Matthew 26:47 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.

NIV: While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.

NASB: And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

CSB: While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob with swords and clubs was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people.

NLT: And even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests and elders of the people.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Jesus' time of prayer in the garden is over (Matthew 26:36–40). It is late and likely quite dark on the Mount of Olives in the garden at Gethsemane. Jesus has awakened His three closest disciples, pointing down the path toward an approaching mob led by his betrayer (Matthew 26:45–46).

Matthew refers to the traitor, Judas Iscariot, as "one of the twelve" to show the depth of his betrayal. Matthew had traveled and served alongside Judas for three years as part of Jesus' dozen handpicked disciples (Matthew 10:1–4). Judas had carried the moneybag for the group (John 12:6). Like the rest, he was a trusted member of this brotherhood of Jesus-followers.

Now, though, Judas arrives with a crowd carrying torches and lanterns (John 18:3), along with clubs and swords. The crowd comes under the authority of the chief priests and elders and includes both Roman soldiers and temple police: members of the temple guard (Luke 22:52). They are armed as if they have come to capture a revolutionary intent on overthrowing the Romans.

Matthew has written of Judas' offer to sell Jesus' whereabouts to the chief priests (Matthew 26:14–16). In the ancient world, there were no photographs, and clothing and hairstyles were much less diverse. Without someone to personally identify a wanted man, capture could be difficult. Away from a crowd, Jesus enemies needed someone close to Him to make an arrest. Judas received 30 pieces of silver for this information.

It's possible that Judas first led the crowd to the upper room where the Passover meal was held (John 13:29–30), found it empty, and then came to this spot where he had come before with Jesus and the disciples (Matthew 24:3).

Matthew 26:47–56 paints the scene of Jesus' betrayal and arrest in the garden of Gethsemane. Judas arrives leading an armed crowd of soldiers, temple guards, and others. Judas identifies Jesus to the arresting crowd using a friend's kiss. Peter (John 18:10) wildly swings a sword and cuts a man's ear off in a misguided effort to defend Jesus. Jesus tells him to put the sword away. If He wanted saving, He could ask the Father and 12 legions of angels would arrive. He will not resist. The Scriptures of the prophets must be fulfilled. This passage parallels Mark 14:43–50, Luke 22:47–53, and John 18:1–11.

The Jewish religious leaders further their plots to arrest and kill Jesus, finding a willing traitor in Judas Iscariot. A woman anoints Christ with oil during a dinner at Bethany. Next, Jesus and the disciples hold the Passover meal in an upper room where Jesus predicts His arrests and introduces the sacrament of communion. Then Jesus prays in unimaginable agony in the garden of Gethsemane before being betrayed by Judas and captured. The disciples scatter. Before the high priest, Jesus explicitly claims to be divine. They convict Him of blasphemy and sentence Him to death. As this happens, Peter denies knowing Jesus and runs away in shame.

After a long series of teaching (Matthew 24—25), Matthew 26 begins with Jesus saying He will be delivered up for death. Christ is anointed at a dinner in Bethany and Judas agrees to turn Him over to the chief priests. Jesus holds a Passover meal with the disciples, predicts an act of treachery, and introduces the sacrament of communion. He tells the disciples they will run in fear and that Peter will deny Him, which happens just as prophesied. Christ prays in great sorrow in a garden and is then arrested and taken away and unfairly sentenced to death. After this, Jesus will be taken to the Roman governor, where Jewish leadership will press for Him to be executed as an insurgent.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.