Luke 22:4

22:4 captains of the Temple guard: The Temple had its own police force.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 22:4. Τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς, with the chief priests and captains) Different classes of men conspired together; στρατηγοὶ τοῦ ιἑροῦ were the leaders or officers of the Jews, in command of the soldiers who were on watch at the temple. See Luk 22:52. See Act 4:1, with which comp. 1Ma 4:60-61.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 22:4 . στρατηγοῖς : a military term which might suggest the captains of Roman soldiers, but doubtless pointing to the heads of the temple watches (Levites) who kept order during the feast. They would be necessary to the carrying out of Judas’ plan. The Levites had to perform garrison duty for the temple ( vide Num 8:24-25 ). In Act 4:2 we read of one στρατηγὸς τ . ἱ ., who was doubtless the head of the whole body of temple police. τὸ πῶς : a second reference to the perplexing how .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They that had the charge of keeping the Temple, which were none of the Priests and Bishops, as appeareth by verse 52 of this Chapter.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 4. And captains] Among the priests who were in waiting at the temple, some were appointed φυλακες, for a guard to the temple; and over these were στρατηγοι commanding officers: both sorts are mentioned by Josephus, War, b. vi. c. 5. s. 3. Bp. PEARCE, See another sense of captains, in Clarke's note on "Mt 27:65". Dr. Lightfoot supposes these to have been the captains over the watches; for in three places the priests kept watch and ward in the temple, viz. in Beth Abtenes, in Beth Nitsots, and in Beth Mokad. The Levites also in twenty-one places more, Middoth, chap. i. Though these watches consisted of several persons in each, there was one set over them, as the captain or head of that watch. He thinks that Matthew, Mt 27:65, refers to one of these: Ye have a watch of your own; let some of them be sent to guard the sepulchre. The captain of the temple, he supposes to have been the chief or head of all these watches; and thus he was captain of the captains. In the same Talmudical tract it is said, The ruler of the mountain of the temple (i.e. captain of the temple) takes his walks through every watch with torches lighted before him: if he found any upon the watch, that was not standing on his feet, he said, Peace be with thee: but if he found him sleeping, he struck him with a stick, and he might also burn his clothes. And when it was said by others, What noise is that in the court? the answer was, It is the noise of a Levite under correction, whose garments they are burning, because he slept upon his watch. This custom casts light on Re 16:15: Behold, I come as a thief: blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. It is easy to distinguish this captain of the mountain of the temple from the ruler of the temple, or sagan: the former presided over the guards; the latter over the whole service of the temple. We have them both distinguished, Ac 4:1: there is the captain of the temple; and Annas, who was the sagan. See Lightfoot.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(4) Chief priests and captains.—The latter term is used by St. Luke, and by him only in the New Testament, of the officers who presided over the Levite guardians of the Temple. Here and in Luk_22:52 it is used in the plural. In Act_4:1; Act_5:24, we read of “the captain of the Temple,” presumably the chief officer in command. Such was in earlier times Pashur, the “governor of the house of the Lord” (Jer_20:1). As watchmen the Levite sentinels carried clubs, and would use them freely against any sacrilegious intruder. The attempt to seize our Lord, recorded in Joh_7:32, shows why Judas applied to these officers as well as to the priests.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. he went his way] We infer -from the combined accounts that he met the priests on two occasions, on one of which the bargain was proposed, and on the other concluded.

communed] Spoke with.

captains] Literally, “generals” The Levitic captains of the Temple who kept order during the Feasts. There was strictly only one who bore the title of “the general of the Temple”—“man of the mountain of the House” (see Neh_2:8; Neh_7:2; Jer_20:1; 2Ma_3:4); but he had guards under him (Jos. B. J. vi. 5, § 3), and the name might be applied to the whole body. One of the bitter complaints against the High Priests of the day was that they made their own sons “generals of the Temple.” St Luke was aware that the special title applied only to one person, as appears from Act_4:1.

how he might betray him] Rather, give Him up. The word used is not prodo, but the milder parado.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he went his way,.... From Christ, and the rest of the apostles, out of Bethany; and when it was night, about two miles from Jerusalem, whither he went directly:

and communed with the chief priests and captains; that is, of the temple, as in Luk 22:52 and so the Persic version reads, "the militia of the temple"; and the Syriac version renders it, "the captains of the militia of the temple"; instead of captains, the Ethiopic version, reads "Scribes", and so does the Arabic, and which, adds, "and the soldiers"; but these captains were not Roman officers, or soldiers, but ecclesiastical persons, who presided in the temple, and were heads and governors, over bodies of men employed there, of which sort were the following (i):

"there were fifteen, presidents, or governors in the sanctuary, and so they were appointed for ever over each of these fifteen things, one governor; and they are these: one was over the times, or solemn seasons; the second, over the shutting of the gates: the third, over those that kept watch; the fourth, over the singers; the fifth, over the cymbal, with the rest of the singing instruments; the sixth, over the lots; the seventh over the nests (of doves); the eighth, over the seals, or tickets; the ninth, over the drink offerings; the tenth, over the sick (priests); the eleventh, over the waters; the twelfth, over the business of the shewbread; the thirteenth, over the business of the incense; the fourteenth, over the business of the vail; and the fifteenth, over the business of the priests' garments; and every one of these governors had under him "abundance of men", that so they might prepare the business they presided over.''

These seem rather to be meant, than the watch in the temple; which, though kept in several places, there was but one single person that presided over it; as appears from the above account, and from what follows; and who was called the man of the mountain of the house, or the governor of the temple (k):

"in three places the priests kept watch in the sanctuary, in the house of Abtines, and in the house of Nitzotz, and in the house of Moked, and the Levites in twenty and one places--the man of the mountain of the house, went round every ward with torches burning before him, and every one that was not standing, he said unto him, peace be on thee; and if he found he was asleep, he struck him with his staff, and had power to burn his garments.''

Whence it does not appear to me, that there were heads or captains over every ward, as Dr. Lightfoot suggests, but one over them all; perhaps these captains may be the same with the governors of the temple, as in 1 Esdras:

And Helkias, Zacharias, and Syelus, the governors of the temple, gave to the priests for the passover two thousand and six hundred sheep, and three hundred calves. (1 Esdras 1:8)

Did very carefully oversee the holy works, assisting the ancients of the Jews and governors of the temple. (1 Esdras 7:2)

But be these who they will, Judas it seems was informed where, and upon what they were met together, and he went to them, and conversed with them:

how he might betray him unto them; in the most secret manner, and with, the least noise and disturbance.

(i) Maimon. Hilch. Cele Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 1, 2. Misu. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1, 2. (k) Misn. Middot, c. 1. sect. 1, 2.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.

Ver. 4. And communed with the chief priests] Suopte ingenio, ut reprobi angeli, saith an interpreter.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chief priests and captains - See the notes at Mat 26:14. See the account of the bargain which Judas made with them explained in the Mat 26:14-16 notes, and Mar 14:10-11 notes.

Absence of the multitude - The multitude, “the people,” were then favorable 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.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Many even now shudder at the mention of the crime of Judas, and are surprised to think that he could be guilty of such ingratitude, when themselves are negligent in avoiding the like crimes. For he who breaks the law of charity and truth, betrays Christ, who is charity and truth, and does it not through any infirmity or ignorance, but designedly and maliciously. (Ven. Bede)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Captains - Called captains of the temple, ver. 52. They were Jewish officers, who presided over the guards which kept watch every night in the temple.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

4. C followed by La[372] adds καὶ τοῖς γραμματεῦσι.

[372] La. Lachmann.

4. ἀπελθών. We infer from the combined accounts that he met the priests on two occasions, on one of which the bargain was proposed, and on the other concluded.

συνελάλησεν. ‘Spoke with.’

στρατηγοῖς. Literally, “generals;” some MSS. add the gloss τοῦ ἱεροῦ. The Levitic captains of the Temple who kept order during the Feasts. There was strictly only one who bore the title of “the general of the Temple”—“man of the mountain of the House” (see Neh 2:8; Neh 7:2; Jer 20:1; 2Ma 3:4); but he had guards under him (Jos. B. J. VI. 5, § 3), and the name might be applied to the whole body. One of the bitter complaints against the High Priests of the day was that they made their own sons “generals of the Temple.” St Luke was aware that the special title applied only to one person, as appears from Act 4:1.

τὸ πῶς. Luk 22:2. The fact had been already determined; the only remaining question was the how. Judas and the priests foresaw the possibility of danger in the attempt.

παραδῷ. ‘Give Him up.’ It is a milder word than προδῷ.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4.] καὶ στρατηγοῖς is peculiar to Luke: the others have merely the chief priests.

On στρατ., see Act 4:1. The Levitical guard of the temple would be consulted, because it had been of late especially in the temple that our Lord had become obnoxious to them (see ver. 53 and ch. 21:37, 38).

5,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

4. στρατηγοῖς. Lk. alone mentions these officials. They are the leaders of the corps of Levitas, which kept guard in and about the temple. The full title is στρατηγοὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ (ver. 52). See Edersh. The Temple, 119; Jos. B. J. vi. 5, 3. These officers would be consulted, because they had to take part in carrying out the arrest. The chief of them was called ὀ στρατηγὸς τοῦ ἱεροῦ (Act 4:1, Act 4:5:24, Act 4:26). or “the man of the temple mount” or “the man of the mount of the house.” Comp. 2 Mal 3:4. Here and ver. 52 the plur. has no art.

D, a b c d e ff2i l q Syr-Cur. Aeth. omit καὶ στρατηγοῖς, but all these, excepting D d, substitute καὶ τοῖς γραμματεῦσιν. C P retain both, adding τοῦ ἱεροῦ to στρατηγοῖς.

παραδῷ. In 6:16 Judas is called προδότης but elsewhere παραδιδόναι, not προδιδόναι, is the word used to describe his crime.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Captains [στρατηγοις] . The leaders of the temple - guards. Compare Act 4:1.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.