Matthew 26:1-5·~1 min
The Plot to Kill Jesus
Jesus tells his disciples that the Passover is near and that the Son of Man will be handed over for crucifixion. Meanwhile the chief priests and elders meet at Caiaphas’s house and plan a quiet arrest and killing, but they decide to wait until after the feast.
W1hen Jesus had finished saying all these things, He told His disciples, 2“You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” 3At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. 5“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Section summaryThe leaders gather at the high priest’s house and plan to arrest Jesus quietly and put him to death. They avoid the feast day, fearing unrest among the people, while Jesus has already named the crucifixion as near.
Role in the chapterThis opening movement frames the chapter with hidden opposition and the approach of the Passover death.