Knowing The Word in Matthew 26:47-56
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. [The crowd is the Jewish temple guard who are at the disposal of the Sanhedrin.] 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. [Not only is Judas betraying Jesus, he is also publicly repudiating him with an uninvited kiss that no disciple would give a Rabbi without permission.] 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend [table-companion/sense of rebuke], do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those [Peter] who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant [Malchus] of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. [This is not a blanket statement of pacifism, but a statement that Jesus is passive and his disciples are to be as well so that God’s will be carried out. Jesus needs no one’s help. He chooses to let this happen to him.] 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions [a legion is 1000] of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” [All of Jesus’ decisions are made based upon the Scriptures, the unchangeable Word of the Lord. All of this has been predicted.] 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. [Zechariah 13:7 is fulfilled.]