Matthew 26:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

NIV: Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests

NASB: Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

CSB: Then one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

NLT: Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests

KJV: Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

NKJV: Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests

Matthew often moves his telling of the events of Jesus life out of strict chronological order. This is a common tactic in ancient records: linking similar themes or moments together. Here, Matthew connects Judas' decision to betray Jesus with Jesus' defense of the woman who anointed him with extremely expensive ointment.

Assuming John 12:1–11 is describing the same event, it is Judas who asked why the perfume was not sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus insisted that the woman, Mary, was participating in the preparation of His body for burial.

Perhaps that was the breaking moment for Judas. He may have felt stung by Jesus' correction. He may have suspected Jesus knew he had been stealing money from the group's moneybag (John 12:6). Perhaps he recognized that Jesus was really, truly expecting to die and be buried. This would quash any hope for Jesus to be a military or political figure. Misguided hope that Jesus would defy Rome to usher in a new kingdom on earth was fading.

Whatever reasons Judas gave himself, Satan was involved in his decision to offer Jesus to the chief priests. The Devil put the idea in Judas' heart (John 13:2), Judas acted on it, and Satan entered him when the time came to act (John 13:27).

Matthew 26:6–16 finds Jesus and the disciples in Bethany at the home of a man identified as "Simon the leper." A woman, likely Mary the sister of Lazarus, opens a bottle of extremely expensive ointment and anoints Jesus' head as He reclines at the table during dinner. The disciples think the ointment should have been sold and the money given to the poor, but Jesus insists she has done a beautiful thing that will prepare Him for burial. Judas then offers to turn Jesus over to the chief priests. They pay him 30 silver pieces, a price ironically associated with the cost of a common slave.

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.