Matthew 26:4
and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Matthew 26:4
and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easy to miss here is the explicit mention of "stealth" (or "subtilty" in some translations). This wasn't just a plan to kill Jesus; it was a deliberate strategy to arrest him secretly, indicating their fear of public backlash rather than any genuine concern for justice.
With the Passover feast just two days away, Jesus has just predicted his own betrayal and crucifixion. In response, the chief priests and elders gather secretly, plotting to arrest Jesus without causing a public disturbance since he's become incredibly popular. They decide against arresting him during the feast itself, fearing a riot, but their determined conspiracy to capture and kill him is already underway.
Even as Jesus spoke of His impending death, His enemies were plotting in the shadows. What does this tell us about spiritual warfare?
The religious leaders, including the chief priests and elders, met secretly in the high priest's palace. Their goal was clear: to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him.
The Nature of Their Plot
Why did Jesus' enemies want to wait? And why was the timing of His death so significant?
The leaders deliberately chose not to arrest Jesus during the Passover festival. Their reasoning was practical: they feared a public disturbance among the vast crowds gathered in Jerusalem.
The Feast and the Fear
Understand the original words
krateō · Greek Verb
To seize or apprehend someone; in a judicial context, it implies an official action to restrict liberty and bring the accused to trial.
dolos · Greek Noun
Doing something in a hidden, crafty, or deceptive manner to avoid detection or interference from the general public.
The leaders' desire to arrest Jesus secretly highlights their fear of the people's reaction, yet God's providence would ensure Jesus' sacrifice happened publicly during the very festival meant to commemorate deliverance.
c. AD 30— this verse
Growing Tensions in Jerusalem
Jesus' popularity and teachings cause increasing concern among the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They view him as a threat to their authority and the established religious order.
c. AD 30
Chief Priests and Elders Convene
The religious authorities, including the chief priests and elders, meet in secret. They are determined to arrest and execute Jesus, but are wary of public backlash.
c. AD 30
Plot to Arrest Jesus by Stealth
During their secret meeting, the leaders devise a plan to capture Jesus discreetly, avoiding a public commotion, especially with the Passover festival approaching.
c. AD 30
The Passover Festival Begins
The annual Passover festival commences, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem. This heightened presence of people makes the religious leaders even more cautious about public displays or arrests.
This passage describes the rulers of the earth conspiring together against the Lord and his Anointed, mirroring the chief priests' plot to secretly arrest and kill Jesus.
Acts 4:25-28This New Testament passage directly quotes Psalm 2 and applies it to the very conspiracy described in Matthew 26:4, showing how the disciples understood this event within its larger biblical context.
John 11:47-50This passage explains the motivation behind the chief priests' plot: their fear that Jesus' popularity would lead to Roman intervention, revealing their worldly reasoning for seeking Jesus' death.
1 Samuel 23:15-17This Old Testament account shows Saul secretly plotting to capture David, illustrating a similar pattern of a leader using stealth and conspiracy against a man of God who is favored by the people.
calvinMatthew 26:1-13: "And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,"
- And it happened when Jesus had finished all these discourses, he said to his disciples, 2. You know that after two days is the passover; and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. 3. Then were assembled the chief priests, and scribes, and elders of the people, in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4. And entered into consultation how they would take Jesus b…
barnesMatthew 26:4: "And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him."
By subtlety - By guile, deceit, or in some secret manner, so that the people would not know it. Jesus was regarded by the people as a distinguished prophet, and by most of them, probably, as the Messiah; and the Sanhedrin did not dare to take him away openly, lest the people should rise and rescue him. They were probably aware that he had gone out to Bethany, or to some place adjacent to the city; and as he pass…
What's easy to miss here is the explicit mention of "stealth" (or "subtilty" in some translations). This wasn't just a plan to kill Jesus; it was a deliberate strategy to arrest him secretly, indicating their fear of public backlash rather than any genuine concern for justice.
With the Passover feast just two days away, Jesus has just predicted his own betrayal and crucifixion. In response, the chief priests and elders gather secretly, plotting to arrest Jesus without causing a public disturbance since he's become incredibly popular. They decide against arresting him during the feast itself, fearing a riot, but their determined conspiracy to capture and kill him is already underway.
With the Passover feast just two days away, Jesus has just predicted his own betrayal and crucifixion. In response, the chief priests and elders gather secretly, plotting to arrest Jesus without causing a public disturbance since he's become incredibly popular. They decide against arresting him during the feast itself, fearing a riot, but their determined conspiracy to capture and kill him is already underway.
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c. AD 30
Judas Iscariot's Betrayal
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, approaches the chief priests and offers to betray Jesus to them for a sum of money, providing them with the opportunity they sought.
"and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him." — What's easy to miss here is the explicit mention of "stealth" (or "subtilty" in some translations). This wasn't just a plan to kill Jesus; it was a deliberate strategy to arrest him secretly, indicat…