Mr T
Let me explain this section of scripture for you.
26 Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, 2 "You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."
3 Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. 5 But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people."
26:1 As is his style, Matthew brings the discourse of the Lord to a conclusion with the words, Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished (see 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1).
26:3 The wicked Caiaphas was high priest from a.d. 18 to 37. However, Luke 3:2 says that both Annas (father-in-law of Caiaphas) and Caiaphas were high priests; Acts 4:6 calls Annas the high priest. Although Caiaphas was officially the high priest, Annas still had influence over that office. Annas was so despicable that the Roman government deposed him from office. However, he continued to work behind the scenes through his wicked son-inlaw.
26:4 The religious leaders knew they could not take Christ by argument or logic (22:46), and they did not dare take Him by force (21:46). Their only recourse was trickery.
The wicked ALWAYS persecute the Righteous people.
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26:5 This verse is to be compared with v. 2, which speaks of Christ's full knowledge of what was coming and His acceptance that it was part of God's plan (see John 10:18). Despite whatever people plot, God still sovereignly controls all events.