Matthew 21:26

Mat 21:26. Φοβούμεθα, we fear) They were unwilling to confess their fear.—τὸν ὄχλον, the multitude) The multitude was scarcely likely to proceed at once to the extremity which the chief priests dreaded, yet it burned with ardent zeal in favour of John. And the Jewish population was wont, under sudden impulses, to assail, with the utmost violence, those who uttered, or were supposed to utter, impious things.—προφήτην, a prophet) sent from heaven, which had not happened for a long while.

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

Mat_21:26 f. Φοβούμεθα τὸν ὄχλον] Those words are preceded by an aposiopesis, the import of which, however (Luk_20:6), is indicated by the words themselves.

The language of embarrassment: But suppose we should say: From men; we are afraid of the people etc. Comp. note on Act_23:9.

πάντες γὰρ, κ.τ.λ.] See on Mat_14:5.

καὶ αὐτός] He also on His part; for as they with their wretched οὐκ οἴδαμεν left the question of Jesus unanswered, so now in like manner He with His decided and humbling οὐδὲ ἐγώ (neither do I) refuses to answer theirs.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mat 21:26 . ἐὰν δὲ , etc.: the mode of expression here is awkward. Meyer finds in the sentence an aposiopesis = “if we say of men we fear the people”. What they mean is: we must not say of men, because we fear, etc. ( cf. Mk.).

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

But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people--rather, "the multitude." In Luke (Luk 20:6) it is, "all the people will stone us."

for all hold John as a prophet--Crooked, cringing hypocrites! No wonder Jesus gave you no answer.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

But if we shall say of men,.... They reasoned with themselves, that should they give their answer in this form, and say, that the ministry and baptism of John, were merely human, and what he took up of himself, or which he performed by an authority derived from men,

we fear the people; that were then upon the spot, in the temple; who, as many of them were now the followers of Christ, more of them had been the admirers of John, and probably had been baptized by him: wherefore the sanhedrim were afraid of them, lest if they should affirm, that the authority by which John acted was human, they would immediately rise up against them; and, as Luke says, "stone" them: so high a veneration had they for him, and so dear was his memory still unto them,

For all held John as a prophet. These are the words of the high priests and elders, and not of the evangelist, expressing the reason of their fears from the people, who, in general, were thoroughly persuaded, as Luke expresses it, and firmly believed that John was a prophet, that was raised up, and sent immediately by God; and did not derive his authority and commission to preach and baptize from any man, or set of men, whatever.

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

26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

Ver. 26. We fear the people] Lest they should be stoned; and the people feared them, lest they should be excommunicated. Thus they were mutual executioners one to another; for all fear hath torment, 1Jn 4:18.

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.

He will say to us: Why then did not you believe him? When he divers times bore witness to you that I am your Messias. (Witham)

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).

26. All hold John as a prophet — Even Herod, who slew him, trembled at his name as of a holy and God-sent man. The rulers, from political motives, have deserted John; but with all the ranks of the common people, even to the publicans and harlots, there is a deep feeling that John was a messenger of God. These feared the people, as Herod did before them, and, as Luke (Luk_20:6) informs us, they also feared a shower of stones.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We fear the people. They dared not, as they would gladly have done, affirm that John was a false prophet and impostor; for then, as according to St. Luke they said, "All the people will stone us." Public opinion was too strong for them. Whatever view they really took of John"s position, they were forced, for the sake of retaining popularity, to uphold its Divine character. All hold John as a prophet. Even Herod, for the same reason, long hesitated to put the Baptist to death; (Mat_14:5) and many of the Jews believed that Herod"s defeat by Aretas was a judgment upon him for this murder (Josephus," Ant.," 18:5. 2); comp. Luk_7:29, which shows how extensive was the influence of this holy teacher, who indeed did no miracle, but persuaded men by pure doctrine, holy life, genuine love of souls, courageous reproof of sin wherever found. Others had drawn the very inference which Christ now demanded. (see Joh_10:41, Joh_10:42)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. διὰ τί οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ; A clear proof (1) that the priests had kept aloof from John though he was of the priestly caste; and (2) that John pointed to Jesus as the Messiah. For πιστεύειν αὐτῷ, cp. Dem. Phil. II. 6, οἱ θαῤῥοῦντες καὶ πεπιστευκότες αὐτῷ, ‘Those who have no fears and believe Philip.’ See note ch. Mat 18:6.

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.

26.] These ‘blind leaders of the blind’ had so far made an insincere concession to the people’s persuasion as to allow John to pass for a prophet—but they shrunk from the reproof which was sure to follow their acknowledging it now. This consultation among themselves is related almost verbatim by the three Evangelists. The intelligence of it may have been originally derived from Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea. The οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω of our Lord is an answer, not to their outward words οὐκ οἴδαμεν, but to their inward thoughts, οὐ θέλομεν λέγειν.

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

(M) 26. But if we should say, From men; we fear the multitude, for all hold John as a prophet.] Mk. has: “But should we say from men—they feared the multitude. For all held John that he was truly a prophet.”—ἐὰν δέ] is a grammatical correction of Mk.’s harsh ἀλλά.—φοβούμεθα] avoids Mk.’s aposiopesis.—ἔχουσιν ὡς προφήτην] is a correction of Mk.’s εἶχον—ὄντως ὅτι προφήτης ἦν.

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