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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 26:57-68

We have here the arraignment of our Lord Jesus in the ecclesiastical court, before the great sanhedrim. Observe, I. The sitting of the court; the scribes and the elders were assembled, though it was in the dead time of the night, when other people were fast asleep in their beds; yet, to gratify their malice against Christ, they denied themselves that natural rest, and sat up all night, to be ready to fall upon the prey which Judas and his men, they hoped, would seize. See, 1. Who they were,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:60

But found none ,.... That were fit for their purpose, yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none ; whose testimonies were sufficient to put him to death, which was what they were resolved upon, or whose witness were not alike and agreed; for according to their law, a man must not die by the mouth of one witness only, but by the mouth of two or three witnesses agreed in a point; and though they might be willing enough to dispense with the law in this case, yet might have... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:60

Though many false witnesses came - There is an unaccountable confusion in the MSS. in this verse: without stating the variations, which may be seen in Griesbach, I shall give that which I believe to be the genuine sense of the evangelist. Then the chief priests and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but they found it not, though many false witnesses came up. At last two false witnesses came up, saying; This man said, etc. It is the property... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 26:60

Verse 60 It ought to be observed, also, that the appellation of false witnesses is applied not to those who contrive a lie which had no foundation, but to those who calumniously pervert what was justly said, and turn it into a crime; an instance of which is here expressly related as to the destruction and rebuilding of the temple. Christ had indeed said, that when the temple of his body was destroyed, he would raise it up within three days, (John 2:19.) The false witnesses do not now resort... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-68

Jesus before Caiaphas, informally condemned to death. ( Mark 14:53-65 ; Luke 22:54 , Luke 22:63-65 ; John 18:24 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-68

Christ before Caiaphas. The key to the examination of our Lord by Caiaphas is found in the fact that Caiaphas was the person who had declared it to be expedient that one man should die for the people. This, reduced from the high-sounding phraseology of an abstract maxim to its practical significance as a policy, meant that justice to individuals must not be too scrupulously cared for if the good of the state seems to require injustice; that at any cost of injustice to an individual the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-68

The demoralized council. The tribunal before which Jesus was arraigned was composed of "all the chief priests," with the high priest at their head, and all the "elders and scribes." It was the Sanhedrin, by the Jews claimed to have originated in the time of Moses, and by learned critics acknowledged to have been at least as ancient as the time of Jonathan Maccabaeus. Once a venerable judicial assembly, it had now degenerated into a cabal. I. ITS COUNCILORS ARE MURDERERS . 1 .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:57-75

The palace of Caiaphas. I. THE PRELIMINARY TRIAL . 1. The meeting of the Sanhedrin. St. John tells us that our Lord was led first before Annas, for a hasty informal examination. Perhaps it was thought that the astute Annas, with that snake-like cunning which was attributed to him, might elicit something which might tell against the Prisoner. But the craft of the old high priest and the brutality of his officers were alike unavailing; and the Lord was sent to Caiaphas. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 26:60

Found none. Repeated twice (according to the Received Text), showing the earnestness of the pursuit and the absolute failure of the attempt. What was offered was insufficient for the purpose, or inconsistent ( Mark 14:56 ). The second "found none" is thought by many modern editors to be not genuine, and is accordingly expunged. It does not occur in the Vulgate. At the last came two false witnesses. When the case seemed hopeless and on the point of breaking down, some of the Sanhedrists'... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 26:60

Found none - That is, they found none on whose testimony they could with any show of reason convict him. The reason was, as Mark says Mark 14:56, that “their witnesses agreed not together.” They differed about facts, times, and circumstances, as all false witnesses do. Two witnesses were required by their law, and they did not “dare” to condemn him without conforming, “in appearance” at least, to the requirements of the law. read more

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