Matthew 26 1

Matthew 26:1 kjv

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

Matthew 26:1 nkjv

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples,

Matthew 26:1 niv

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,

Matthew 26:1 esv

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples,

Matthew 26:1 nlt

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,

Matthew 26 verses

Matthew 26 1 Meaning

Matthew 26:1 marks a pivotal transition in the Gospel of Matthew, signaling the culmination of Jesus' public teaching ministry and the imminent commencement of His passion, arrest, trial, and crucifixion. After delivering His final major discourse to His disciples (the Olivet Discourse), Jesus explicitly indicates to them that the predetermined time for His sacrifice is approaching. This verse sets the stage for the fulfillment of prophecy and God's redemptive plan through the Messiah's atoning death, highlighting His foreknowledge and divine orchestration of events.

Matthew 26 1 Context

Matthew 26:1 serves as a critical bridge between Jesus' final public teachings and the unfolding events of His passion. Preceding this verse, chapters 24 and 25 detail the "Olivet Discourse," Jesus' extensive prophecy concerning the destruction of the temple, signs of the end of the age, and parables emphasizing watchfulness, judgment, and readiness for His return (e.g., the Ten Virgins, the Talents, the Sheep and the Goats). This discourse culminates His didactic ministry within Matthew's narrative structure, marking the end of the fifth and final major block of Jesus' teachings in the Gospel. Historically and culturally, this verse is set within days of the Passover festival, a central Jewish feast commemorating their deliverance from Egypt (Ex 12). The imminence of this feast provides a crucial temporal and theological backdrop for Jesus' impending crucifixion, which would fulfill the Passover typology as He becomes the ultimate Passover Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world. The shift from teaching to direct declaration about His approaching death signals the immediate onset of the dramatic, divinely orchestrated events leading to Calvary.

Matthew 26 1 Word analysis

• And (Καὶ - Kai): A simple conjunction, but here it acts as a transition, linking Jesus' concluded discourses directly to His declaration about the imminent passion. It signifies a continuation of the narrative flow while also indicating a shift in focus.
• it came to pass (ἐγένετο - Egeneto): A common Septuagintal and New Testament narrative phrase. It functions as a temporal and sequential connector, signaling an event unfolding in time. It subtly conveys that these events are not random but part of a unfolding, preordained sequence.
• when (ὅτε - Hote): A temporal particle, pinpointing the specific timing. The completion of His teachings directly precedes His announcement of His coming passion, linking the end of His instruction with the beginning of His sacrifice.
• Jesus (ὁ Ἰησοῦς - Ho Iēsous): The proper name for the Son of God, emphasizing His identity as the Messiah who fulfills all righteousness and ultimately, God's redemptive plan through His death. His identity undergirds the authority and prophetic nature of His words.
• had finished (ἐτέλεσεν - Etelesen): From the verb teleō, meaning "to complete, to bring to an end, to fulfill." This word is highly significant. It implies a sense of deliberate completion and fulfillment of a purpose. It echoes "It is finished" (tetelestai, a perfect tense of teleō) spoken on the cross in Jn 19:30, highlighting that Jesus' entire life, including His teachings, was a fulfillment of His mission. Here, it denotes the completion of His speaking ministry within Matthew's structural design.
• all (πάντας - Pantas): Denotes comprehensiveness and entirety. Jesus omitted nothing from what He needed to convey in these discourses. It underlines the finality and thoroughness of His verbal instruction before His physical sacrifice.
• these (τούτους - Toutous): A demonstrative pronoun, referring specifically to the preceding major discourse found in Matthew 24-25, which covered eschatological themes and readiness.
• sayings (τοὺς λόγους - Tous logous): Logos here refers not just to individual words, but to comprehensive statements, teachings, and discourses—the very content of divine revelation. These are not casual remarks but authoritative and weighty declarations of eternal truth from the divine Son.
• He said (εἶπεν - Eipen): Simple verb of speaking, but emphasizing Jesus' direct communication and deliberate intention to impart crucial information to His closest followers.
• to His disciples (τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ - Tois mathētais autou): Highlights the specific audience. These are His chosen apprentices, the ones He has trained and prepared for His impending departure and their subsequent commission. This intimate setting suggests a message of particular significance intended for those who would carry on His work.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings": This phrase functions as a significant narrative marker, delineating the end of Jesus' extensive teaching period within Matthew's structure. It signifies a deliberate transition, as if all necessary verbal preparation has been laid out. The completion (etelesen) emphasizes divine intentionality, marking this moment as predestined and perfectly timed, leading to the climactic events of salvation.
• "He said to His disciples": This immediately personalizes the message. Jesus turns from general pronouncements (often addressed to the crowds or more broadly) to an intimate address to His chosen inner circle. This suggests the solemnity and specific importance of what He is about to reveal concerning His own imminent fate, preparing those closest to Him for the unfolding, profound events.

Matthew 26 1 Bonus section

• Matthew's Structural Significance: Matthew's Gospel is meticulously structured around five major discourses by Jesus (Sermon on the Mount, Missions Discourse, Parables of the Kingdom, Discourse on Church Life, Olivet Discourse), each concluding with a similar formula. Matthew 26:1 marks the fifth and final of these, indicating the culmination of Jesus' teaching ministry before the focus shifts entirely to His redemptive acts. This chiastic structure, emphasizing Jesus as the definitive teacher and new Moses, sets His words as foundational for the New Covenant.
• Theological Precision: The Greek word etelesen ("had finished") is critical. It signals more than mere cessation; it implies accomplishment with purpose. This precision hints at the ultimate cry on the cross, tetelestai ("It is finished," Jn 19:30), where Jesus declares the full completion of God's redemptive plan through His atonement. The "finishing" of His teachings leads directly to the "finishing" of His sacrificial work.
• Divine Orchestration: This verse reinforces the biblical theme of God's predetermined plan (e.g., Acts 2:23). Jesus is not caught off guard by His fate; rather, He actively speaks of it to His disciples, affirming that His crucifixion, which unfolds in the subsequent chapters, is not a tragic accident but a central, intended act in God's saving history.

Matthew 26 1 Commentary

Matthew 26:1, though brief, carries immense theological and narrative weight. It acts as the "turning of the page" in Matthew's Gospel, concluding the record of Jesus' profound public and private discourses and initiating the passion narrative—the core story of His suffering, death, and resurrection. The repeated pattern in Matthew (found also at 7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1) of concluding major teaching blocks with a formulaic phrase emphasizes Jesus' role as the new Moses, delivering divine teaching, and highlights the completeness of His revelatory words before He performs His ultimate act of salvation.

The significance lies in Jesus' complete foreknowledge and control. He is not a victim of circumstance, but actively directs the narrative, understanding perfectly the divine timing. His statement to the disciples is not a panicked announcement but a calm, authoritative declaration of what must come to pass, directly linking His completed teachings with His imminent redemptive work on the cross. It underscores that His teachings about the Kingdom, judgment, and His return are inseparable from the ultimate sacrifice that would establish that Kingdom and empower its citizens. It also prepares the disciples, however imperfectly, for the traumatic events ahead, indicating that even His suffering and death are part of God's sovereign plan.