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Explanation for:
Matthew
26
:
4
And they consulted together, that by subtilty they might apprehend Jesus, and put him to death.
11
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"As the Passover approached, those tasked with preparing the offerings, cleansing the temple, washing the floors, scrubbing the utensils, and sanctifying them according to the rituals mandated by the law, gathered to discuss plans to execute the Lord. They refrained from acting out of fear of causing an uprising, as their open discussions revealed, but primarily out of caution that He might be rescued from their grasp by the crowds."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Do you recognize the remarkable chaos surrounding the Jewish people? They approach the high priest to engage in unlawful acts, seeking approval in situations where they should anticipate obstruction. Yet, how many high priests were there? The law stipulated the existence of one, but there were many during this period. It is clear that the state of affairs for the Jews was beginning to falter. As I previously mentioned, Moses commanded the appointment of a single high priest, with the successor designated upon the death of the former, whose tenure was determined by the expulsion of those guilty of inadvertent manslaughter. Why, then, were there multiple high priests? Because, in later times, they were elected yearly. This is illustrated by the Evangelist’s mention of Zacharias as 'a priest of Abijah’s line’ (Luke 1:5). Thus, it refers to those high priests who held the office in earlier times. \\n\\nWhat discussions did they have? Were they about seizing Jesus covertly or about plotting His death? The two were intertwined. They feared the crowd, which is why they postponed their plans until after the feast; however, they said, “Not during the feast.” The adversary sought to prevent Christ's suffering during Passover, fearing that His agony would become public knowledge, and they also feared the outrage from the people. Note that they did not fear the judgment of God, nor did they worry that the feast might exacerbate their evil deeds, but rather they were apprehensive about threats posed by others.\\n\\nYet, in a surge of rage, they altered their plans once more. Initially stating, “Not on the feast day,” upon discovering the betrayer, they did not delay but rather executed their intentions during the festival itself. Why did they choose this moment? Because their anger was boiling over, as I mentioned, and they hoped to apprehend Him then, acting with a blindness to their own malice. Indeed, He utilized their wickedness to accomplish His divine mission; however, this does not absolve them of guilt but instead renders them deserving of countless torments due to acting upon their own desires. Furthermore, at a time when they should have shown mercy, even to the guilty, they chose to murder the Innocent One, who had bestowed countless blessings upon them and even neglected the Gentiles for their sake until the appointed time."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Despite the law's stipulation that only one bishop should serve for a lifetime, the Jewish leaders, in defiance of this command, appointed multiple bishops, changing them annually. Those tasked with punishing the culprits approached the bishop of that particular year for a council. However, the Evangelist refers to those who had completed their year of service as bishops. In their plot to commit a heinous crime, they displayed no reverence for God but rather feared the people. They were apprehensive that if they executed Christ during the festival, the crowd would rise in vengeance or that their act might divert the people from the rightful sacrifices, thereby depriving themselves of the benefits derived from those offerings. They also dreaded that Christ's death would become renowned if it occurred on a feast day, striving instead to erase His memory. Consequently, they conspired prior to the festival, resolving to take His life afterward. Nevertheless, He demonstrated that He would endure suffering not according to their desires, but on His own terms, permitting them to seize Him on the eve of the Passover celebration. This was so that during the time when the traditional Passover was being observed, the true Passover would be realized. It is crucial to recognize how they polluted themselves through murder; although they wished to avoid killing Him during the feast, they acted swiftly to fulfill their intentions as soon as the traitor was identified, disregarding the concerns of the people."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Although the law stipulated that a single high priest should be appointed for a lifetime, with a successor designated only after the former’s death, the Jewish leaders violated this ordinance by limiting the high priesthood to a term of one year. Consequently, it was common during that period to find many individuals who had previously served as high priests, referred to by the evangelist as bishops. He denoted the scribes as legal experts, the teachers of the Law, while the elders were identified as the most senior and wise members. Together, they convened in a council under Caiaphas, who was the acting high priest at that time, with the intention of denying him the primary role in instigating murder, an action they should have sought to prevent. Through artful persuasion and subterfuge, he covertly referred to their plotting, as they were cautious about overt actions due to the presence of his disciples and followers in other locations."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"To capture Jesus through deception... not during the festival: the people had recently encountered the Lord during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem, recognizing Him as their foremost prophet and awaited Messiah. By the time of the festival, the crowd had undoubtedly grown (with estimates suggesting two million people came to Jerusalem for this occasion). Those who conspired to execute Jesus feared that the public would not advocate for Him and that there would be no uproar, particularly since such disturbances typically arose during festivals. Consequently, they resolved in their council to apprehend the Lord discreetly, away from the crowds and after the festivities had concluded. They were aware that Jesus often spent the nights outside the city, in places like Bethany or the garden of Gethsemane, and they aimed to seize Him covertly. However, they misjudged the likelihood of an uproar and did not carry out their plan as they intended; instead, it unfolded according to God's will. The enemy sought to prevent Christ’s suffering during the Passover to keep it hidden from the people, fearing the potential for an uproar. It is important to note that they were not concerned about God’s judgment or the possibility that their evil deeds would be amplified by the festival but were preoccupied with human threat. Nevertheless, consumed with rage, they altered their plan once more. After asserting, “not during the festival,” they ultimately identified the traitor and, instead of postponing, executed their plot during the celebration."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Gumilevski)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896f4b6fd32caa244b5d7_Philaret%20(Gumilevski).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In the narrative provided by St. John, following the miraculous raising of Lazarus, the Sanhedrin resolved to eliminate Jesus. They issued commands to track down and apprehend the Nazarene Teacher; however, the Lord chose to conceal Himself to avoid danger until the appointed time, as the week of Passover approached (John 11:53, 55, 57; John 12:11). The Sanhedrin convened to strategize how to implement their intent to execute Jesus. Their first decision was to proceed in secrecy, and secondly, they resolved that His execution should not occur during the Passover Feast (Mark 14:2). What motivated the Sanhedrin's approach against Jesus? They sought to avoid stirring the populace, as many revered Him (Luke 22:2). A clear conscience harbors no fear, while the wicked flee even when unpursued (Psalm 13:5; cf. Proverbs 28:1). The Sanhedrin was wary of the admiration the people held for Jesus, although this apprehension ultimately proved unwarranted. A pure heart acts transparently; it exercises wise caution, yet it does not retreat from others out of fear or engage in duplicitous schemes. The members of the Sanhedrin recognized their actions were not those of a clear conscience, driven instead by flattery and deceitful tactics. Consequently, they devised their plan. Were their ambitions achieved? How could those with significant influence fail to execute their intentions? Yet, unexpectedly, the situation unfolded differently. Before their schemes solidified, He who was sent by the Father declared, “The Passover is in two days, and the Son of man will be delivered up to be crucified.” This illustrates how human plans can be frustrated when they conflict with divine will. Individuals, against their desires and to their own detriment, may find themselves enacting what they initially resisted, compelled by God's sovereign purpose."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The chief priest Caiaphas seemed to oversee the gatherings of the leaders. Had any of Jesus Christ’s followers been aware of how these meetings of Judah's authorities concluded, they might have assumed that, having gleaned something about the Lord's discourse on the Mount of Olives with His followers, the leaders were intent on thwarting the fulfillment of His prophecy regarding His death. There is a decisive agreement to take His life, and to achieve this, it is imperative to capture Him, not within two days as He conveyed to His disciples, but after the full eight-day celebration, as stated by Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"At that moment, the leading priests, Pharisees, scribes, and elders convened in Jerusalem at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest. Their discussion centered on the means and timing of Jesus' execution. They had previously resolved to eliminate Him, issuing directives that anyone who learned of His location was required to inform the Sanhedrin. Thus, the only remaining questions were when and how this sentence would be carried out. The events that had unfolded that day in the temple, particularly Jesus' public condemnation of them, spurred them to call an extraordinary session of the Sanhedrin to carefully address all the sensitive issues surrounding this matter."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"While the righteous rested, the wicked schemed malevolently. On the evening of Wednesday, the Sanhedrin convened at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, to fervently debate their course of action regarding the Galilean, whom they deemed a threat. All attempts to apprehend Him within the temple, incite the populace against Him, or provoke the Roman authorities were rendered futile, thwarted by the devotion of His followers and His divine wisdom that dismantled their most malicious plots. Some may have advocated for allowing Him freedom until His mission and teachings could be fully understood. However, the opposing faction triumphed; a decision was reached in their council to eliminate Him—if not overtly, then through deceitful and treacherous means. The question remained: how could this be executed? During their discussions, word reached them that one of Jesus of Nazareth's closest disciples intended to make a significant revelation to them."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The happenings of the final days brought the Lord's adversaries once more into focus with the despised Prophet of Galilee. Just prior, they had resolved to eliminate Him and commanded that anyone aware of His location report back to them for further instructions (John 11:53, 57). When the moment arrived for the fulfillment of the divine plan for humanity's redemption and the time designated from above was at hand (7:6, 30), the Lamb of God, who bears away the sins of the world (1:29, 36), was handed over to transgressors (Matt. 26:45). In a triumphant entry, as the spiritual Monarch of the everlasting Kingdom, He rode into Jerusalem, approached the temple as its rightful Lord, performed miracles, preached to the multitude, condemned the sins of the scribes and Pharisees for the final time, and foretold the eventual fate of the city, the Jewish people, and all nations. The arrival of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, amid the throngs of worshipers who came to the temple for the feast from all directions, stirred His foes into action. The chief priests, scribes, and elders of the community, tainted by the deceit and malice of their leaders, convened in the courtyard of Joseph Caiaphas, the high priest then serving at the discretion of the Roman governor Valerius Gratus, who had succeeded his father-in-law Annas. The shrewd leader of the Sanhedrin had previously indicated that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was for the greater good, and the other council members had concurred with him at that time (John 11:47-53). At this gathering, an even more unfavorable decision was anticipated: the council resolved to seize Jesus through deceit and execute Him, yet they declared, \\"Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.\\" The holy Evangelist Luke notes (22:2) their apprehension of the crowd, fearing they might protect their sole Benefactor. They were concerned that a riot could erupt, which were frequent in Judea, and even as the Roman authorities quelled the unrest with their severe measures, such situations often resulted in bloodshed. The last formal Passover was nearing; all the circumstances, in the wondrous orchestration of Providence, were set for the true Passover—Christ—to be sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7). \\"Though His enemies wished to postpone their actions until after the festival, it was not granted to them: the Lord, in His sovereignty over His sufferings, chose to be crucified on Easter itself, for He was indeed the true Pascha\\" (Blessed Theophylact)."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In the account presented by Hebrews, Jesus Christ concluded His prophetic message regarding the final days of Jerusalem and the world with a foretelling of His upcoming suffering during the Passover, which was just two days away. Given that Christ delivered these prophetic teachings on Tuesday evening, as noted in Luke 21:37-38, it follows that He shared this prediction with His disciples that same evening. The session of the Sanhedrin would not have occurred until the following morning, which is to say Wednesday. Nonetheless, because Tuesday evening was already acknowledged as the beginning of Wednesday according to the timekeeping of that era, the Evangelist continues by stating, 'then the chief priests were assembled,’ and so forth."}]}
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