Matthew 26:4 kjv
And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
Matthew 26:4 nkjv
and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.
Matthew 26:4 niv
and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
Matthew 26:4 esv
and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.
Matthew 26:4 nlt
plotting how to capture Jesus secretly and kill him.
Matthew 26 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 2:2 | The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed... | Prophecy of rulers plotting against God's Anointed |
| Isa 7:5-7 | "Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has purposed evil against you... It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass." | God's counsel prevails over human evil plans |
| Mic 2:1 | Woe to those who devise wickedness... they plan evil on their beds! | Denouncing those who plot evil secretly |
| Matt 12:14 | But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, how to destroy him. | Earlier plots to kill Jesus |
| Matt 21:45 | When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. | Recognition and resentment of Jesus' teaching |
| Matt 22:15 | Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. | Repeated attempts at entrapping Jesus |
| Mark 3:6 | The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. | Another early plot from Mark's Gospel |
| Mark 14:1 | It was now two days before the Passover... and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to seize him by trickery and kill him. | Parallel account in Mark |
| Luke 19:47-48 | And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they could not find what to do, for all the people were hanging on his words. | Leaders' desire to kill Jesus, limited by fear of people |
| Luke 20:19 | The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people. | Highlighting their fear of the populace |
| Luke 22:2-3 | The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him without commotion, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas... | Their desire for secret arrest, Judas's role |
| John 7:1 | After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. | Ongoing attempts on Jesus' life |
| John 11:47-48 | So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs... If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him..." | Sanhedrin's reasoning for killing Jesus |
| John 11:49-50 | But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "...it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish." | Caiaphas' prophetic justification for Jesus' death |
| Acts 2:23 | This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. | God's divine plan fulfilled through wicked hands |
| Acts 4:27-28 | For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. | God's sovereignty over human wicked acts |
| Psa 37:12 | The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him. | General theme of the wicked plotting |
| Psa 56:6 | They plot against me; they watch my steps, eager to take my life. | Personal persecution and plots against the righteous |
| Jer 11:19 | I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not know that they devised schemes against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit..." | Innocent one destined for slaughter |
| Prov 12:2 | A good man obtains favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices he condemns. | Condemnation of those with evil devices |
| 1 Pet 2:22-23 | He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return... but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. | Jesus' sinlessness contrasts with their deceit |
Matthew 26 verses
Matthew 26 4 Meaning
Matthew 26:4 details the secret resolution made by the chief priests and the elders of the people. Their aim was to apprehend Jesus through deceptive means rather than openly, and then to execute Him. This verse reveals their sinister intentions, reflecting both their fear of public outcry and their determination to eliminate Jesus, whom they perceived as a threat to their authority and religious order. It sets the immediate scene for the betrayal and passion of Christ.
Matthew 26 4 Context
Matthew 26 opens with Jesus' final prophecy of His crucifixion, specifically mentioning that it would occur during the Passover. Immediately following this divine revelation, the narrative shifts to the human plot orchestrated by the religious authorities. Verses 1-2 establish Jesus' awareness of the timing. Verse 3 describes the chief priests and the elders of the people gathering in the high priest's courtyard. Verse 4, therefore, directly continues this clandestine meeting, revealing the malevolent outcome of their consultation: a fixed resolution to apprehend and execute Jesus.
Historically and culturally, this meeting takes place among members of the Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish judicial and religious council, under the authority of the High Priest Caiaphas. The mention of "the chief priests and the elders" indicates a significant portion of this authoritative body. Passover was a major pilgrimage festival, drawing huge crowds to Jerusalem. During such times, the Roman authorities and the Jewish leaders were especially wary of any activity that might incite unrest or rebellion. Publicly arresting Jesus, given His popularity, risked creating a disturbance or even a riot, which they desperately wanted to avoid to maintain order and their own fragile peace with Rome. Their fear of "the people" (Matt 26:5) explains their preference for "trickery" or "stealth" over an open confrontation, demonstrating a preference for maintaining control and public image over actual justice. Their actions constitute a significant polemic against religious hypocrisy, as leaders entrusted with upholding God's law chose deceit and murder for political and social expediency.
Matthew 26 4 Word analysis
- And (καὶ - kai): This conjunction links the plot directly to the prior gathering of the chief priests and elders (Matt 26:3). It indicates a continuation of thought and action, implying that the plot was the direct result and conclusion of their consultation.
- they plotted (ἐβουλεύσαντο - ebouleusanto): From bouleuō, meaning "to take counsel, deliberate, resolve, plan." Here, in the aorist middle, it emphasizes their deliberate and conscious act of planning and decision-making. It suggests a pre-meditated, calculated conspiracy rather than an impulsive act. While the word itself can be neutral or even positive (as in seeking good counsel), in this context, it takes on a sinister connotation, highlighting their malevolent intent against Jesus.
- how (ἵνα - hina): A conjunction introducing a purpose clause, signifying the objective or goal of their plot. It focuses on the method and outcome they sought.
- they might seize (κρατήσωσιν - kratēsōsin): From krateō, meaning "to grasp, take hold of, gain control over, apprehend, arrest." This word implies physical action and obtaining possession by force or authority. It is a decisive act of taking Jesus captive, underscoring their intent to control His person and suppress His ministry.
- Jesus (Ἰησοῦν - Iēsoun): The direct object of their destructive plans. The Son of God, the Messiah, is precisely the one they seek to remove and destroy. This highlights the profound irony and blasphemy of the religious authorities plotting against God's anointed.
- by trickery (δόλῳ - dolō): Dative form of dolos. This is a crucial term meaning "deceit, fraud, guile, cunning, treachery, craft." It explicitly reveals the morally bankrupt nature of their plan. They intended not a lawful arrest based on legitimate charges but an underhanded, secretive capture. This signifies their awareness that a public arrest or fair trial based on His actual words and deeds would not succeed due to His popularity and blamelessness. It starkly contrasts with Jesus' open teachings and integrity.
- and (καὶ - kai): Connects the two primary outcomes of their plot: seizing and killing.
- kill Him (ἀποκτείνωσιν - apokteinōsin): From apokteinō, meaning "to kill, slay." This is the ultimate, heinous goal. It demonstrates the depth of their hatred and fear of Jesus' influence and message. They sought His total annihilation, believing His death would put an end to His movement and restore their unchallenged authority.
- Words-group analysis: "they plotted...how they might seize Jesus": This phrase emphasizes the collaborative and conspiratorial nature of the Sanhedrin's intent. It indicates a systematic, calculated effort by the most powerful religious and legal body in Judea to incapacitate and neutralize Jesus. Their desire to "seize" points to an assertion of control and a forced removal of Jesus from public life. "by trickery and kill Him": This pivotal phrase reveals the insidious and unjust methods they adopted, paired with the most extreme and irreversible outcome. "By trickery" means they knew they lacked legitimate grounds for an open arrest or a conviction that would be accepted by the people. They feared a backlash. This deceitful approach exposes their hypocrisy as supposed arbiters of divine law. The addition of "and kill Him" makes it clear their intent was not merely to imprison or silence, but to eliminate Jesus entirely. This showcases the murderous animosity underlying their religious facade, fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies about the suffering of the righteous one at the hands of wicked men.
Matthew 26 4 Bonus section
The immediate fulfillment of the "trickery" aspect of this plot comes to fruition with Judas Iscariot's offer to betray Jesus in Matt 26:14-16, perfectly aligning with the council's need for a stealthy capture. The Sanhedrin's decision to "kill Him" was their human aim, but it also fulfilled prophetic destiny. While their motivation was driven by fear of Roman reprisal, loss of authority, and envy, Jesus’s death was the ultimate Passover sacrifice for all humanity. This verse directly precedes the council's decision "not during the feast" (Matt 26:5), showing their immediate concern was the method of seizure ("trickery") and the ultimate goal ("kill Him"), with the timing being a secondary, practical consideration. Ultimately, God's timing prevailed over their practical scheming.
Matthew 26 4 Commentary
Matthew 26:4 provides a stark look into the corrupt heart of the religious establishment that confronted Jesus. The chief priests and elders, custodians of God's law and temple, paradoxically convened to devise murder. Their plotting, an act of calculated deliberation, shows premeditation, not a rash decision. The chosen method—"by trickery"—is profoundly telling. It implies their recognition of Jesus' blamelessness in the eyes of the public and their fear of His popularity, particularly during the crowded Passover feast. They sought not justice, but eradication. This underhanded approach, resorting to deceit for a violent end, exposes their spiritual bankruptcy, turning their positions of holy leadership into tools for injustice and sin. Yet, their wicked intentions unknowingly served the preordained plan of God for Jesus to die as a sacrifice for sins, demonstrating God's sovereign hand overriding even the deepest human malice. Their plot for physical death paved the way for eternal life.