Verses 1-2. See Barnes "Matthew 26:1" See Barnes "Matthew 26:2"
Verse 1. No Barnes text on this verse.
{a} "feast of unleavened bread" Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:1
Verse 2. No Barnes text on this verse.
{b} "And the chief priests" Psalms 2:2; Acts 4:27
Verse 3. Then entered Satan into Judas. It is not necessary to
suppose that Satan entered personally into the body of Judas, but only
that he brought him under his influence; he filled his mind with an
evil passion, and led him on to betray his Master. The particular
passion of which Satan made use was avarice--probably the besetting
sin of Judas. To show its exceeding evil and baseness, it is only
necessary to say that when it produced its appropriate effect in this
case, it led to the betraying and crucifixion of the Son of God. We may
learn, also, that when Satan tempts men, he commonly does it by
exciting and raising to the highest pitch their native passions. He does
not make them act contrary to their nature, but leads them on to
act out their proper disposition.
Satan. This word properly means an adversary or an accuser. It is
the name which in the Scriptures is commonly given to the prince or
leader of evil spirits, and is given to him because he is the accuser
or calumniator of the righteous (see Revelation 12:10; comp.
Job 1:6-9), as well as because he is the adversary of God.
Being of the number of the twelve. One of the twelve apostles. This
greatly aggravated his crime. He should have been bound by most tender
ties to Jesus. He was one of his family--long with him, and treated by
him with every mark of kindness and confidence; and nothing could more
enhance his guilt than thus to make use of this confidence for the
commission of one of the basest crimes.
{c} "entered Satan" Matthew 26:14; Mark 14:10; John 13:2,27
Verses 4-6.
Verse 4. Chief priests and captains. See Barnes "Matthew 26:14".
See the account of the bargain which Judas made with them explained in
See Barnes "Matthew 26:14" See Barnes "Matthew 26:15"
See Barnes "Matthew 26:16" \\Barnes "Mr 14:10"\\
See Barnes "Mark 14:11".
Absence of the multitude. The multitude, the people, were then
favourable to Jesus. He had preached in the temple, and many of them
believed that he was the Messiah. It was a hazardous thing, therefore,
to take him by force, and in their presence, as they might rise and
rescue him. Hence they sought to take him when he was away from the
multitude; and as Judas,knew of a place where he could be found
alone, they were glad of the opportunity of so easily securing him.
Verse 5. No Barnes text on this verse.
{d} "and covenanted to" Zechariah 11:12
Verse 6. No Barnes text on this verse.
{1} "in the absence of the multitude" or, "without tumult"
Verses 7-13. See Barnes "Matthew 26:17" See Barnes "Matthew 26:18"
See Barnes "Matthew 26:19" See Barnes "Mark 14:12"
See Barnes "Mark 14:13" See Barnes "Mark 14:14"
See Barnes "Mark 14:15" See Barnes "Mark 14:16"
Verse 7. No Barnes text on this verse.
{e} "day of unleavened bread" Exodus 12:1 and following.
Verse 8. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 9. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 10. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 11. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 12. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 13. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 14. When the hour was come. The hour of eating the paschal
lamb, which was in the evening. See Barnes "Matthew 26:20"
{f} "And when the hour was come" Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:17
Verse 15. With desire I have desired. This is a Hebrew form of
expression, and means I have greatly desired. The reasons why he
desired this we may suppose to have been--
1st. That, as he was about to leave them, he was desirous once of seeing
them together, and of partaking with them of one of the religious
privileges of the Jewish dispensation. Jesus was man as well as God,
and he never undervalued the religious rites of his country, or the
blessings of social and religious intercourse; and there is no
impropriety in supposing that even he might feel that his human
nature might be prepared by the service of religion for his great and
terrible sufferings.
2nd. He doubtless wished to take an opportunity to prepare them
for his sufferings, and to impress upon them more fully the certainty
that he was about to leave them, that they might be prepared for it.
3rd. We may also suppose that he particularly desired it that he might
institute for their use, and for the edification of all Christians,
the supper which is called by his name--the Lord's Supper. All his
sufferings were the expression of love to his people, and he was
desirous of testifying always his regard for their comfort and
welfare.
Before I suffer.
{2} "With desire I have desired", or "I have heartily desired"
Verse 16. Until it be fulfilled. See Barnes "Matthew 26:29".
{g} "until" Luke 14:15; 1 Corinthians 5:7,8; Revelation 19:9
Verse 17. And he took the cup and gave thanks. This was not the
sacramental cup, for that was taken after supper, Luke 22:20.
This was one of the cups which were usually taken during the celebration
of the Passover, and pertained to that observance. After he had kept
this in the usual manner, he instituted the supper which bears his
name, using the bread and wine which had been prepared for the Passover,
and thus ingrafted the Lord's Supper on the Passover, or superseded the
Passover by another ordinance, which was intended to be perpetual.
Verse 18. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verses 19,20. See Barnes "Matthew 26:26", also Matthew 26:27,28
Verse 19. No Barnes text on this verse.
{h} "And he took bread" 1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:24
Verse 20. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verses 21-23. See Barnes "Matthew 26:21", also Matthew 26:22-25.
Verse 21. No Barnes text on this verse.
{i} "is with me" Psalms 41:9; John 13:26
Verse 22. No Barnes text on this verse.
{k} "as it was determined" Luke 24:46; Acts 2:23; 4:28; 1 Corinthians 15:3
Verse 23. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 24. A strife. A contention or debate.
Which of them should be the greatest. The apostles, in common with
the Jews generally, had supposed that the Messiah would come as a
temporal prince, and in the manner of other princes of the earth--of
course, that he would have officers of his government, ministers of
state, &c. Their contention was founded on this expectation, and they
were disputing which of them should be raised to the highest office.
They had before had a similar contention. See Matthew 18:1; 20:20-28.
Nothing can be more humiliating than that the disciples should
have had such contentions, and in such a time and place. That just
as Jesus was contemplating his own death, and labouring to prepare them
for it, they should strive and contend about office and rank, shows how
deeply seated is the love of power; how ambition will find its way
into the most secret and sacred places; and how even the disciples of
the meek and lowly Jesus are sometimes actuated by this most base and
wicked feeling.
{l} "And there was also" Mark 9:34; Luke 9:46
Verse 25. The kings of the Gentiles. The kings of the nations,
or of the earth. They do this, and it is to be expected of them, and it
is right. Our Lord does not mean to say that it was wrong that there
should be such authority, but that his kingdom was to be of a
different character, and they were not to expect it there.
Over them. That is, over the nations.
Are called benefactors. The word benefactor is applied to one who
bestows favour on another. It was applied to kings by way of
compliment or flattery. Some of them might have been truly
benefactors of their people, but this was by no means true of all.
Yet it was applied to all, and especially to the Roman emperors. It is
found applied to them often in the writings of Josephus and Philo.
{m} "The kings of the Gentiles" Matthew 20:25; Mark 10:42
Verses 26,27. But ye shall not be so. Christ here takes occasion to
explain the nature of his kingdom. He assures them that it is established
on different principles from those of the world; that his subjects were
not to expect titles, and power, and offices of pomp in his kingdom. He
that would be most advanced in his kingdom would be he that was most
humble; and in order to show them this, he took a towel and girded
himself after the manner of a servant, and washed their feet, to show
them what ought to be their feelings toward each other. See
John 13:4-17.
He that sitteth at meat. The master of the feast, or one of his
guests.
But I am among you, &c. This was said in connection with his washing
their feet. He showed them how they ought to feel and act toward each
other. They ought, therefore, not to aim at office and power, but to
be humble, and serve and aid one another.
{n} "ye shall not be so" 1 Peter 5:3; 3 John 1:9,10
Verse 27. No Barnes text on this verse.
{o} "but I am among you" John 13:13,14; Philippians 2:7
Verse 28. My temptations. My trials, my humiliations, and my assaults
from the power of Satan and a wicked world.
And I appoint unto you a kingdom. He assures them here that they
should have a kingdom--their expectations would be realized. They had
continued with him; they had seen how he had lived, and to what trials
he had been subjected; they had all along expected a kingdom, and he
assures them that they should not be disappointed.
As my Father, &c. They had seen how God had appointed a kingdom to
him. It was not with pomp, and splendour, and external glory, but it
was in poverty, want, persecution, and trial. So would he appoint to
them a kingdom. They should surely possess it; but it would be not
with external splendour, but by poverty and toil. The original word
appoint has the force of a covenant or compact, and means that it
should be surely or certainly done, or that he pledged himself to do it.
All Christians must enter into the kingdom of heaven after the manner of
their Lord--through much tribulation; but, though it must be, as it was
with him, by many tears and sorrows, yet they shall surely reach the
place of their rest and the reward of heaven, for it is secured to
them by the covenant pledge and faithfulness of their Lord and King.
{p} "my temptations" Hebrews 4:15
Verse 29. No Barnes text on this verse.
{q} "a kingdom" Matthew 25:34; Luke 12:32; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Peter 5:4
Verse 30. See Barnes "Matthew 19:28"
{r} "that ye may eat and drink" Revelation 19:9
{s} "judging the twelve tribes" Matthew 19:28; 1 Corinthians 6:2; Revelation 3:21
Verse 31. Simon. Peter. Jesus, foreseeing the danger of Peter, and
knowing that he was about to deny him, took occasion to forewarn him and
put him on his guard, and also to furnish him with a solace when he
should be brought to repentance.
Satan hath desired. Satan is the prince of evil. One of his works
is to try the faith of believers--to place temptations and trials in
their way, that they may be tested. Thus God gave Job into his hands,
that it might be seen whether he would be found faithful, or would
apostatize. See Barnes "Job 1:7", also Job 1:8-12. So Satan
desired to have Peter in his hands, that he might also try him.
May sift you as wheat. Grain was agitated or shaken in a kind of
fan or sieve. The grain remained in the fan, and the chaff and dust were
thrown off. So Christ says that Satan desired to try Peter; to place
trials and temptations before him; to agitate him; to see whether
anything of faith would remain, or whether all would not be found to be
chaff--mere natural ardour and false professions.
{t} "Satan" 1 Peter 5:8
Verse 32. That thy faith fail not. The word faith, here, seems to
be used in the sense of religion, or attachment to Christ, and
the words fail not mean utterly fail or fail altogether--that is,
apostatize. It is true that the courage of Peter failed; it is true
that he had not that immediate confidence in Jesus and reliance on him
which he had before had; but the prayer of Jesus was that he might not
altogether apostatize from the faith. God heard Jesus always
(John 11:42); it follows, therefore, that every prayer which
he ever offered was answered; and it follows, as he asked here for a
specific thing, that that thing was granted; and as he prayed that
Peter's faith might not utterly fail, so it follows that there was no
time in which Peter was not really a pious man. Far as he wandered, and
grievously as he sinned, yet he well knew that Jesus was the Messiah. He
did know the man; and though his fears overcame him and led him to
aggravated sin, yet the prayer of Christ was prevalent, and he was
brought to true repentance.
When thou art converted. The word converted means turned,
changed, recovered. The meaning is, when thou art turned from this sin,
when thou art recovered from this heinous offence, then use your
experience to warn and strengthen those who are in danger of like sins.
A man may be converted or turned from any sin, or any evil course. He is
regenerated but once--at the beginning of his Christian life; he may
be converted as often as he fails into sin.
Strengthen thy brethren. Confirm them, warn them, encourage them.
They are in continual danger, also, of sinning. Use your experience
to warn them of their danger, and to comfort and sustain them in their
temptations. And from this we learn--
1st. That one design of permitting Christians to fall into sin is to
show their own weakness and dependence on God; and,
2nd. That they who have been overtaken in this manner should make use of
their experience to warn and preserve others from the same path. The two
epistles of Peter, and his whole life, show that he was attentive to
this command of Jesus; and in his death he manifested his deep abhorrence
of this act of dreadful guilt in denying his blessed Lord, by requesting
to be crucified with his head downward, as unworthy to suffer in the
same manner that Christ did.
See Barnes "John 21:18".
{v} "I have prayed for thee" John 17:9,15; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1
{w} "strengthen" Psalms 51:13; John 21:15-17
Verses 33,34. See Barnes "Matthew 26:33", also Matthew 26:34-35
Verse 34. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 35. When I sent you, &c. See Barnes "Matthew 10:9"
See Barnes "Matthew 10:10".
Lacked ye, &c. Did you want anything? Did not God fully provide for
you? He refers to this to convince them that his words were true; that
their past experience should lead them to put confidence in him and in
God.
{x} "Lacked" Luke 9:3
Verse 36. But now. The Saviour says the times are changed. Before, he
sent them out only for a little time. They were in their own country.
Their journeys would be short, and there was no need that they should
make preparation for a long absence, or for encountering great dangers.
But now they were to go into the wide world, among strangers,
trials, dangers, and wants. And as the time was near; as he was about
to die; as these dangers pressed on, it was proper that they should
make provision for what was before them.
A purse. See Barnes "Matthew 10:9". He intimates that they should now
take money, as it would be necessary to provide for their wants in
travelling.
Scrip. See Barnes "Matthew 10:10".
And he that hath no sword. There has been much difficulty in
understanding why Jesus directed his disciples to arm themselves, as
if it was his purpose to make a defence. It is certain that the spirit
of his religion is against the use of the sword, and that it was not
his purpose to defend himself against Judas. But it should be
remembered that these directions about the purse, the scrip, and the
sword were not made with reference to his being taken in the garden,
but with reference to their future life. The time of the trial in
Gethsemane was just at hand; nor was there time then, if no other reason
existed, to go and make the purchase. It altogether refers to their
future life. They were going into the midst of dangers. The country
was infested with robbers and wild beasts. It was customary to go
armed. He tells them of those dangers-of the necessity of being
prepared in the usual way to meet them. This, then, is not to be
considered as a specific, positive command to procure a sword, but an
intimation that great dangers were before them; that their manner of
life would be changed, and that they would need the provisions
appropriate to that kind of life. The common preparation for that
manner of life consisted in money, provisions, and arms; and he
foretells them of that manner of life by giving them directions commonly
understood to be appropriate to it. It amounts, then, to a prediction
that they would soon leave the places which they had been accustomed to,
and go into scenes of poverty, want, and danger, where they would
feel the necessity of money, provisions, and the means of defence. All,
therefore, that the passage justifies is--
1st. That it is proper for men to provide beforehand for their wants,
and for ministers and missionaries as well as any others.
2nd. That self-defence is lawful. Men encompassed with danger may
lawfully defend their lives. It does not prove that it is lawful to make
offensive war on a nation or an individual.
Let him, sell his garment. His mantle or his outer garment.
See Barnes "Matthew 5:40". The meaning is, let him procure one at any
expense, even if he is obliged to sell his clothes for it--intimating
that the danger would be very great and pressing.
Verse 37. This that is written. See Barnes "Isaiah 53:12".
Was reckoned among the transgressors. Not reckoned as a transgressor,
but among or with them--that is, he was treated as transgressors are. He
was put to death in their company, and as he would have been if he
had been a transgressor. He was innocent, holy, harmless, and undefiled,
Hebrews 7:26. God knew this always, and could not think of him, or make
him to be otherwise than he was; yet it pleased him to bruise him, and
to give him into the hands of men who did reckon him as a transgressor,
and who treated him accordingly.
Have an end. This may either mean, "shall be surely accomplished,"
or "they are about to be fulfilled," or "are now fulfilled."
The former is probably the meaning, denoting that every prophecy in
regard to him would certainly be accomplished.
{y} "reckoned with transgressors" Isaiah 53:12
Verse 38. Are two swords. The Galileans, it is said, often went armed.
The Essenes did so also. The reason was that the country was full of
robbers and wild beasts, and it was necessary to carry, in their travels,
some means of defence. It seems that the disciples followed the customs
of the country, and had with them them some means of defence, though
they had but two swords among the twelve.
It is enough. It is difficult to understand this. Some suppose that
it is spoken ironically; as if he had said, "You are bravely armed
indeed, with two swords among twelve men, and to meet such a host!"
Others, that he meant to reprove them for understanding him
literally, as if he meant that they were then to procure swords for
immediate battle. As if he had said, "This is absurd, or a perversion of
my meaning. I did not intend this, but merely to foretell you of
impending dangers after my death." It is to be observed that he did not
say "the two swords are enough," but "it is enough;" perhaps
meaning simply, enough has been said. Other matters press on, and
you will yet understand what I mean.
Verses 39-46. See Barnes "Matthew 26:30" through Matthew 26:31-46.
See Barnes "Mark 14:26" through \\Mr 14:27-42\\.
Verse 39. No Barnes text on this verse.
{z} "He went out" Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 18:1
Verse 40. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 41. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 42. No Barnes text on this verse.
{3} "Remove this cup" or "willing to remove"
Verse 43. Strengthening him. His human nature, to sustain the great
burden that was upon his soul. Some have supposed from this that he was
not divine as well as human; for if he was God, how could an angel
give any strength or comfort? and why did not the divine nature
alone sustain the human? But the fact that he was divine does not
affect the case at all. It might be asked with the same propriety, If he
was, as all admit, the friend of God, and beloved of God, and holy, why,
if he was a mere man, did not God sustain him alone, without
an angel's intervening ? But the objection in neither case would have any
force. The man, Christ Jesus, was suffering. His human nature was in
agony, and it is the manner of God to sustain the afflicted by the
intervention of others; nor was there any more unfitness in sustaining
the human nature of his Son in this manner than any other sufferer.
{a} "angel" Matthew 4:11
Verse 44. In an agony. See Barnes "Matthew 26:42",
also Matthew 26:43-44
{b} "agony" Lamentations 1:12; John 12:27; Hebrews 5:7
Verse 45. Sleeping for sorrow. On account of the greatness of their
sorrow. See Barnes "Matthew 26:40".
Verse 46. No Barnes text on this verse.
{c} "pray" Luke 22:40
Verses 47-53. See Barnes "Matthew 26:48", also Matthew 26:49-56
{d} "behold" Matthew 26:47; Mark 14:43; John 18:3
Verse 48. Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? By
the Son of man was evidently meant the Messiah. Judas had had the
most satisfactory evidence of that, and did not doubt it. A kiss was the
sign of affection. By that slight artifice Judas thought to conceal his
base purpose. Jesus with severity reproaches him for it. Every word is
emphatic. Betrayest thou--dost thou violate all thy obligations of
fidelity, and deliver thy Master up to death? Betrayest thou--
thou, so long with him, so much favoured, so sure that this is the
Messiah? Betrayest thou the Son of man--the Messiah, the hope of the
nations, the desire of all people, the world's Redeemer? Betrayest thou
the Son of man with a kiss--the sign of friendship and affection
employed in a base and wicked purpose, intending to add deceit, disguise,
and the prostitution of a mark of affection to the crime of treason?
Every word of this must have gone to the very soul of Judas. Perhaps few
reproofs of crime more resemble the awful searchings of the souls of the
wicked in the day of judgment.
Verse 49. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 50. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 51. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 52. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 53. No Barnes text on this verse.
{e} "but this is your hour" Job 20:5; John 12:27
Verses 54-62. See Barnes "Matthew 26:57", also Matthew 26:58-75
Verse 54. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 55. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 56. No Barnes text on this verse.
{f} "a certain maid" Matthew 26:69; Mark 14:66,69; John 18:25
Verse 57. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 58. No Barnes text on this verse.
{g} "And after a little while" Matthew 26:71; Mark 14:69; John 18:25
Verse 59. No Barnes text on this verse.
{h} "another confidently" Matthew 26:73; Mark 14:70; John 18:26
Verse 60. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 61. No Barnes text on this verse.
{i} "And Peter" Matthew 26:75; Mark 14:72
{k} "Before the cock crow" Luke 22:34
Verse 62. No Barnes text on this verse.
{l} "And Peter" Psalms 130:1-4; 143:1-4; Jeremiah 31:18; Ezekiel 7:16; 1 Corinthians 10:12
2 Corinthians 7:10,11
Verse 63. No Barnes text on this verse.
{m} "And the men" Matthew 26:67,68; Mark 14:65
Verse 64. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 65. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 66. No Barnes text on this verse.
{n} "And as soon as it was day" Matthew 27:1; Acts 4:26-28
Verse 67. No Barnes text on this verse.
{o} "Art thou the Christ" Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:65
Verse 68. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 69. No Barnes text on this verse.
{p} "right hand" Hebrews 1:3; 8:1; Revelation 3:21
Verse 70. No Barnes text on this verse.
Verse 71. No Barnes text on this verse.
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