Matthew 26:47-56
Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” First we have: …a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. (v. 47b) Put that together with verse 48, Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” When you put those two verses together, it looks like a mob put together from the local rabble, with an escort from some Roman soldiers. But no chief priests or elders were present – otherwise these Jewish leaders would have known who Jesus was and would not have needed Judas to give Jesus that betrayal kiss. How cowardly of them, not being present to confront the accused! So when Jesus says, Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. (v. 55c), He is speaking to the crowd, not to the Jewish leaders. Had they been there, they surely would have been fully belittled by Jesus’ comment. Cowards!!
Slava Bohu!
See the November 16 post…