But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus isn't just asking a rhetorical question here; he's pointing out that any attempt to fight back would directly prevent the very Scriptures that foretold his suffering from coming true. His arrest, in this moment, isn't a setback, but the necessary next step in fulfilling God's plan as written.
But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
As Jesus is being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively draws a sword to defend Him, cutting off a servant's ear. Jesus stops Peter, rebuking his violence and explaining that he could call on heavenly legions for protection, but he won't. This moment is crucial because Jesus states that resisting arrest would prevent the Scriptures from being fulfilled, highlighting that His suffering and death are part of God's divine plan.
When Jesus is arrested, Peter impulsively draws a sword. But Jesus stops him, not with force, but with a question that reveals a deeper reality: How will the Scriptures be fulfilled if I resist?
Jesus is reminding Peter, and us, that his suffering wasn't an accident or a failure. It was the planned, necessary path to fulfill God's ancient promises.
A Prophetic Necessity
Obedience in the Face of Betrayal
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Peter's sword was a natural reaction to protect Jesus. But Jesus redirects Peter's impulse, revealing that divine rescue wouldn't come through human force, but through willing submission.
Jesus' response to Peter's violent defense highlights a crucial distinction: God's kingdom and purposes don't advance through earthly power or self-defense.
Divine Power, Different Method
The Cup of Suffering
Understand the original words
graphē · Greek Noun
The inspired, authoritative written Word of God. Throughout the Gospels, it refers to the Old Testament writings that prophesied the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah.
plēroō · Greek Verb
To bring to completion or carry out as predicted or promised; in the New Testament, it refers to the alignment of historical events with divine prophecy.
Jesus' words highlight that his suffering and arrest were not accidental but a divinely ordained necessity, fulfilling ancient prophecies about the Messiah's atoning sacrifice.
c. 740 BC
Prophecies of Isaiah
Isaiah prophesies about a suffering servant who will be led like a lamb to the slaughter and whose death will make atonement for sin.
c. 500 BC
Psalms of Suffering
Psalms like Psalm 22 and 69 describe a righteous sufferer who is betrayed, mocked, and put to death.
c. 167 BC
Daniel's Prophecy
Daniel prophesies about the cutting off of an Anointed One, with implications for future suffering and atonement.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Arrest in Gethsemane
Jesus is arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane after Judas betrays him with a kiss. Peter attempts to defend Jesus with a sword, cutting off a servant's ear.
c. AD 30
Jesus Heals the Servant's Ear
Jesus rebukes Peter, heals the servant's severed ear, and submits to arrest, stating that this must happen to fulfill Scripture.
c. AD 30
Disciples Flee
Following Jesus' arrest and his declaration about fulfilling the Scriptures, all his disciples abandon him and flee.
This psalm, often seen as a prophecy of the Messiah's suffering, includes the cry 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?', which Jesus echoes on the cross, underscoring the fulfillment of Scripture in His suffering.
Isaiah 53:10This passage speaks of the Suffering Servant's life being 'made an offering for sin' and how his 'sacrifice,' a testament to God's will, would be fulfilled. This directly relates to Jesus' submission to arrest for the sake of fulfilling God's plan for atonement.
Luke 24:44Jesus here explains to his disciples that all the things written about Him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled. This echoes His statement in Matthew about the necessity of fulfilling Scripture through His current suffering.
Acts 4:27-28This passage explicitly states that both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, had gathered against Jesus 'to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.' It highlights the divine orchestration of Jesus' arrest and suffering.
John 18:11Jesus' words to Peter, 'Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?', directly parallel His statement in Matthew 26:54, emphasizing His voluntary submission to suffering as the fulfillment of the Father's will.
barnesMatthew 26:54: "But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled ... - That is, the Scriptures which foretold of his dying for the world. In some way that must be accomplished, and the time had come when, having finished the work which the Father gave him to do, it was proper that he should submit to death. This was said, doubtless, to comfort his disciples; to show them that his death was not a matter of surprise or disappoin…
henryMatthew 26:47-56: "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."
26:47-56 No enemies are so much to be abhorred as those professed disciples that betray Christ with a kiss. God has no need of our services, much less of our sins, to bring about his purposes. Though Christ was crucified through weakness, it was voluntary weakness; he submitted to death. If he had not been willing…
Jesus isn't just asking a rhetorical question here; he's pointing out that any attempt to fight back would directly prevent the very Scriptures that foretold his suffering from coming true. His arrest, in this moment, isn't a setback, but the necessary next step in fulfilling God's plan as written.
As Jesus is being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively draws a sword to defend Him, cutting off a servant's ear. Jesus stops Peter, rebuking his violence and explaining that he could call on heavenly legions for protection, but he won't. This moment is crucial because Jesus states that resisting arrest would prevent the Scriptures from being fulfilled, highlighting that His suffering and death are part of God's divine plan.
As Jesus is being arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter impulsively draws a sword to defend Him, cutting off a servant's ear. Jesus stops Peter, rebuking his violence and explaining that he could call on heavenly legions for protection, but he won't. This moment is crucial because Jesus states that resisting arrest would prevent the Scriptures from being fulfilled, highlighting that His suffering and death are part of God's divine plan.
"But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”" — Jesus isn't just asking a rhetorical question here; he's pointing out that any attempt to fight back would directly prevent the very Scriptures that foretold his suffering from coming true. His arr…
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Last reviewed October 2026