciple’s fear and failure.

Verse 73

Peter’s Galilean accent was distinguishable from the dialect spoken in Jerusalem, providing a third and undeniable piece of evidence linking him to Jesus.

Verse 74

Peter descends into cursing and swearing (oaths) to reinforce his denial, confirming the depth of his failure exactly as Jesus had predicted, and marking the final step in his downfall.

Verse 75

The bitter weeping indicates profound repentance (Gk. *epiginosko*). This contrasts sharply with Judas’s regret (Matt. 27:3-5), whose reaction led to despair rather than restoration.

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