Matthew 26:4-5
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Their "subtlety" was born out of desperation; they couldn't outwit Jesus with arguments, discredit him with Roman authorities, or overpower him openly. This reveals their growing fear and the failure of all their previous attempts to stop him, forcing them into a corner of deceit.
and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Passover approaches, the religious leaders, led by Caiaphas, are plotting to arrest and kill Jesus. They fear the crowds who see Jesus as a prophet and worry about causing a public disturbance if they arrest him during the festival. Their plan is to use stealth and deception to capture him, but God's timing will ultimately expose their wicked intentions.
Imagine facing a threat so great, you can't confront it head-on. That was the situation for Jesus' enemies.
The religious leaders knew Jesus was popular with the crowds. Openly arresting him during the Passover festival would surely cause a riot. They couldn't debate him into silence anymore, nor discredit him with Rome. So, their only option left was to plot in secret, using 'subtlety' or 'craft' – a plan to seize Jesus in a way that would avoid public attention and potential uproar. This reveals their fear of the people and their desperation to eliminate Jesus without causing a disturbance that might expose their own illegitimacy.
Even the most carefully laid plans of wicked men can't thwart God's ultimate purpose.
While the leaders plotted in the dark, God was orchestrating events in the light. They wanted to arrest Jesus secretly to avoid public outcry, but God ensured that Jesus' sacrifice – the most crucial event for humanity's salvation – would happen openly. His crucifixion, meant to be hidden by their 'stealth,' became a public spectacle, fulfilling prophecy and providing undeniable evidence of God's plan. God turned their desire for secrecy into an instrument for public proclamation.
Understand the original words
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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.
heortē · Greek Noun
An annual religious celebration or set of days designated for communal worship, joy, or remembrance before God.
The leaders' desire for secrecy clashed with God's plan for Jesus' public sacrifice during the most significant Jewish festival, the Passover.
c. AD 30— this verse
Chief priests and elders plot
Religious leaders, fearing Jesus' popularity and influence, met in secret to plan how to arrest and kill him, avoiding a public outcry.
c. AD 30
Decision to avoid arrest during Passover
The plotters decided against arresting Jesus during the Passover festival itself, fearing a riot among the large crowds in Jerusalem.
c. AD 30
Anointing in Bethany
Shortly before his arrest, Jesus was anointed with expensive perfume by a woman, an event that reinforced the religious leaders' resolve to capture him.
c. AD 30
Judas's betrayal
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, agreed to help the chief priests arrest Jesus, likely motivated by a sum of money.
c. AD 30
Arrest in Gethsemane
Using Judas's guidance, a group led by the chief priests and elders arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane late at night.
This passage describes the council's decision to kill Jesus, driven by fear of his popularity and the need to appease the Romans, echoing the stealthy plotting mentioned in Matthew 26:4.
Acts 2:23This verse highlights that Jesus was delivered up according to God's set purpose and foreknowledge, underscoring that the 'stealthy' plot was ultimately part of a divine plan.
Psalm 2:1-3This psalm speaks of rulers and kings conspiring against the Lord and his Anointed, mirroring the hostility and the plotting of the religious leaders against Jesus.
Luke 20:19This verse directly states that the chief priests and scribes, understanding Jesus' parables, sought to lay hands on him that very hour but feared the people, which explains their need for stealth.
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…
Their "subtlety" was born out of desperation; they couldn't outwit Jesus with arguments, discredit him with Roman authorities, or overpower him openly. This reveals their growing fear and the failure of all their previous attempts to stop him, forcing them into a corner of deceit.
As Passover approaches, the religious leaders, led by Caiaphas, are plotting to arrest and kill Jesus. They fear the crowds who see Jesus as a prophet and worry about causing a public disturbance if they arrest him during the festival. Their plan is to use stealth and deception to capture him, but God's timing will ultimately expose their wicked intentions.
As Passover approaches, the religious leaders, led by Caiaphas, are plotting to arrest and kill Jesus. They fear the crowds who see Jesus as a prophet and worry about causing a public disturbance if they arrest him during the festival. Their plan is to use stealth and deception to capture him, but God's timing will ultimately expose their wicked intentions.
"and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”" — Their "subtlety" was born out of desperation; they couldn't outwit Jesus with arguments, discredit him with Roman authorities, or overpower him openly. This reveals their growing fear and the failure…
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Last reviewed October 2026
