Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 26:4
And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill [him.]
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.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
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 Ps 2:2, had its accomplishment, at least in part.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They took counsel together (). Aorist middle indicative, indicating their puzzled state of mind. They have had no trouble in finding Jesus (Joh 11:57). Their problem now is how to
take Jesus by subtilty and kill him ( ). The Triumphal Entry and the Tuesday debate in the temple revealed the powerful following that Jesus had among the crowds from Galilee.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
(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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘And they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him.’
The purpose of their gathering was in order to discuss together how they could deal with the menace in their midst. But they were aware of how ticklish the situation was, for unfortunately, as they knew, the main part of the common people, especially the large number of visitors for the Feast from Galilee and Peraea, favoured Jesus, and saw Him as a prophet. Thus they knew that to arrest Him publicly could easily arouse the passions of the already impassioned crowd. Such an arrest would therefore necessarily have to be carried out with subtlety so that it would not incur trouble. However, their main intention was clear. It was necessary for Him to be put to death ‘for the sake of the nation’ (Joh 11:49-50). The only question was as to how they could bring it about without any trouble.
‘They took counsel together.’ Compare the Davidic Psa 31:13, ‘For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side, while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.’ That too spoke of a member of the Davidic house who was finding the way difficult and found himself being plotted against, and in danger of his life. Compare also Psa 2:2, ‘the rulers took counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed (Messiah)’. It was not therefore a new attitude for Jewish leaders.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 26:4. By subtilty Surprise. Prussian Testament. See Luk 22:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 26:4 . with subjunctive after a verb of effort or plan; in classic Greek oftener with future indicative (Burton, 205). by, craft, a method characteristic of clerics; indigna consultatio (Bengel); cowardly and merciless.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
that = to the end that.
take = seize.
subtilty = guile.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 26:4. , by craft) An unworthy consultation.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
consulted: Psa 2:2
by: Mat 23:33, Gen 3:1, Act 7:19, Act 13:10, 2Co 11:3
Reciprocal: Psa 11:2 – that Psa 21:11 – imagined Psa 22:13 – gaped Psa 26:10 – In Psa 31:13 – while Psa 35:20 – but Psa 37:12 – General Psa 41:7 – against Psa 55:11 – deceit Psa 56:6 – gather Psa 62:4 – consult Psa 64:2 – secret Psa 64:5 – commune Psa 71:10 – take Psa 86:14 – assemblies Pro 1:11 – let us lurk Pro 12:5 – counsels Pro 19:21 – many Pro 24:2 – General Pro 24:15 – Lay Isa 32:7 – deviseth Jer 11:9 – General Jer 11:19 – and I Jer 26:8 – the priests Jer 26:15 – ye shall Dan 6:4 – sought Dan 6:7 – have consulted Mat 21:38 – This Mat 27:1 – all Mat 28:12 – General Mar 11:18 – and Mar 14:1 – by Luk 19:47 – the chief priests Luk 20:19 – the same Act 4:1 – the priests Act 4:27 – the people Act 23:12 – certain 1Co 5:8 – neither
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
26:4
We have learned in the preceding paragraph that the Sanhedrin could not lawfully put anyone to death. That is the reason the Jews had this consultation to devise some plot to kill Jesus by a trick of subtilty.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 26:4. By subtlety. On account of the impression made by our Lord upon the people, which still continued (Luk 21:38).