New Testament Commentary - Matthew 26

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial] Commentary & Explanation Footnotes ~ References ~ JST

           CHAPTER 26
Jesus is anointed—He keeps the passover and institutes the sacrament—He suffers in Gethsemane, is betrayed by Judas, and taken before Caiaphas—Peter denies that hs knows him.

1 AND it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,
2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the ^apassover, and the Son of man is ^bbetrayed to be ^ccrucified.
1^a D&C 128:20;
2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;

3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called ^aCaiaphas,
4 And ^aconsulted that they might take Jesus by ^bsubtilty, and ^ckill him.
5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an ^auproar among the people.
1^a D&C 128:20;
2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;

6 ¶ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ^aointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this ^awaste?
9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
1^a D&C 128:20;
2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13);
     Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14;
     2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19);
     TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;

10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath ^awrought a good work upon me.
11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it ^afor my burial.
13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

14 ¶ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for ^athirty pieces of silver.
16 And from that time he sought opportunity to ^abetray him.

17 ¶ Now the first day of the feast of ^aunleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the ^bpassover?
18 And he said, Go into the city ^ato such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My ^btime is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.
19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the ^apassover.

One Shall Betray Me

20 Now when the even was come^a, he sat down with the twelve.
21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me^a.
22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

Passover Seating In the upper room, the passover setting would be one about a low table with those eating the passover in a reclining position, unlike the first passover which was eaten standing up. At the left of the table would be the chief position. There Jesus was 'seated' with John the beloved upon his righthand and Judas Iscariot upon his left. Peter may well have been on John's right or the near side of the table next to John as it was Peter who would prod John to ask a certain question about the betrayal. The rest of the apostles would be round about the table on the other three sides. When the Savior anounced that there would be one of them that would betray him eleven of the apostles where quite amazed and one utterly shocked. Each round about the table asked, 'Lord, is it I?'
This sequence took some time and other unrecorded less significant events would also have happened. Sub-conversations concerning that and perhaps even other topics were occurring. Though Matthew does not record it, John who sat beside the Lord would eventually lean into the Savior and having been promted by Peter, ask, 'Who it would be?' To which the Lord would answer, 'He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.' Or, according to John's record, 'He that I giveth the sop.' After a short time and after the Lord's next ponouncement of judgement upon the guilty party, Judas who may or may not have overheard all, being immediately to the left and being the one who dipped in the same dish and was given the sop of Jesus, asked Jesus, perhaps in a manner less audiable to all, 'Master, is it I?' And the Savior answered him, 'Thou hast said.'
With the sequence of time and events, within the room about the table other events would have been occuring along with other sub-conversations. Not all picked up on the fact that John had asked, Jesus had replied indicating Judas, and Judas himself had accordingly responded; as all were not aware that Judas was so pointedly indicated. But Matthew's record, whither he knew concurrently with events having also so been seated near the Savior, perhaps to Judas' left; or whither he later ascertained, does pointedly set out that very straight foreward questions, answers and accusations were made right there at the Passover table. Before the sacrament it is believed, according to John's record, Jesus turned directly to Judas and stated, 'That thou doest, do quickly.'
According to John's record, the majority of the appostles did not hear and/or did not suspect Judas, and when commanded of the Savior to go and do, they supposed that since Judas held the 'bag', that Jesus had sent him to buy or pay for other things pertaining to the passover or some such thing to do with the money. One such thing which would have understandably taken him right to the priests, would have been to pay the 'passover tax' of half a shekel to the temple priests which may have been over looked to do since Jesus has cleased the temple of the moneychangers when he first entered the city. Thus also, when Judas returned followed by or with the temple guard, there may not have been an immediate comprehension upon the majority of the apostles that Judas was the cause of it in betrayal but perhaps by merely being in contact with them for a reasonable purpose.

20^a when the even was come Matthew makes a jump from when Jesus directs certain apostle to prepare for the passover meal to that evening of the meal when it was prepared and the group were at the passover meal. Just where the passover was held is a matter of some speculation. It may have been at the house of Joseph of Arimathaea, a rich and faithful member of the Sanhedrin. but also a disciple of Jesus secretly for fear of the Jews. Perhaps Matthew was one who was of the group of apostles who 'prepared the passover', and thus the jump in his record would be understandable.
21^a one of you shall betray me Before the passover began, Jesus had stated, ' ... that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.' Yet the fitting of all the pieces properly together seems to have failed most of the apostle's ability to put 2 and 2 together. And not the Lord narrowed the field of the betrayer down to one of the apostles. Judas had already made his deal with the chief priests, scribes and elders: the Sanhedrin, also before the passover. Yet he remained a part of the immediate group with the Messiah even unto the passover meal and the pressent accusation by the Savior. And at the table, though not aparently generally so, Judas would be exposed as being that betrayer whose betrayal would lead to Jesus' crucifixion.

23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
24 The Son of man goeth as it is ^awritten of him: but woe unto that man by whom the ^bSon of man is betrayed! ^cit had been good for that man if he had not been ^dborn.
25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

26 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took ^abread, ^band blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my ^cbody.
27 And he took the ^acup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ^bDrink ye all of it;
28 ^aFor this is my ^bblood of the new ^ctestament, which is shed for many for the ^dremission of sins.
29 But I say unto you, I will not ^adrink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I ^bdrink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

30 And when they had sung an ^ahymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be ^aoffended because of me this night: for it is written, I will ^bsmite the ^cshepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
32 But after I am ^arisen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be ^aoffended.
34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called ^aGethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and ^bpray yonder.
37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and ^abegan to be sorrowful and very heavy.
38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is ^aexceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and ^bwatch with me.

39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and ^aprayed, saying, ^bO my Father, if it be possible, let this ^ccup pass from me: nevertheless not as I ^dwill, but as ^ethou ^fwilt.
40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them ^aasleep, and saith unto Peter, What, ^bcould ye not watch with me one hour?
41 ^aWatch and ^bpray, that ye enter not into ^ctemptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy ^awill be done.
43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is ^abetrayed into the hands of sinners.
46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

47 ¶ And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people^a.
48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
49 And ^aforthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

The Mockery of Judas Though not readily apparent to all the apostles, as some may have considered that Judas was still not the betrayer and was only an unwitting dupe, a dumb tool of the Sanhedrin and its enforcers, to Jesus and at least to John and perhaps Peter, Matthew and even James, the mockery of what Judas does by kissing Jesus and calling him 'Master' after his betrayal of him, would have been repulsively known. Jesus had pointedly identified Judas as the betrayer to at least John to his immediate right and to Judas himself to his immediate left. And though others of the present apostles did not suspect Judas upon his abrupt departure from the passover feast, John would have readily recognized Judas' position before the Lord in leading the Sanhedrin police directly to Jesus, as would have Judas and Jesus himself.
In other words, Judas knew that Jesus knew that he was the betrayer and that is what he was doing there with the Sahedrin police. Judas knew that he was showing no respect for Jesus as the 'Master' and 'Lord' by so hailing him and betraying him by the identification of a kiss. It would have been an act of ultimate mockery towards the Lord, perhaps spurred by some guilt of resentment Judas had built up within himself against the Messiah. Judas knew exactly what he was doing and Jesus had already pronounced judgement upon him that it would have been better for him to have never to have been born. Thus the Savior had already set out that his betrayer would be in that condition as one of the Sons of Perdition, having a body and eternally subject unto Lucifer who had none. His fate was along side of that of Cain, being worse than that of King David. For King David's resurrection, though not being to any kingdom of glory, would at least be free from the rule of evil.

47^a lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people Whether it was that Judas was out in front or among the multitude is a question. If he was out in front, one might suppose that Judas unwittingly had allowed them to follow him to Jesus rather than leading them. As Judas betrayal was only known to a few of the apostles, and not all, Judas' next act of a kiss may not have been totally repulsive. But between Jesus who had openly already identified Judas face to face earlier as to being the betrayer and what his fate would be, this act would return an immediate response by the Savior setting Judas percisely in his place before the Lord. And though not recorded by Matthew it is recorded that Jesus immediate response to Judas act was, 'Betrayest the Son of man with a kiss?'

51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a ^aservant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall ^aperish with the sword.
53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then shall the ^ascriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you ^ateaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

57 ¶ And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to ^aCaiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false ^awitness against Jesus, ^bto put him to death;
60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false ^awitnesses,
61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the ^atemple of God, and to build it in three days.

62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
63 But Jesus ^aheld his ^bpeace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I ^cadjure thee by the ^dliving God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the ^aSon of man sitting on the right hand of ^bpower, and ^ccoming in the clouds of heaven.

65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken ^ablasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is ^aguilty ^bof ^cdeath.
67 Then did they ^aspit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,
68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that ^asmote thee?

69 ¶ Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a ^adamsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech ^abewrayeth thee.
74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the ^acock crew.
75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt ^adeny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 26 Jesus is anointed—He keeps the passover and institutes the sacrament—He suffers in Gethsemane, is betrayed by Judas, and taken before Caiaphas—Peter denies that hs knows him.
1 AND it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the ^apassover, and the Son of man is ^bbetrayed to be ^ccrucified.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called ^aCaiaphas, 4 And ^aconsulted that they might take Jesus by ^bsubtilty, and ^ckill him. 5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an ^auproar among the people.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
6 ¶ Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ^aointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. 8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this ^awaste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.		1^a D&C 128:20; 2^a Mark 9:2 (2-13); Luke 9:29 (28-36); John 1:14; 2 Pet. 1:16 (16-19); TG Jesus Christ, Glory of;
10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath ^awrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it ^afor my burial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
14 ¶ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for ^athirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to ^abetray him.
17 ¶ Now the first day of the feast of ^aunleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the ^bpassover? 18 And he said, Go into the city ^ato such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My ^btime is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the ^apassover.
One Shall Betray Me
20 Now when the even was come^a, he sat down with the twelve. 21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me^a. 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? Passover Seating In the upper room, the passover setting would be one about a low table with those eating the passover in a reclining position, unlike the first passover which was eaten standing up. At the left of the table would be the chief position. There Jesus was 'seated' with John the beloved upon his righthand and Judas Iscariot upon his left. Peter may well have been on John's right or the near side of the table next to John as it was Peter who would prod John to ask a certain question about the betrayal. The rest of the apostles would be round about the table on the other three sides. When the Savior anounced that there would be one of them that would betray him eleven of the apostles where quite amazed and one utterly shocked. Each round about the table asked, 'Lord, is it I?' This sequence took some time and other unrecorded less significant events would also have happened. Sub-conversations concerning that and perhaps even other topics were occurring. Though Matthew does not record it, John who sat beside the Lord would eventually lean into the Savior and having been promted by Peter, ask, 'Who it would be?' To which the Lord would answer, 'He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.' Or, according to John's record, 'He that I giveth the sop.' After a short time and after the Lord's next ponouncement of judgement upon the guilty party, Judas who may or may not have overheard all, being immediately to the left and being the one who dipped in the same dish and was given the sop of Jesus, asked Jesus, perhaps in a manner less audiable to all, 'Master, is it I?' And the Savior answered him, 'Thou hast said.' With the sequence of time and events, within the room about the table other events would have been occuring along with other sub-conversations. Not all picked up on the fact that John had asked, Jesus had replied indicating Judas, and Judas himself had accordingly responded; as all were not aware that Judas was so pointedly indicated. But Matthew's record, whither he knew concurrently with events having also so been seated near the Savior, perhaps to Judas' left; or whither he later ascertained, does pointedly set out that very straight foreward questions, answers and accusations were made right there at the Passover table. Before the sacrament it is believed, according to John's record, Jesus turned directly to Judas and stated, 'That thou doest, do quickly.' According to John's record, the majority of the appostles did not hear and/or did not suspect Judas, and when commanded of the Savior to go and do, they supposed that since Judas held the 'bag', that Jesus had sent him to buy or pay for other things pertaining to the passover or some such thing to do with the money. One such thing which would have understandably taken him right to the priests, would have been to pay the 'passover tax' of half a shekel to the temple priests which may have been over looked to do since Jesus has cleased the temple of the moneychangers when he first entered the city. Thus also, when Judas returned followed by or with the temple guard, there may not have been an immediate comprehension upon the majority of the apostles that Judas was the cause of it in betrayal but perhaps by merely being in contact with them for a reasonable purpose.	20^a when the even was come Matthew makes a jump from when Jesus directs certain apostle to prepare for the passover meal to that evening of the meal when it was prepared and the group were at the passover meal. Just where the passover was held is a matter of some speculation. It may have been at the house of Joseph of Arimathaea, a rich and faithful member of the Sanhedrin. but also a disciple of Jesus secretly for fear of the Jews. Perhaps Matthew was one who was of the group of apostles who 'prepared the passover', and thus the jump in his record would be understandable. 21^a one of you shall betray me Before the passover began, Jesus had stated, ' ... that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.' Yet the fitting of all the pieces properly together seems to have failed most of the apostle's ability to put 2 and 2 together. And not the Lord narrowed the field of the betrayer down to one of the apostles. Judas had already made his deal with the chief priests, scribes and elders: the Sanhedrin, also before the passover. Yet he remained a part of the immediate group with the Messiah even unto the passover meal and the pressent accusation by the Savior. And at the table, though not aparently generally so, Judas would be exposed as being that betrayer whose betrayal would lead to Jesus' crucifixion.
23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth as it is ^awritten of him: but woe unto that man by whom the ^bSon of man is betrayed! ^cit had been good for that man if he had not been ^dborn. 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
26 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took ^abread, ^band blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my ^cbody. 27 And he took the ^acup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ^bDrink ye all of it; 28 ^aFor this is my ^bblood of the new ^ctestament, which is shed for many for the ^dremission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not ^adrink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I ^bdrink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
30 And when they had sung an ^ahymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be ^aoffended because of me this night: for it is written, I will ^bsmite the ^cshepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am ^arisen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be ^aoffended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
36 ¶ Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called ^aGethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and ^bpray yonder. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and ^abegan to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is ^aexceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and ^bwatch with me.
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and ^aprayed, saying, ^bO my Father, if it be possible, let this ^ccup pass from me: nevertheless not as I ^dwill, but as ^ethou ^fwilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them ^aasleep, and saith unto Peter, What, ^bcould ye not watch with me one hour? 41 ^aWatch and ^bpray, that ye enter not into ^ctemptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy ^awill be done. 43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is ^abetrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
47 ¶ And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people^a. 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49 And ^aforthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. The Mockery of Judas Though not readily apparent to all the apostles, as some may have considered that Judas was still not the betrayer and was only an unwitting dupe, a dumb tool of the Sanhedrin and its enforcers, to Jesus and at least to John and perhaps Peter, Matthew and even James, the mockery of what Judas does by kissing Jesus and calling him 'Master' after his betrayal of him, would have been repulsively known. Jesus had pointedly identified Judas as the betrayer to at least John to his immediate right and to Judas himself to his immediate left. And though others of the present apostles did not suspect Judas upon his abrupt departure from the passover feast, John would have readily recognized Judas' position before the Lord in leading the Sanhedrin police directly to Jesus, as would have Judas and Jesus himself. In other words, Judas knew that Jesus knew that he was the betrayer and that is what he was doing there with the Sahedrin police. Judas knew that he was showing no respect for Jesus as the 'Master' and 'Lord' by so hailing him and betraying him by the identification of a kiss. It would have been an act of ultimate mockery towards the Lord, perhaps spurred by some guilt of resentment Judas had built up within himself against the Messiah. Judas knew exactly what he was doing and Jesus had already pronounced judgement upon him that it would have been better for him to have never to have been born. Thus the Savior had already set out that his betrayer would be in that condition as one of the Sons of Perdition, having a body and eternally subject unto Lucifer who had none. His fate was along side of that of Cain, being worse than that of King David. For King David's resurrection, though not being to any kingdom of glory, would at least be free from the rule of evil.	47^a lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people Whether it was that Judas was out in front or among the multitude is a question. If he was out in front, one might suppose that Judas unwittingly had allowed them to follow him to Jesus rather than leading them. As Judas betrayal was only known to a few of the apostles, and not all, Judas' next act of a kiss may not have been totally repulsive. But between Jesus who had openly already identified Judas face to face earlier as to being the betrayer and what his fate would be, this act would return an immediate response by the Savior setting Judas percisely in his place before the Lord. And though not recorded by Matthew it is recorded that Jesus immediate response to Judas act was, 'Betrayest the Son of man with a kiss?'
51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a ^aservant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. 52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall ^aperish with the sword. 53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then shall the ^ascriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you ^ateaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
57 ¶ And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to ^aCaiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false ^awitness against Jesus, ^bto put him to death; 60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false ^awitnesses, 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the ^atemple of God, and to build it in three days.
62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63 But Jesus ^aheld his ^bpeace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I ^cadjure thee by the ^dliving God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the ^aSon of man sitting on the right hand of ^bpower, and ^ccoming in the clouds of heaven.
65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken ^ablasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is ^aguilty ^bof ^cdeath. 67 Then did they ^aspit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, 68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that ^asmote thee?
69 ¶ Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a ^adamsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech ^abewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the ^acock crew. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt ^adeny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.