1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples,2 "You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified."3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas.4 They planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him.5 But they said, "Not during the feast, so that there won't be a riot among the people."
- Jesus explicitly connects the upcoming Passover feast with his impending crucifixion, highlighting its sacrificial significance (Matthew 26:2).
- The title "Son of Man" is Jesus' preferred self-designation, emphasizing both his humanity and his eschatological authority derived from Daniel 7:13-14.
- The religious leaders (chief priests and elders, forming the Sanhedrin) actively plot Jesus' death, fulfilling his prediction (Matthew 26:3-4).
- Caiaphas, the high priest, played a central role in the opposition to Jesus (see also John 11:49-50 where he unknowingly prophesies about Jesus' death).
- Their desire for secrecy ("by stealth") reveals their fear of Jesus' popularity among the common people (Matthew 26:4).
- The leaders' concern about a riot during Passover underscores the volatile political atmosphere in Jerusalem during major festivals when crowds swelled (Matthew 26:5).
- This section contrasts Jesus' calm acceptance of his fate with the leaders' fearful and deceitful plotting.
- Jesus' foreknowledge demonstrates his divine awareness and control over the events leading to his death.