Matthew 26

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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.

The Passover and the Betrayal Announced 1–2

¶ 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.

The Plot to Kill Jesus 3–5

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.

The Anointing at Bethany 6–13

¶ 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.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 14–16

¶ 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.

Preparation for the Passover 17–25

¶ 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.

The Last Supper 26–30

¶ 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.

Prediction of Peter’s Denial 31–35

¶ 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.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane 36–46

¶ 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.

The Arrest of Jesus 47–56

¶ 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.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin 57–68

¶ 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?

Peter Denies Jesus 69–75

¶ 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.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Matthew 26

Verse 2

the Son of man is betrayed — 'Betrayed' is paradidomi, to hand over, the verb of Judas's bargain in v.15 ('I will deliver him unto you'). The handing over was already announced: 'the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes' (Matt 20:18).

Verse 3

the palace of the high priest — 'Palace' is aule, a court or hall, the word used again of where Peter sits (vv.58, 69). John calls Caiaphas 'the high priest that same year' (John 18:13). The gathering fits Ps 2:2: 'the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed.'

Verse 5

Not on the feast day — 'Uproar' is thorybos, a disturbance. The same fear of the crowd held back an earlier plot: 'he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet' (Matt 14:5). Their timing is overruled, for the death falls at the Passover named in v.2 (Mark 14:2).

Verse 6

Bethany… Simon the leper — Bethania means 'date-house'. It was the town 'of Mary and her sister Martha' and of Lazarus (John 11:1), and John places Jesus there 'six days before the passover' (John 12:1). Simon is called lepros, a leper.

Verse 7

an alabaster box of very precious ointment — Alabastron is a perfume vase; 'very precious' is barytimos, of great value. Mark names the contents: 'ointment of spikenard very precious' (Mark 14:3). John records the anointing of the feet by Mary (John 12:3); here the oil is 'poured' on the head.

Verse 12

for my burial — Entaphiazo means to prepare for interment. Mark has 'she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying' (Mark 14:8), and John 'against the day of my burying hath she kept this' (John 12:7). The anointing is done beforehand, for the burial still to come.

Verse 13

a memorial of her — Mnemosynon is a record or reminder. The promise reaches as far as the gospel: 'this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations' (Matt 24:14). The 'whole world' (kosmos) is the same scope, now with this deed attached.

Verse 14

Judas Iscariot — Iskariotes marks him as a man of Kerioth. He is 'one of the twelve' (dodeka), a phrase repeated of him in v.47. Luke adds that 'Satan' entered him, 'being of the number of the twelve' (Luke 22:3); Mark says he went 'to betray him unto them' (Mark 14:10).

Verse 15

thirty pieces of silver — Argyrion, silver money. The sum fulfils Zech 11:12, 'So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver'. It is also the compensation fixed for a servant gored by an ox: 'thirty shekels of silver' (Ex 21:32).

Verse 17

the first day of the feast of unleavened bread — Azymos, unleavened. The law set the eating of unleavened bread from the fourteenth day of the first month 'at even' (Ex 12:18). Mark ties this day to the sacrifice: 'when they killed the passover' (Mark 14:12; cf. Luke 22:7).

Verse 18

My time is at hand — Kairos is the appointed season; John says 'his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father' (John 13:1). 'Such a man' is deina, 'so-and-so', left unnamed; Mark adds the sign of 'a man bearing a pitcher of water' (Mark 14:13).

Verse 21

one of you shall betray me — Paradidomi again (vv.2, 15, 16). The traitor eats with him, as David's psalm said: 'mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me' (Ps 41:9), which John applies to Judas (John 13:18).

Verse 24

as it is written of him — Grapho, the formula for Scripture. Christ's path is set out in it: 'Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer' (Luke 24:46). The woe on the betrayer echoes 'woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!' (Matt 18:7); the plan and the guilt stand side by side.

Verse 26

this is my body — Soma, body. Jesus 'blessed' (eulogeo) and broke the bread while the Passover meal was in progress. Paul received the same account and repeats it: 'the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread' (1 Cor 11:23); the broken bread is 'the communion of the body of Christ' (1 Cor 10:16).

Verse 28

my blood of the new testament — Diatheke is a covenant, kainos 'new' in freshness. 'Shed' is ekcheo, poured out; 'for many' recalls 'to give his life a ransom for many' (Matt 20:28). 'Remission' is aphesis, release, since 'without shedding of blood is no remission' (Heb 9:22).

Verse 29

in my Father's kingdom — Jesus looks past the cross to drinking the fruit of the vine 'new' (kainos) 'with you'. Luke records the same pledge: 'I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come' (Luke 22:18). The meal points to a fellowship still ahead.

Verse 31

I will smite the shepherd — Quoted from Zech 13:7: 'smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered'. 'Offended' is skandalizo, to trip or stumble. John records the same warning: 'ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone' (John 16:32). It is fulfilled in v.56.

Verse 34

before the cock crow — 'Deny' is aparneomai, to disown utterly; Peter denies three times (vv.70, 72, 74), the first two with the simpler arneomai, and 'immediately the cock crew' (v.74). Mark gives the fuller wording, 'before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice' (Mark 14:30), and v.75 shows Peter remembering it.

Verse 36

Gethsemane — Gethsemane means 'oil-press'. Luke places the move at 'the mount of Olives' (Luke 22:39), and John says it was across 'the brook Cedron, where was a garden' (John 18:1). Jesus leaves the disciples seated while he goes 'yonder' to pray (proseuchomai).

Verse 39

let this cup pass from me — Poterion, cup, here a figure for the lot he is to drink (see v.42). He 'fell on his face'; the prayer ends 'not as I will, but as thou wilt'. It matches 'I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me' (John 6:38).

Verse 41

Watch and pray — Gregoreo, keep awake. 'Temptation' is peirasmos, a testing, the word of 'lead us not into temptation' (Matt 6:13). 'Weak' is asthenes, strengthless. Mark has the same saying (Mark 14:38), and Paul's counterpart is 'watching thereunto with all perseverance' (Eph 6:18).

Verse 45

Sleep on now, and take your rest — Katheudo and anapauo, sleep and rest. The next breath turns: 'the hour is at hand' (eggizo) and v.46 repeats the verb, 'he is at hand that doth betray me'. 'Sinners' is hamartolos; the hands are those foretold in v.2 and Matt 20:18.

Verse 47

swords and staves — Machaira, a short sword, and xylon, wood, a club. The crowd comes 'from the chief priests and elders of the people', the same bodies as in v.3. Jesus answers in v.55, 'Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves', and adds in Luke, 'this is your hour' (Luke 22:53).

Verse 50

Friend — Hetairos, comrade, the word of the householder to the hired man, 'Friend, I do thee no wrong' (Matt 20:13), and of the king to the guest without a wedding garment (Matt 22:12). In Luke the address is 'Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?' (Luke 22:48).

Verse 52

shall perish with the sword — Machaira again, and 'perish' is apollymi. The principle matches the older law of blood, 'by man shall his blood be shed' (Gen 9:6), and Rev 13:10. Jesus gives the reason for his own case: 'My kingdom is not of this world' (John 18:36).

Verse 53

twelve legions of angels — Legeon is a Latin loanword for a Roman regiment. 'Pray' is parakaleo, to call alongside: he needs only ask the Father. That he does not is the point of v.54, 'how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?'

Verse 56

the scriptures of the prophets — Graphe, Scripture. The arrest fulfils Zech 13:7, quoted in v.31. 'Forsook' is aphiemi, to leave, and 'fled' pheugo; it is the scattering Jesus had foretold: 'the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered' (John 16:32).

Verse 57

led him away to Caiaphas — 'Led away' is apago. John adds that he was taken 'to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas' (John 18:13), and that 'Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas' (John 18:24). The scribes and elders 'assembled' (synago), the verb of v.3.

Verse 59

sought false witness — Pseudomartyria, untrue testimony; 'council' is synedrion. The law required agreement: 'at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established' (Deut 19:15), so Mark notes 'their witness agreed not together' (Mark 14:56).

Verse 61

destroy the temple of God — Naos, the sanctuary itself. The charge twists John 2:19, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up', where John explains 'he spake of the temple of his body' (John 2:21). The words return as a taunt at the cross (Matt 27:40).

Verse 63

I adjure thee by the living God — Exorkizo is to put under oath. Jesus 'held his peace' (siopao), as Isaiah foretold of the Servant: 'he opened not his mouth' (Isa 53:7). The question echoes Peter's confession, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matt 16:16).

Verse 64

sitting on the right hand of power — 'Thou hast said' is an affirmation. Jesus joins Ps 110:1, 'Sit thou at my right hand', with Dan 7:13, 'one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven'. 'Power' is dynamis; Mark has the plain 'I am' (Mark 14:62).

Verse 65

rent his clothes — Diarrhesso, to tear asunder. 'Blasphemy' is blasphemia, and the law's penalty was fixed: 'he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death' (Lev 24:16). The same charge was brought earlier, in John 10:33: 'thou, being a man, makest thyself God.'

Verse 69

Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee — 'Damsel' is paidiske, a female servant; Peter 'sat without' (exo) in the aule, the court of v.3. Mark places him 'beneath in the palace' (Mark 14:66). Galilee, not Jerusalem, is named as the mark of his association.

Verse 73

thy speech bewrayeth thee — 'Speech' is lalia, and 'bewrayeth' is delos, to make plain. Luke gives the bystander's ground: 'he is a Galilaean' (Luke 22:59). Speech as a giveaway has a precedent in Judges 12:6, where a mispronounced word marked the speaker.

Verse 74

curse and to swear — Katanathematizo is to call down a curse, and omnyo to swear an oath; together they heighten the 'I know not the man' of vv.70, 72. 'Immediately' (eutheos) the cock crew (phoneo), as in v.34. Mark has the same escalation (Mark 14:71).

Verse 75

wept bitterly — 'Remembered' is mnaomai, to call to mind; 'wept' is klaio, to wail aloud, and 'bitterly' pikros. Luke supplies the moment of recall: 'the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord' (Luke 22:61). The word is that of v.34.