Matthew 26:57
in Matthew 26Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.
KJV
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
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This verse in Matthew 26
Commentary
12 notes on this verse(Verse 57.) And they who were holding Jesus led Him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. Moses, by God's command, had decreed that the priests should succeed their fathers, and that the line of succession should be preserved among the priests (Exodus 29). Josephus reports that Caiaphas purchased his high priesthood from Herod for a sum of money for only one year. Therefore, it is not surprising if this wicked high priest judges unjustly.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
I believe the word for Jewish slavery whereby poor and abandoned persons now profess to be slaves is "Caiaphas." He is known as the high priest who, at odds with the truth, rails against Jesus. But Jesus according to the truth is a priest, the Word of God; under him are established all who worthily and zealously serve God the Father. Where the high priest Caiaphas is found, however, there the scribes come together, that is, learned men who preside over the perishing written word. While being scribes, they are also elders who preside not over the truth but over the classic usage of a mere word. They are unwilling to consider anything beyond that.
Where Caiaphas the High Priest is, there are assembled the Scribes, that is, the men of the letter, who preside over the letter that killeth; and Elders, not in truth, but in the obsolete ancientness of the letter.
But Josephus writesu, that this Caiaphas had purchased the priesthood of a single year, notwithstanding that Moses, at God's command, had directed that High Priests should succeed hereditarily, and that in the Priests likewise succession by birth should be followed up. No wonder then that an unrighteous High Priest should judge unrighteously.
And when these were fled, "they lead Him away to Caiaphas; but Peter followed, and entered in to see what the end should be." Great was the fervor of the disciple; neither did he fly when he saw them flying, but stood his ground, and went in with Him. And if John did so too, yet he was "known to the high priest." And why did they lead Him away there where they were all assembled? That they might do all things with consent of the chief priests. For he was then high priest, and all were waiting for Christ there, to such a degree did they spend the whole night, and give up their sleep for this object. For neither did they then eat the passover, but watched for this other purpose. For John, when he had said that "it was early," added, "they entered into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the passover." What must we say then? That they ate it on another day, and broke the law, on account of their eager desire about this murder. For Christ would not have transgressed as to the time of the passover, but they who were daring all things, and trampling under foot a thousand laws. For since they were exceedingly boiling with rage, and having often attempted to seize Him, had not been able; having then taken Him unexpectedly, they chose even to pass by the passover, for the sake of satiating their murderous lust. Wherefore also they were all assembled together, and it was a council of pestilent men, and they ask some questions, wishing to invest this plot with the appearance of a court of justice. For "neither did their testimonies agree together;" so feigned was the court of justice, and all things full of confusion and disorder.
(Cons. Ev. iii. 6.) They that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the High Priest. But He was first taken to Annas, father-in-law to Caiaphas, as John relates. And He was taken bound, there being with that multitude a tribune and cohort, as John also records. (John 18:12.)
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Above the capture of Christ was treated; now he treats of where he was led; and he describes the place and the company of those gathering at the place. He says therefore but they, namely, those who held him, led him to Caiphas. This Caiphas …
And the action suits his name; Caiaphas, i. e. 'contriving,' or, 'politic,' to execute his villainy; or 'vomiting from his mouth,' because of his audacity in uttering a lie, and bringing about the murder. They took Jesus thither, that they might do all advisedly; as it follows, Where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And they that had laid hold on Jesus,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
They - led him away to Caiaphas - John says, Joh 18:13, that they led him first to Annas; but this appears to have been done merely to do him honor as the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and his colleague in the high priesthood. But as the Sanhedrin was assembled at the house of Caiaphas, it was there he must be brought to undergo his mock trial: but see on Joh 18:13 (note).
We read, in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ was brought before Caiaphas, the high priest, and solemnly pronounced guilty. It was fitting that it should be so. The great day of atonement was come: the wondrous type of the scapegoat was about to be completely fulfilled. It was only suitable that the Jewish high priest should do his part, and declare sin to be upon the head of the victim, before he was led forth to be crucified ( Leviticus 16:21 ). May we ponder these things and understand them.
We read, in these verses, how our Lord Jesus Christ was brought before Caiaphas, the high priest, and solemnly pronounced guilty. It was fitting that it should be so. The great day of atonement was come: the wondrous type of the scapegoat was about to be completely fulfilled. It was only suitable that the Jewish high priest should do his part, and declare sin to be upon the head of the victim, before he was led forth to be crucified ( Leviticus 16:21 ). May we ponder these things and understand them. There was a deep meaning in every step of our Lord’s passion. Let us observe in these verses that the chief priests were the principal agents in bringing about our Lord’s death. It was not so much the Jewish people, we must remember, who pushed forward this wicked deed, as Caiaphas and his companions, the chief priests. This is an instructive fact, and deserves notice. It is a clear proof that high ecclesiastical office exempts no man from gross errors in doctrine, and tremendous sins in practice. The Jewish priests could trace up their pedigree to Aaron, and were his lineal successors; their office was one of peculiar sanctity, and entailed peculiar responsibilities. A nd yet these very men were the murderers of Christ. Let us beware of regarding any minister of religion as infallible: his orders however regularly conferred are no guarantee that he may not lead us astray, and even ruin our souls. The teaching and conduct of all ministers must be tried by the Word of God: they are to be followed so long as they follow the Bible, but no longer. The maxim laid down in Isaiah must be our guide: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” ( Isaiah 8:20 ). Let us observe in the second place how fully our Lord declared to the Jewish council his own Messiahship and his future coming in glory.
The words behind it
17 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οἱ | hoi | Those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| κρατήσαντες | kratesantes | having seized | G2902 → | 47 times |
| τὸν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦν | iesoun | Jesus | G2424 → | 908 times |
| ἀπήγαγον | apegagon | led [Him] away | G520 → | 15 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| Καϊάφαν | kaiaphan | Caiaphas | G2533 → | |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχιερέα | archierea | high priest | G749 → | 122 times |
| ὅπου | hopou | where | G3699 → | 82 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γραμματεῖς | grammateis | scribes | G1122 → | 62 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| οἱ | hoi | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πρεσβύτεροι | presbuteroi | elders | G4245 → | 65 times |
| συνήχθησαν.¶ | sunechthesan | were assembled. | G4863 → | 59 times |
οἱThose
hoiG3588 →19766 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
κρατήσαντεςhaving seized
kratesantesG2902 →47 times
τὸν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἸησοῦνJesus
iesounG2424 →908 times
ἀπήγαγονled [Him] away
apegagonG520 →15 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
ΚαϊάφανCaiaphas
kaiaphanG2533 →
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχιερέαhigh priest
archiereaG749 →122 times
ὅπουwhere
hopouG3699 →82 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
γραμματεῖςscribes
grammateisG1122 →62 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
οἱthe
hoiG3588 →19766 times
πρεσβύτεροιelders
presbuteroiG4245 →65 times
συνήχθησαν.¶were assembled.
sunechthesanG4863 →59 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 26:3At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
it leads to
- John 11:47–53
Then the chief priests and Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs.
- John 18:24
Then Annas sent Him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
- Mark 14:54
Peter followed Him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he sat with the officers and warmed himself by the fire.
- John 11:57
But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where He was must report it, so that they could arrest Him.
- John 11:47–53
Through
John 11:49But one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all!
it leads to
- Matthew 26:3
At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- John 18:13–14
They brought Him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year.
- John 11:51
Caiaphas did not say this on his own. Instead, as high priest that year, he was prophesying that Jesus would die for the nation,
- Matthew 26:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies31
On this verse
On this chapter
- Angelology
- Forgiveness
- The Words Nasa, Salach and Aphiemi
- Gethsemane (The Garden Called the Oil Press)
- The Words Todah, Yadah and Eucharisteo
- Hell and the Final State of the Lost
Show the next 6 titles
What the record shows
2 entries- Caiaphas (Joseph Caiaphas) — attested in contemporary inscriptionwell-supported
Josephus Ant. 18.2.2; ornate ossuary 'Yehosef bar Qayafa' (Jerusalem, 1990); Miriam-daughter-of-Yeshua ossuary (2011) naming the Qayafa priestly family
Biblical figure (High priest at Jesus's trial, AD 18-36/37) identified in extra-biblical epigraphy.
Counterpoint: The ossuary reading is contested. William Horbury questioned the name on orthographic grounds, and Émile Puech noted that the inscription carries no priestly title and that the tomb itself is modest for a high priest — the spelling on the bone box also differs from the form Josephus uses. Ronny Reich and others have defended the identification.
- Caiaphas Ossuarywell-supported
Burial cave, Peace Forest (North Talpiot), Jerusalem · Israel Museum, Jerusalem
Counterpoint: William Horbury and Émile Puech both questioned the identification: the name is spelled unusually, the box carries no priestly title, and the lettering is casually scratched rather than cut by a mason, which is not what one expects for a high priest's family. The excavator Zvi Greenhut and Ronny Reich defend the reading, and most scholars still accept it — but not as a settled matter.
About Matthew
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Augustine of Hippo, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 84; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 105.4; Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Rabanus Maurus, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.