Matthew 26:5

But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.”

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Other translations

WEBBE

But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur amongst the people.”

BSB

“But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

KJV

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

ASV

But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people.

BBE

But they said, Not while the feast is going on, for fear of trouble among the people.

Original Greek

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The early church

By reason of the parties among the populace, those who favoured and those who hated Christ, those who believed and those who believed not.
Origen of Alexandria · d. 253Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Yet for all this, boiling with anger, they changed their purpose again. For though they had said, "Not at the feast time;" when they found the traitor, they waited not for the time, but slew Him at the feast. But why did they take Him then? They were boiling with rage, as I said; and they expected then to find Him, and all things they did as blinded. For though He Himself made the greatest use of their wickedness for His own dispensation, they were not surely for this guiltless, but deserving of inflictions without number for their temper of mind. At least when all should be set free, even the guilty, then these men slew the guiltless, Him that had conferred on them countless benefits, and who for a time had neglected the Gentiles for their sake.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Matthew
(Serm. 58, 2.) This precaution of the Chief Priests arose not from reverence for the festival, but from care for the success of their plot; they feared an insurrection at that season, not because of the guilt the populace might thereby incur, but because they might rescue Christ.
Leo the Great · d. 461Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
What did they consult together? That they might seize Him secretly, or that they might put Him to death? Both; for they feared the people. Wherefore also they waited for the feast to be past; for "they said, Not on the feast day." For the devil, lest he should make the passion conspicuous, was not willing it should take place at the passover; but they, lest there should be an uproar. Mark them then ever fearing, not the ills from God, neither lest any greater pollution should arise to them from the season, but in every case the ills from men.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Matthew
(Serm. 58, 1.) We recognise here a providential arrangement whereby the chief men of the Jews, who had often sought occasion of effecting their cruel purposes against Christ, could never yet succeed till the days of the paschal celebration. For it behoved that the things which had long been promised in symbol and mystery should be accomplished in manifest reality, that the typical lamb should be displaced by the true, and one sacrifice embrace the whole catalogue of the varied victims. That shadows should give way to substance, and copies to the presence of the original; victim is commuted for victim, blood is abolished by blood, and the festival of the Law is at once fulfilled and changed.
Leo the Great · d. 461Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–5

Our Lord had often told of his sufferings as at a distance, now he speaks of them as at hand. At the same time the Jewish council consulted how they might put him to death secretly. But it pleased God to defeat their intention. Jesus, the true paschal Lamb, was to be sacrificed for us at that very time, and his death and resurrection rendered public.

Read Matthew Henry on Matthew 26 →

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Cross-references

15

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.