Matthew 26:14-16 · Bible study
Matthew 26:14-16 Commentary: Why Judas Betrayed Jesus
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
A study of Judas Iscariot's betrayal: his motives, the thirty pieces of silver, and his search for an opportunity to hand over Jesus.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Judas, one of the Twelve, bargains with the chief priests to betray Jesus for thirty silver pieces, then actively seeks the opportune moment.
- Key words: θέλετε (bargaining tone), ἔστησαν (weighed out), ἐζήτει (imperfect, kept seeking), εὐκαιρίαν (convenient opportunity).
- Main debate: Whether Judas's primary motive was greed, disappointed ambition, or satanic influence, or a combination of all three.
- Theological theme: Betrayal from within the community; the danger of hidden sin and misplaced love for money.
- Best use: A call to honest self-examination about our devotion to Christ and the gradual temptations that can erode it.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
14Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.
16So from then on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
WEB World English Bible 2000
14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
15and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him to you?” So they weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.
16From that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
KJV King James Version 1769
14Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
16And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
15and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver.
16And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
14Then one of the twelve, who is called Judas Iscariot, having gone unto the chief priests, said,
15`What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him up to you?' and they weighed out to him thirty silverlings,
16and from that time he was seeking a convenient season to deliver him up.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
14Then one of the twelve, he who was called Judas Iscariote, went to the chief priests
15and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him up to you? And they appointed to him thirty pieces of silver.
16And from that time he sought a good opportunity that he might deliver him up.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
14Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests.
15And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? But they appointed him thirty pieces of silver.
16And from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 26:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, took the initiative in approaching the chief priests for money. The Greek of verse 15 (τί θέλετέ μοι δοῦναι) captures the bargaining tone, 'What are you willing to give me?' as Vincent's Word Studies notes. The verb for their payment (ἔστησαν, literally 'they placed') likely refers to weighing out silver, an actual temple practice. The sum is thirty pieces of silver, which Adam Clarke and Wesley both identify as the Mosaic price for a slave (Exodus 21:32). Matthew Henry emphasizes that Judas made the offer himself; the chief priests did not recruit him. On motive, commentators diverge slightly. John Calvin and Luke 22:3 point to Satan entering Judas, while the Cambridge Bible suggests 'disappointed worldly ambition' was the driving factor. Clarke stresses greed, citing the thirty pieces. All agree that verse 16's imperfect verb (ἐζήτει, 'he kept seeking') conveys an active, persistent hunt for the right moment to betray Jesus (εὐκαιρίαν, 'convenient opportunity'). The immediate context, right after Mary's lavish anointing, makes the contrast between devotion and treachery stark.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Greed and love of money: thirty pieces of silver (slave price), evidence that Judas was a thief (Calvin, John 12:6).
- Disappointed ambition: Jesus refused a political kingdom, leading to disillusionment (Cambridge Bible, Neander quote).
- Satanic influence: Luke 22:3, Calvin's emphasis on Satan entering Judas, the extinguished fear of God.
What is clear: Judas, one of the Twelve, deliberately negotiated to hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver and actively sought the opportunity.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Judas's primary motive | Judas acted for gain and was influenced by Satan. | Some emphasize avarice (Clarke, Wesley), others disappointed ambition at Jesus's non-political kingdom (Cambridge Bible), others the direct agency of Satan (Calvin, Luke 22:3). |
| The amount of payment | Thirty pieces of silver was the price agreed upon. | Whether these were shekels or staters varies in manuscript traditions (Clarke notes variants); also whether this was a bribe or a regular slave price. |
| Judas's responsibility vs. divine predestination | Judas freely chose to betray Jesus. | Some traditions see his betrayal as part of God's sovereign plan (fulfillment of Zechariah) without diminishing his guilt; others focus on his moral choice without emphasizing predestination. |
| The timing of the betrayal | It occurred just before the Passover. | Some harmonists place it on the Wednesday before the crucifixion (Lange mentions); others on the Tuesday (traditional Holy Tuesday). |
Historical & Cultural Context
The action takes place in Jerusalem during the days leading to Passover, when the city swelled with pilgrims. The chief priests, primarily Sadducees, controlled the temple treasury and had earlier plotted to arrest Jesus secretly (Matthew 26:3-5). Judas's approach to them was thus a welcome solution. The 'thirty pieces of silver' (τριάκοντα ἀργύρια) were likely shekels of the sanctuary at standard weight. Vincent notes that 'weighing appears to have been practiced, especially when considerable sums were paid out of the temple treasury.' This sum was the legal compensation for a slave gored by an ox (Exodus 21:32). Clarke adds that rabbinic literature set thirty selain as the standard price for a slave, good or bad. The irony is powerful: Jesus was valued at the price of a slave.
The word for 'betray' throughout this passage (παραδώσω, παραδῷ) comes from παραδίδωμι, 'to hand over' or deliver up. This same verb appears later in the Passion narrative. Commentators note the connection to the prophecy of Zechariah 11:12-13, which also mentions thirty pieces of silver. Culturally, the arrangement was a bribe, but it also resembled a business transaction. Judas did not simply accept an offer; he initiated it. This underscores the shocking nature of the betrayal: he was not a hired outsider but a trusted companion who had lived with Jesus for three years.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note only minor variants. Clarke mentions that some manuscripts (Codex Bezae, Itala copies) read στατῆρας (staters) instead of ἀργύρια (silver pieces). This does not change the sense, as a stater was equivalent to a shekel. The textual tradition is otherwise stable.
Reception History
This passage has been read as the archetypal story of betrayal in Christian history. Reformation commentators such as Calvin and Matthew Henry used it to illustrate the blindness of wicked desires and the danger of hidden sin. Adam Clarke (Methodist) emphasized greed and the fulfillment of prophecy. Throughout church history, the story has been a sober mirror for self-examination, reminding readers that even the closest association with Jesus does not guarantee faithfulness. The connection to Zechariah's thirty pieces of silver has been a staple of Christian typology, pointing to the fulfillment of prophecy in Christ's suffering.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Traitor Takes the Initiative: Judas goes to the chief priests without being summoned. He asks, 'What are you willing to give me?' The betrayal begins in his own heart.
- The Price Is Set: Thirty pieces of silver, the legal value of a slave. This shows both the greed behind the act and the contempt for Jesus' worth.
- The Search Begins: From that moment, Judas 'kept seeking a convenient opportunity.' The imperfect tense shows a persistent, calculated hunt for the right time and place.
Five-point outline
- The Setting: Immediately after Mary's anointing, the contrast between devotion and treachery is stark.
- The Visit: Judas goes to the chief priests, the very ones plotting Jesus' death.
- The Negotiation: He brings up payment himself, a shocking display of greed and disconnection.
- The Agreement: The priests weigh out the silver. The transaction is complete.
- The Execution: Judas watches for the right moment, free of the crowd, to hand Jesus over.
Illustration hooks
- A trusted employee who gradually justifies taking small amounts from the business, until the habit destroys both job and reputation.
- A friendship betrayed for social gain: one friend shares a secret for advancement, never fully reckoning with the damage.
- A voter who abandons deeply held principles for a promised economic benefit, then finds the cost higher than expected.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If one of Jesus' own disciples could betray him, what keeps me from doing the same in subtler ways?
- How does unchecked greed or ambition slowly erode a person's faith without them noticing?
- Why did Jesus choose a man like Judas, knowing what he would do, and how does that shape our trust in God's plan?
Leading a Discussion
These three verses stand as one of the most sobering moments in the Gospels. A man who walked with Jesus, heard his teaching, and saw his miracles, decided to sell him for a slave's price. This passage forces us to ask hard questions about our own motives and the hidden sins that can grow in any heart.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the way Judas approached the chief priests?
- Why do you think Judas asked 'What will you give me?' instead of waiting for an offer?
- The amount is thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). What does this amount tell us about how Judas valued Jesus?
- How does the immediate context of Mary's anointing of Jesus (Matthew 26:6-13) heighten the weight of Judas's actions?
- Luke 22:3 says 'Satan entered into Judas.' How do you understand the relationship between Judas's own choices and spiritual forces of evil?
- In what areas of your life might you be tempted to compromise your loyalty to Jesus for some immediate gain?
- How can this story help you examine your own heart when you are tempted by money, status, or resentment?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 10:4 | Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. |
| Matthew 26:25 | Judas, who betrayed him, answered, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You said it.” |
| Matthew 26:47 | While he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. |
| Matthew 27:3 | Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, |
| Mark 14:10 | Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them. |
| Mark 14:11 | They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him. |
| Luke 22:3 | Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was counted with the twelve. |
| Luke 22:6 | He consented and sought an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of the multitude. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees Judas's immediate, untroubled turn to betrayal after Christ's warning as proof that sinful desires can so fascinate the mind that they blind a person to obvious evil. He stresses that Judas was not merely vulnerable to temptation but, when Satan "entered" him, was given over completely to desperate wickedness.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools commentary proposes that Judas was driven not by greed but by disappointed worldly ambition when Jesus spoke of burial, crushing his hopes for an earthly kingdom. Peter briefly entertained the same thought, but Judas let it grow until it consumed whatever good he once possessed.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelue, called Iudas Iscariot, went vnto the chiefe Priestes, Matthew 26:15 And said, What will ye giue me, and I will deliuer him vnto you? and they appoynted vnto him thirtie pieces of siluer. Matthew 26:16 And from that time, he sought opportunitie to betraie him.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the anointing as a crisis point that exposes the hidden division among the disciples. Mary’s lavish love and Judas’s covetous hypocrisy clash directly, and Jesus’s defense of her act pushes the traitor toward his final decision. The thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave, were offered by the Sanhedrin as deliberate insult.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights the bargaining tone of the transaction: the chief priests ask what Judas is "willing to give," and the Greek suggests haggling over a price. He notes the thirty pieces were literally weighed out, standard sanctuary shekels worth about twenty-one dollars. The sum matches the Mosaic compensation for a gored slave, setting the price of the sacrifice for men at the legal value of a servant.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws attention to the exact monetary value, noting that thirty pieces of silver was the standard price of a slave as set in Exodus. This detail underscores the deliberate undervaluing of Jesus, who was traded for the same sum as a common bondservant.