Matthew 26:4

Mat 26:4. Δόλῳ, by craft) An unworthy consultation.

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

Mat 26:4 . ἵνα with subjunctive after a verb of effort or plan; in classic Greek oftener ὅπως with future indicative (Burton, § 205). δόλῳ by, craft, a method characteristic of clerics; indigna consultatio (Bengel); cowardly and merciless.

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

Verse 4. And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty] The providence of God frustrated their artful machinations; and that event which they wished to conduct with the greatest privacy and silence was transacted with all possible celebrity, amidst the thousands who resorted to Jerusalem, at this season, for the keeping of the passover. It was, doubtless, of the very first importance that the crucifixion of Christ, which was preparatory to the most essential achievement of Christianity, viz. his resurrection from the grave, should be exhibited before many witnesses, and in the most open manner, that infidelity might not attempt, in future, to invalidate the evidences of the Christian religion, by alleging that these things were done in a corner. See WAKEFIELD in loco.

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

(4) That they might take Jesus by subtilty.—The plan implied in these words and in those that follow (“not on the feast day”) would seem to have been hastened in its accomplishment by the unexpected treachery of Judas. They had intended to wait till the feast was over, but the temptation thus offered was too great to be resisted, and they accordingly stepped out of the limits which their caution had suggested, and were content to run the risk even of an “uproar among the people” within the twenty-four hours of the Paschal Feast.

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

4. consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty] It was no longer possible (1) to entrap Him by argument (Mat_22:46); (2) to discredit Him with the Roman government (Mat_22:22); or (3) to take Him by force.

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 consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety,.... The Jews had often attempted his life, but he escaped out of their hands; they had sent officers to apprehend him, but to no purpose; they therefore meet and consult together, to form some scheme, and make use of some stratagem, that they might lay hold on him, and keep him; they were for doing this in the most private manner they could:

and kill him; not with their own hands, nor privately; but their scheme was to apprehend him privately, by some secret artifice, and then deliver him to the Roman governor; to put him to death according to law, publicly, for crimes they had to charge him with; hereby Psa 2:2, had its accomplishment, at least in part.

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

4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

Ver. 4. Take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him] Craft and cruelty go commonly coupled in the Church’s adversaries. Neither of them "wants their mate," as the Scripture speaks of those birds of prey and desolation, Isa 34:16. These priests and elders were so bitterly bent against Christ, that nothing would satisfy them but his blood. All plants and other creatures have their growth and increase to a period, and then their declination and decay, except only the crocodile, who grows bigger and bigger, even till death. So have all passions and perturbations in man’s mind their intentions and remissions, except only malicious revenge. This dies not, many times, but with the man (if that), as nothing can quench the combustible slime in Samosaris, nor the burning flame of the hill Chimaera, but only earth, 1Pe 2:23. Saint Peter tells us, that our Saviour being reviled, did not only commit his cause to God, but himself to God: as expecting the increase of his enemies’ opposition, till they had put him to death.

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.

By subtilty. They had decided to put Jesus to death; the question was how to get possession of his Person when there would be no attempt at a rescue, nor any tumult in his favour. The original is literally, They took counsel in order that they might take, etc. They seem scarcely to have reckoned on any legal trial; once they had him quietly in their hands, they would find means to dispose of him.

HOMILIES BY R. TUCK Ver. 4. The final devices of our Lord"s foes.

It appears that the priest party, under the lead of Caiaphas, had resolved to secure our Lord"s death in a council held immediately after the raising of Lazarus. (Joh_11:47-53) But it proved to be a much more difficult matter than they imagined, and weeks passed and found them no nearer to the accomplishment of their purposes. At last they were set upon securing their end by assassination. They tried to devise some way of "taking him by subtlety and killing him.

I WHY WERE THEY SET UPON NEW DEVICES? Because not only had all their previous devices failed, but they had failed in such ways as had humiliated and angered those who devised them. They could not get an accusation, they could not secure his Person, they would not leave him alone.

1. They tried open arrest; their officers were so impressed by him that they dare not touch him.

2. They tried to make him say such things as they could twist into accusations; they only succeeded in entangling themselves, and humiliating themselves before the people.

3. They had been made the object of our Lord"s fiercest denunciations, and this they felt to be so intolerable that they resolved not to lose an hour in seeking their revenge. When men are humbled, they give up their self willed ways. When men are humiliated, they push their wilful ways through to the bitter end.

II WHAT DIFFICULTIES HAD THEY YET TO OVERCOME? Two special ones.

1. The good will of the people, and especially of the visitors to the feast. If they attempted public arrest, there would be a rescue that would mean a riot, and it would bring down on them the vigorous hand of the Romans, and give Pilate another chance of showing his hatred.

2. The approaching feast time. It was hardly possible to get a good plan arranged before the feast; nothing could be done during the least; and Jesus would slip away from the city after the feast. We can imagine their delight when the difficulties were got over by the treachery of Judas.

III WHAT REVELATIONS ARE MADE BY THESE DEVICES? They show up both the times and the people.

1. They reveal the estimate formed of our Lord by the people. They always delight in a man who can fearlessly resist official scheming and wickedness.

2. They reveal the prejudiced, malicious, and unreasonable character of the priest party. Personal feeling was allowed to carry away judgment.

3. They reveal the character of Christ. He could not be dealt with as a criminal. R.T.

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

4. Take Jesus by subtilty. They were afraid of the people and wished to seize Jesus secretly and deliver him to the Romans to be crucified before the people knew of their designs. See Luke 21:38.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

4. ἵνα δόλῳ κ.τ.λ. It was no longer possible (1) to entrap Him by argument (Mat 22:46); (2) to discredit Him with the Roman government (Mat 22:22); or (3) to take Him by force.

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.

(M) 4. And counselled one another that they should seize Jesus by craft, and kill Him.] Mk. has: “And sought how they might seize Him by craft, and kill Him.”—συνεβουλεύσαντο] reciprocal middle; cf. Moulton, p. 157.

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