TEXT [Commentary]

VIII. Conclusion: Passion, Resurrection, and Commission (26:1–28:20)

A. The Plot to Kill Jesus (26:1-5; cf. Mark 14:1-2; Luke 21:37–22:1-2)

1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man[*] will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 At that same time the leading priests and elders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, 4 plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

NOTES

26:1-2 When Jesus had finished saying all these things. For the fifth and final time, Matthew concludes a section of Jesus’ discourse with this formula (cf. 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1). Matthew portrays 26:1 not simply as the end of a discourse, but as the end of all (pantas) that Jesus has taught in this Gospel (28:20). His teaching about the rule of God, begun in 4:17, is completed.

Passover begins in two days. Evidently, Passover day (Nisan 14), when the lambs were killed, fell on a Thursday that year, and the following Feast of Unleavened Bread ran from Nisan 15–21 (Lev 23:5-6; Num 28:16-17). If so, the meal would have been held just after sundown on Thursday (Blomberg 1992:388; Davies and Allison 1997:437, although Hagner 1995:754 opts for Friday evening; but cf. 763, 767). In 26:2, Jesus was evidently speaking on Tuesday.

the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified. His words serve to remind the disciples of all the previous passion predictions

26:3 Caiaphas, the high priest. In Second Temple times, the high priesthood had become a political appointment by Rome. Caiaphas, high priest from AD 18–36, was the instigator of the plot to kill Jesus (see John 11:49; 18:13-28).

COMMENTARY [Text]

Introduction to Matthew’s Passion Narrative. The climactic events that have been repeatedly predicted since the Galilean ministry are now about to unfold (12:38-40; 16:4, 21; 17:12, 22-23; 20:17-19; 21:38-39; 23:32). Jesus was aware of the forces arrayed against him (26:2), yet he did not resist doing the will of the Father despite the suffering that would be involved (26:36-46). Ironically, the very religious leaders who opposed and sought to destroy Jesus were the unwitting instruments God used to fulfill his plan to exalt Jesus (Hagner 1995:755).

Jesus’ last week in Jerusalem is given extended treatment in all four Gospels. This fact, along with the notable lack of material about Jesus’ life before his public ministry, shows that the Gospels are not mere historical chronicles or biographies, but theologically motivated literary works. The Gospel narratives of events from Palm Sunday to the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry take up Matthew 21–28, Mark 11–16; Luke 19–24, and John 12–21; the last week of Jesus’ life occupies roughly one third of the total Gospel materials. It has been said that the Gospels are passion (suffering) narratives with extended introductions, and this is only a slight exaggeration.

Matthew’s narrative of Jesus’ suffering is prefaced with the stories of the Temple conflicts with the religious leaders (chs 21–23) and the Olivet or eschatological discourse (chs 24–25). In both of these sections, Matthew’s material is more extensive than either Mark’s or Luke’s. When it comes to the passion narrative proper (chs 26–28), Matthew and Mark are parallel for the most part, with Luke and John, especially, contributing unique material. The general flow of Matthew’s material is as follows:

1. Preparation of the disciples (26:1-46)

2. Arrest at Gethsemane (26:47-56)

3. Trial before Caiaphas (26:57-68)

4. Peter’s three denials (26:69-75)

5. Trial before Pilate (27:1-2; 11-26) with interwoven account of Judas’ suicide (27:3-10)

6. Jesus mocked and crucified (27:27-56)

7. Jesus buried by Joseph of Arimathea (27:57-61)

8. Jesus’ resurrection and its denial (27:62–28:15)

9. The great commission (28:18-20)

There are several events and elements in Matthew’s passion narrative (some form entire portions) that are unique to his Gospel among the Synoptics and that presumably indicate his special literary and theological emphases:

1. Jesus reminds the disciples of his impending death (26:1-2)

2. The amount of money paid Judas is specified as thirty pieces of silver (26:15; cf. Exod 21:32; Zech 11:12)

3. Judas asks Jesus if he is the betrayer (26:25)

4. Jesus’ blood is presented as being poured out for the forgiveness of sins (26:28)

5. The second prayer in Gethsemane is presented as a direct quotation (26:42)

6. Jesus’ words to Judas after the kiss (26:50)

7. Jesus’ comments after the high priest’s servant’s ear is cut off about violence, the availability of angelic help, and scriptural fulfillment (26:52-54)

8. The high priest’s demand before God that Jesus speak (26:63)

9. Sarcastic reference to Jesus as Messiah (26:68)

10. Jesus is described as a Galilean (26:69)

11. Peter’s second denial includes an oath (26:72)

12. The purpose of the morning consultation is already decided: execute Jesus (27:1)

13. Pilate describes Jesus as the one who is called the Messiah (27:17, 22)

14. Pilate’s wife recounts a dream and calls Jesus innocent (27:19)

15. Pilate washes his hands and the crowd took responsibility for Jesus’ death (27:24-25)

16. The sign at the cross specifies the name of Jesus (27:37)

17. Emphasis on Jesus as the Son of God (27:40, 43)

18. Allusion to Psalm 22:8 (27:43)

19. Account of the earthquake and opening of the tombs (27:51-53)

20. Joseph of Arimathea is called a disciple (27:57)

21. The Jewish religious leaders get Pilate to guard Jesus’ tomb (27:62-66)

22. Jesus meets the women after the resurrection (28:9-10)

23. The conspiracy to deny the resurrection (28:11-15).

24. Jesus has all authority, all nations are to be discipled, trinitarian baptismal formula, disciples are to be taught to obey all that Jesus commanded, promise to be with the disciples until the end of the age (28:18-20)

The magisterial work of Brown (1994) provides an extremely thorough discussion of the death of Jesus in all four Gospels. Brown’s handling of Matthew’s passion narrative begins with 26:30.

The Plot to Kill Jesus. Jesus told his disciples that he would be crucified during Passover. This is the first prediction that connects Jesus’ death to the Passover (cf. 1 Cor 5:7). These words also showed that Jesus was not going to be surprised by the nefarious events which transpire in this chapter (26:21, 31, 45-46, 50, 54, 56). For discussion of the historical and synoptic questions, including whether Jesus was crucified in AD 30 or 33, see Blomberg (1987:175-180), Carson (1985:528-532), Hoehner (1976:65-114), and Keener (1999:607-611).

Matthew’s mention of the leader’s plot in 26:3-5 serves to confirm what Jesus said in 26:2. A plot against Jesus had been in place for some time (cf. 12:14; 22:15), but given the conflicts in the Temple, there was more reason than ever for the chief priests and elders to meet with the high priest Caiaphas (cf. John 11:49; 18:13-14, 24, 28; Josephus Antiquities 18.35) and plan to apprehend Jesus secretly and kill him. Secrecy was necessary because of Jesus’ popularity with the multitudes of pilgrims who had arrived in Jerusalem for the Passover festival (21:26; 27:24). The leaders thought they would need to wait until after the Passover to arrest Jesus, but Judas’ offer to betray Jesus would allow them to accomplish their goal more rapidly (26:14-16, 47ff).