The Plot to Arrest Jesus
Matthew 26:1-5
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Matt.26.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- εγενετο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- οτε: CONJ
- ετελεσεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- παντας: ADJ,acc,pl,m
- τους: ART,acc,pl,m
- λογους: NOUN,acc,pl,m
- τουτους: PRON,acc,pl,m
- ειπεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,m
- μαθηταις: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου·: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 7:28 (verbal): Uses the same Greek formula (’when Jesus had finished these sayings/words’) to mark the close of a discourse and transition to the crowd’s reaction—parallel wording and function.
- Matthew 11:1 (verbal): Another Matthean use of ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν..., signaling Jesus’ completion of instruction and a narrative shift (here after instructing the twelve).
- Mark 14:1–2 (thematic): Begins the Passion–Passover episode in Mark; thematically parallels Matthew 26.1–2 as the narrative transition into the events leading to Jesus’ arrest and death.
- Luke 22:1–2 (thematic): Luke’s introduction to the Passover/plot to kill Jesus parallels Matthew’s move into the Passion narrative—same narrative material (Passover setting and opposition).
- John 13:1 (structural): John’s opening to the Last Supper/Passion section (’before the feast of the Passover…’) functions like Matthew 26.1 as the structural transition into the final days of Jesus’ ministry.
Alternative generated candidates
- When Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples,
- When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,
Matt.26.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Οιδατε: VERB,perf,act,ind,2,pl
- οτι: CONJ
- μετα: PREP
- δυο: NUM,card
- ημερας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- πασχα: NOUN,nom,sg,neut
- γινεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- ανθρωπου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- παραδιδοται: VERB,pres,pass,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- το: ART,nom,sg,n
- σταυρωθηναι: VERB,aor,pass,inf
Parallels
- Mark 10:33-34 (verbal): Jesus predicts the Son of Man will be delivered up, mocked, spat upon, and crucified — a close verbal parallel to Matthew’s declaration of delivery for crucifixion.
- Matt.20:18-19 (verbal): An earlier Matthean prediction that the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and crucified; near-verbatim parallel within the same Gospel.
- Luke 9:22 (verbal): Luke records Jesus saying the Son of Man must be delivered up and killed, then raised — a comparable prediction of betrayal and death.
- Mark 14:1-2 (structural): Sets the same narrative timeframe ('two days'/'Passover near') and records the Jewish leaders’ plot to arrest/kill Jesus, paralleling Matthew’s timing and hostile context.
- Luke 22:1-2 (thematic): Notes that the Feast of Unleavened Bread was near and that the chief priests and scribes sought to kill Jesus, aligning with Matthew’s timing and the conspiracy to hand him over.
Alternative generated candidates
- “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
- 'You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.'
Matt.26.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Τοτε: ADV
- συνηχθησαν: VERB,aor,pass,ind,3,pl
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- αρχιερεις: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- και: CONJ
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πρεσβυτεροι: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- λαου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- αυλην: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- αρχιερεως: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- του: ART,gen,sg,n
- λεγομενου: VERB,pres,pass,ptc,gen,sg,m
- Καιαφα: NOUN,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:1 (verbal): Synoptic parallel describing the chief priests and scribes assembling to plot Jesus' death just before Passover—close verbal and narrative correspondence to Matthew 26:3.
- Luke 22:2 (verbal): Parallel account noting the chief priests and scribes gathering to put Jesus to death; shares the same plot and timing as Matthew 26:3.
- John 11:47-53 (thematic): John recounts the council (chief priests and Pharisees) meeting and Caiaphas’ decisive statement that it is expedient for one man to die for the people, providing background for the council’s decision referenced in Matthew 26:3.
- Matt.26:59 (structural): Immediate continuation within Matthew: the chief priests and the whole council actively seek false testimony against Jesus—shows the same assembly moving from convening (26:3) to prosecutorial action.
Alternative generated candidates
- Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered together at the house of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
- Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the house of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
Matt.26.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- συνεβουλευσαντο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,pl
- ινα: CONJ
- τον: ART,acc,sg,m
- Ιησουν: NOUN,acc,sg,m
- δολω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- κρατησωσιν: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,pl
- και: CONJ
- αποκτεινωσιν·: VERB,aor,act,sub,3,pl
Parallels
- Mark 14:1-2 (verbal): Almost exact parallel: the chief priests seek how to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him (same plot to seize and slay him before the feast).
- Luke 22:1-2 (verbal): Parallel account where the chief priests and scribes conspire to destroy Jesus and seek a way to seize him by guile.
- John 11:53 (structural): John records the turning point when the leaders take counsel to put Jesus to death—serves as the narrative/legal decision behind the later secret arrest.
- Matt.12:14 (thematic): Earlier Matthean instance where the Pharisees take counsel to destroy Jesus—recurrent theme of the religious leaders plotting his death.
Alternative generated candidates
- and plotted how they might seize him by stealth and put him to death.
- and they took counsel together to seize him by stealth and put him to death.
Matt.26.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ελεγον: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,pl
- δε·Μη: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- εορτη: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- ινα: CONJ
- μη: PART
- θορυβος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- γενηται: VERB,aor,mid,subj,3,sg
- εν: PREP
- τω: ART,dat,sg,m
- λαω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Mark 14:2 (verbal): Parallel account of the chief priests' decision not to arrest Jesus during the festival to avoid an uproar—close verbal correspondence with Matthew 26:5.
- Luke 22:2 (verbal): Luke records the plot to put Jesus to death and notes the leaders' fear of the people, reflecting the same concern about acting during the feast.
- John 11:57 (verbal): John states that they did not openly seize Jesus even during the festival for fear of the people, a near-verbal echo of Matthew 26:5.
- John 7:1 (thematic): John notes Jesus avoided Judea because the Jews sought to kill him—thematically related to leaders' reluctance to arrest him publicly for fear of popular unrest during festivals.
Alternative generated candidates
- But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
- But they said, 'Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.'
When Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples,
“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
Then the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people gathered together at the house of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,
and they conferred together how they might seize him by guile and put him to death. But they said, “Not during the festival, lest there be an uproar among the people.”