What is reported directly and what is supplied by commentary in the passion account?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The chapter follows the plot, anointing, Judas’s bargain, supper, prayer, arrest, council and denials, preserving the distinct sacramental commentary.

Chapter breakdown

# Matthew 26

Jesus tells the disciples that the pasch is after two days and that he will be delivered for crucifixion. Chief priests and ancients gather in Caiphas’s court to arrange his arrest and death by subtlety, saying not on the festival day lest a tumult occur. At Simon the leper’s house in Bethania, a woman pours precious ointment from an alabaster box on Jesus’ head at table. The disciples protest that it could be sold for much and given to the poor. Jesus defends her good work, says the poor are always present but he is not always, identifies the act with burial, and promises its remembrance wherever the gospel is preached. Judas Iscariot goes to the chief priests, asks payment to deliver Jesus, receives the appointment of thirty silver pieces, and seeks an opportunity. No causal motive connecting the anointing to his bargain is stated.

On the first day of Azymes the disciples ask where to prepare the pasch. Jesus sends them to a certain man in the city with the message that his time is near and he will keep it with his disciples there. They prepare it. At evening he sits with the twelve. He announces a betrayer; the troubled disciples each ask whether it is they. He refers to the hand dipping with his in the dish, says his course fulfills what is written, and pronounces woe on the betrayer. Judas asks using Rabbi and hears “Thou hast said it.” Jesus blesses, breaks and distributes bread, saying to eat it and identifying it as his body. He gives thanks over the chalice and tells all to drink, identifying his blood of the new testament, to be shed for many for remission of sins. He says he will not drink the fruit of the vine until drinking it new with them in his Father’s kingdom. After a hymn, they go to mount Olivet.

Jesus predicts that all will be scandalized that night, citing the struck shepherd and dispersed flock, and promises to precede them into Galilee after rising. Peter claims he never will; Jesus predicts three denials before the cock crows. Peter insists that even dying with him he will not deny; all the disciples say likewise. In Gethsemani, Jesus leaves the disciples seated and takes Peter and Zebedee’s two sons. Sorrowful even to death, he asks them to watch. He falls on his face and prays that the chalice pass if possible, subjecting his wish to the Father’s. Finding them asleep, he asks Peter about watching one hour and directs watching and prayer against temptation, with willing spirit but weak flesh. His second prayer accepts drinking if the chalice cannot pass. He again finds them asleep, their eyes heavy, and prays a third time with the same words. He says to sleep and rest, then announces betrayal is at hand and commands rising to go.

Judas comes with a crowd armed with swords and clubs from the chief priests and ancients. His identification sign is a kiss; he greets and kisses Jesus. Jesus asks his purpose, and they seize him. An unnamed companion cuts off the high priest’s servant’s ear. Jesus commands putting away the sword, says those taking it perish by it, and speaks of asking his Father for **more than** twelve legions of angels, while asking how Scripture would then be fulfilled. He contrasts the armed arrest with his daily temple teaching without arrest. The account attributes the events to prophetic fulfillment; all the disciples flee.

Jesus is led to Caiphas, where scribes and ancients assemble. Peter follows at a distance and sits with servants to see the end. The council seeks false testimony for death; many witnesses come, then two accuse him of claiming ability to destroy the temple and rebuild after three days. He keeps silent before the high priest’s question. Adjured by the living God whether he is Christ, God’s Son, he replies “Thou hast said it,” and speaks of the Son of man at God’s right hand and coming in clouds. The high priest tears his garments and calls this blasphemy; the others judge him guilty of death. They spit, buffet and slap his face, demanding that he identify his striker. The accusation of blasphemy remains the high priest’s claim.

In the court a maid identifies Peter as being with Jesus the Galilean; he denies understanding. At the gate another maid identifies him with Jesus of Nazareth; he denies with an oath. Later bystanders say his speech reveals him. He curses and swears denial, the cock immediately crows, and he remembers Jesus’ prediction, goes out and weeps bitterly. No brazier, dawn light, regional accent explanation or guaranteed restoration is added.

**Source commentary.** The heading names the anointer Mary; the verses say a woman, without naming ointment nard. The presence note concerns visible earthly presence and continuing daily relief of the poor. Azymes means the unleavened-bread feast, pasch the paschal lamb. The body note, citing the second Council of Nice, interprets the absolute words as implying transubstantiation rather than a figure or an in/with formulation. The chalice note restricts the command’s addressees to the twelve and says it does not thereby command every faithful person to drink, consecrate, offer or administer, citing Mark 14:23and Luke 22:19. The blood note compares dedication of the old testament by Moses with Christ’s mystical dedication of the new, citing Hebrews 9:20. The fruit-of-vine note attributes these words to paschal wine rather than the sacramental cup in its Luke account, while allowing the sacramental cup the name because it is consecrated from wine and retains its likeness and qualities; its unusual printed Luke reference is preserved in the outline. The scandal note explains the disciples’ flight and forsaking. All these notes remain separate from the verses.

The story inside

Jesus’ announcement precedes the plot and supper; prayer precedes arrest, council condemnation and Peter’s tears.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The verse identifies an unnamed woman; Mary is in the editorial heading.
2
The angels are more than twelve legions.
3
Peter weeps; a future restoration or contrast with Judas’s later death is not narrated here.

Test your recall

Thirty silver pieces; bread and chalice; three prayers; kiss and sword; Caiphas; three denials.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 113725–113862
Matthew Chapter 26 The Jews conspire against Christ. He is anointed by Mary. The treason of Judas. The last supper. The prayer in the garden. The apprehension of our Lord. His treatment in the house of Caiphas. 26:1. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended all these words, he said to his disciples: 26:2. You know that after two days shall be the pasch: and the Son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified. 26:3. Then were gathered together the chief priests and ancients of the people, into the court of the high priest, who was called Caiphas: 26:4. And they consulted together that by subtilty they might apprehend Jesus and put him to death. 26:5. But they said: Not on the festival day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people. 26:6. And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, 26:7. There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment and poured it on his head as he was at table. 26:8. And the disciples seeing it had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? 26:9. For this might have been sold for much and given to the poor. 26:10. And Jesus knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. 26:11. For the poor you have always with you: but me you have not always. Me you have not always.... Viz., in a visible manner, as when conversant here on earth; and as we have the poor, whom we may daily assist and relieve. 26:12. For she in pouring this ointment on my body hath done it for my burial. 26:13. Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of her. 26:14. Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests. 26:15. And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver. 26:16. And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him. 26:17. And on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the pasch? Azymes.... Feast of the unleavened bread. Pasch.... The paschal lamb. 26:18. But Jesus said: Go ye into the city to a certain man and say to him: The master saith, My time is near at hand. With thee I make the pasch with my disciples. 26:19. And the disciples did as Jesus appointed to them: and they prepared the pasch. 26:20. But when it was evening, he sat down with his twelve disciples. 26:21. And whilst they were eating, he said: Amen I say to you that one of you is about to betray me. 26:22. And they being very much troubled began every one to say: Is it I, Lord? 26:23. But he answering said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me. 26:24. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him. But woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were better for him, if that man had not been born. 26:25. And Judas that betrayed him answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it. 26:26. And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread and blessed and broke and gave to his disciples and said: Take ye and eat. This is my body. This is my body.... He does not say, This is the figure of my body—but This is my body. (2 Council of Nice, Act. 6.) Neither does he say in this, or with this is my body; but absolutely, This is my body: which plainly implies transubstantiation. 26:27. And taking the chalice, he gave thanks and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. Drink ye all of this.... This was spoken to the twelve apostles; who were the all then present; and they all drank of it, says St. Mark 14. 23. But it no ways follows from these words spoken to the apostles, that all the faithful are here commanded to drink of the chalice; any more than that all the faithful are commanded to consecrate, offer and administer this sacrament; because Christ upon this same occasion, and at the same time, bid the apostles do so; in these words, St. Luke 22. 19, Do this for a commemoration of me. 26:28. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins. Blood of the new testament.... As the old testament was dedicated with the blood of victims, by Moses, in these words: This is the blood of the testament, etc., Heb. 9. 20; so here is the dedication and institution of the new testament, in the blood of Christ, here mystically shed by these words: This is the blood of the new testament, etc. 26:29. And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father. Fruit of the vine.... These words, by the account of St. Luke 26:22. 18, were not spoken of the sacramental cup, but of the wine that was drunk with the paschal lamb. Though the sacramental cup might also be called the fruit of the vine, because it was consecrated from wine, and retains the likeness, and all the accidents or qualities of wine. 26:30. And a hymn being said, they went out unto mount Olivet. 26:31. Then Jesus saith to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night. For it is written: I will strike the shepherd: and the sheep of the flock shall be dispersed. Scandalized in me, etc.... Forasmuch as my being apprehended shall make you all run away and forsake me. 26:32. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
Lines 113864–114003
26:33. And Peter answering, said to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. 26:34. Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee that in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. 26:35. Peter saith to him: Yea, though I should die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the disciples. 26:36. Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani. And he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray. 26:37. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. 26:38. Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch with me. 26:39. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as thou wilt. 26:40. And he cometh to his disciples and findeth them asleep. And he saith to Peter: What? Could you not watch one hour with me? 26:41. Watch ye: and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh weak. 26:42. Again the second time, he went and prayed, saying: My Father, if this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it, thy will be done. 26:43. And he cometh again and findeth them sleeping: for their eyes were heavy. 26:44. And leaving them, he went again: and he prayed the third time, saying the selfsame word. 26:45. Then he cometh to his disciples and said to them: Sleep ye now and take your rest. Behold the hour is at hand: and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 26:46. Rise: let us go. Behold he is at hand that will betray me. 26:47. As he yet spoke, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the ancients of the people. 26:48. And he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he. Hold him fast. 26:49. And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said: Hail, Rabbi. And he kissed him. 26:50. And Jesus said to him: Friend, whereto art thou come? Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and held him. 26:51. And behold one of them that were with Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword: and striking the servant of the high priest, cut off his ear. 26:52. Then Jesus saith to him: Put up again thy sword into its place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 26:53. Thinkest thou that I cannot ask my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions of angels? 26:54. How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that so it must be done? 26:55. In that same hour, Jesus said to the multitudes: You are come out, as it were to a robber, with swords and clubs to apprehend me. I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple: and you laid not hands on me. 26:56. Now all this was done that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disciples, all leaving him, fled. 26:57. But they holding Jesus led him to Caiphas the high priest, where the scribes and the ancients were assembled. 26:58. And Peter followed him afar off, even to the court of the high priest, And going in, he sat with the servants, that he might see the end. 26:59. And the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death. 26:60. And they found not, whereas many false witnesses had come in. And last of all there came two false witnesses: 26:61. And they said: This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and after three days to rebuild it. 26:62. And the high priest rising up, said to him: Answerest thou nothing to the things which these witness against thee? 26:63. But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ the Son of God. 26:64. Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God and coming in the clouds of heaven. 26:65. Then the high priest rent his garments, saying: He hath blasphemed: What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy. 26:66. What think you? But they answering, said: He is guilty of death. 26:67. Then did they spit in his face and buffeted him. And others struck his face with the palms of their hands, 26:68. Saying: Prophesy unto us, O Christ. Who is he that struck thee? 26:69. But Peter sat without in the court. And there came to him a servant maid, saying: Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean. 26:70. But he denied before them all, saying: I know not what thou sayest. 26:71. And as he went out of the gate, another maid saw him; and she saith to them that were there: This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. 26:72. And again he denied with an oath: I know not the man. 26:73. And after a little while, they came that stood by and said to Peter: Surely thou also art one of them. For even thy speech doth discover thee. 26:74. Then he began to curse and to swear that he knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 26:75. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus which he had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. And going forth, he wept bitterly.