Matthew 26:55 · Bible study
Matthew 26:55 Commentary: Public Teaching, Secret Arrest
Greek · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Jesus questions why they come armed as for a robber when he taught openly in the temple. A study of the irony and the injustice of the arrest.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Jesus exposes the injustice of his arrest by contrasting his public teaching with the secretive, armed force used against him.
- Key words: λῃστήν (robber, bandit, a criminal who resists); ἐκαθεζόμην (imperfect tense, “I was accustomed to sit”, habitual public presence).
- Main debate: Does “robber” refer to a common thief or a political revolutionary? Both agree it implies armed resistance.
- Theological theme: Innocent suffering and voluntary submission in the plan of God.
- Best use: To show Christ’s innocence and the fulfillment of prophecy, and to model non‑retaliation in the face of injustice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.
WEB World English Bible 2000
In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me.
KJV King James Version 1769
In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, `As against a robber ye did come forth, with swords and sticks, to take me! daily with you I was sitting teaching in the temple, and ye did not lay hold on me;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
In that hour Jesus said to the crowds, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and sticks to take me? I sat daily [with you] teaching in the temple, and ye did not seize me.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
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.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
En aquella hora dijo Jesús á las gentes: ¿ Como á ladrón habéis salido con espadas y con palos á prenderme|strong="G4815, G3165"? Cada día me sentaba con vosotros enseñando en el templo, y no me prendisteis.
Naquela hora Jesus disse às multidões: Como a um ladrão saístes com espadas e bastões para me prender? Todo dia eu me sentava, ensinando no templo, e não me prendestes.
En ce moment, Jésus dit à la foule: Vous êtes venus, comme après un brigand, avec des épées et des bâtons, pour vous emparer de moi. J’ étais tous les jours assis parmi vous, enseignant dans le temple, et vous ne m’ avez pas saisi.
Zu der Stunde sprach Jesus zu den Scharen: Ihr seid ausgegangen wie zu einem Mörder, mit Schwertern und Stangen, mich zu fangen. Bin ich doch täglich gesessen bei euch und habe gelehrt im Tempel, und ihr habt mich nicht gegriffen.
Ter zelfder ure sprak Jezus tot de scharen: Gij zijt uitgegaan als tegen een moordenaar, met zwaarden en stokken, om Mij te vangen; dagelijks zat Ik bij u, lerende in den tempel, en gij hebt Mij niet gegrepen;
In quel punto Gesù disse alle turbe: Voi siete usciti con spade e bastoni come contro ad un ladrone, per pigliarmi. Ogni giorno sedevo nel tempio ad insegnare, e voi non m’avete preso;
Onejże godziny mówił Jezus do onej zgrai: Wyszliście jako na zbójcę z mieczami i z kijmi, pojmać mię; na każdy dzień siadałem u was, ucząc w kościele, a nie pojmaliście mię.
В тот час сказал Иисус народу: как будто на разбойника вышли вы с мечами и кольями взять Меня; каждый день с вами сидел Я, уча в храме, и вы не брали Меня.
當 時，耶穌 對眾人 說：「你們帶著 刀 棒 出來 拿 我，如同 拿 強盜嗎？我天天 坐 在 殿 裡教訓人，你們並 沒有 拿 我。
In that hour Jesus said to the people, Have you come out as against a thief with swords and sticks to take me? I was teaching every day in the Temple and you took me not.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Matthew 26:55
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
The commentators agree: Jesus exposes the contrast between his open, non‑violent ministry and the secretive, armed arrest. Calvin says Jesus “expostulates with his enemies for having intended to bring odium upon him” by displaying military force against a man who “lived peaceably” and could have been taken in the temple without it. Vincent notes that λῃστήν (lēstēn) means a robber or bandit who requires armed force to subdue, not a petty thief. Lange observes that the preparation was “exaggerated and excessive.” Clarke adds that Judea was “much infested by robbers,” so armed bands were standard for such arrests. Jesus’ question, why come with swords and clubs when he sat teaching daily in the temple?, exposes the injustice. Gill emphasizes that he taught in broad daylight, in the temple, day after day: they could have seized him then. The consensus is that Jesus asserts his innocence, lays bare the cowardice of his captors, and shows that he is no criminal but the Son of God voluntarily handing himself over.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Jesus contrasts his open ministry with the secretive, armed arrest, exposing the injustice and asserting his innocence.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of λῃστήν (robber) | Both sides agree it refers to a criminal who would require armed force to apprehend, not a petty thief. | Some emphasize a common bandit (Clarke, Vincent), while others see a political rebel or revolutionary (Lange notes the Roman cohort suggests sedition). |
| Composition of the arresting crowd | All agree there were multiple groups: Roman soldiers and Jewish temple guards. | Lange argues the Roman cohort was the main force (up to 500 men); others see the crowd as a mixed mob with more Jewish participants. |
| Purpose of Jesus’ question | It exposes the injustice and the hypocrisy of the authorities. | Calvin sees a sharp rebuke; Gill and Matthew Henry view it as a calm assertion of innocence; Luke 22:53 adds that Jesus sees it as the appointed “hour of darkness.” |
Historical & Cultural Context
The arrest takes place in Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives, just after the Passover meal. Judea at this time was plagued by bands of armed robbers who ambushed travellers and resisted capture (Clarke). This is the backdrop for the term λῃστήν (lēstēn), a robber or rebel that required an armed force to subdue (Vincent). The crowd that comes includes a Roman cohort, temple guards, and servants of the high priest (Lange). They carry swords (machairōn) and clubs (xulōn); the swords indicate Roman soldiers, the clubs the Jewish temple police.
By contrast, Jesus had been teaching openly in the temple every day. Luke 21:37 records: “Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple.” The Sanhedrin had decided not to arrest him during the feast for fear of the people (Matthew 26:5). Now they come at night, under cover of darkness, with overwhelming force. Jesus addresses “the multitudes” (ochlois), which Luke 22:52 specifies includes the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders. The irony is sharp: the one who taught peace is treated like a violent insurrectionist. Yet Jesus points to a deeper reality, this “hour” belongs to the power of darkness (Luke 22:53), but it is also the hour when the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources do not note significant textual variants for Matthew 26:55. The verse appears consistently in the manuscript tradition with the wording preserved in the English translations provided.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this verse has been read as Jesus’ declaration of his innocence and his voluntary submission. Early Christian writers such as Origen and Augustine cited it to argue that Christ was no insurrectionist and that his kingdom is not of this world. Reformers like Calvin used it to contrast spiritual authority with worldly force. In the martyr tradition, the verse was remembered as a model of non‑resistance. Liturgically, it is read in Passion narratives, especially on Palm Sunday and Good Friday, where it underscores the irony of the King being taken as a criminal.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Contrast: Jesus’ public teaching in the temple vs. the secret, armed arrest.
- The Irony: The peaceful Teacher is treated as a violent robber.
- The Fulfillment: God’s plan advances even through human injustice.
Five-point outline
- Jesus’ Public Teaching: He was not hiding; he spoke openly in the temple.
- The Overreaction: Swords and clubs were meant for a desperate criminal, not a man who never resisted.
- The Question: Jesus forces them to consider why such force is needed.
- The Missed Opportunity: They could have taken him any day during the feast.
- The Deeper Meaning: This is the hour of darkness, yet it fulfills prophecy.
Illustration hooks
- A trusted community leader handcuffed and taken by a SWAT team when he could have been arrested at city hall during business hours.
- A teacher who instructs hundreds of students in a public school, then one night police arrive with weapons to take him, even though he has never been violent.
- The contrast between a person’s public reputation as kind and helpful, and the way authorities treat them as a dangerous fugitive.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why didn’t Jesus run or fight back when the mob came?
- Did Jesus know in advance that this would happen?
- Why would the religious leaders use such excessive force if they could have arrested him in the temple with less trouble?
Leading a Discussion
Jesus points to the glaring difference between his open teaching ministry and the secretive armed arrest. Reflect on why this contrast matters for understanding his mission and character.
Discussion questions
- What does the word “robber” (λῃστήν) tell us about how the authorities viewed Jesus?
- Why do you think Jesus emphasizes that he “sat daily in the temple teaching”?
- What does the presence of swords and clubs suggest about the expectations of the crowd?
- How does Jesus’ question expose the motives of those arresting him?
- In what ways does this verse show Jesus’ control over the situation, even as he is being taken?
- How does the contrast between secret violence and open teaching challenge our own witness?
- What does it mean for us that Jesus did not resist but allowed himself to be arrested?
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)
| Mark 12:35 | Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? |
| Mark 14:48 | Jesus answered them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? |
| Mark 14:50 | They all left him, and fled. |
| Luke 21:37 | Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet. |
| Luke 21:38 | All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him. |
| Luke 22:52 | Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? |
| Luke 22:53 | When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn’t stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” |
| John 7:14 | But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught. |
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
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies that Jesus calls Judas "friend" with a Greek word meaning companion, not a term of affection, and he interprets Jesus' command to put away the sword as a caution to Peter that rash violence endangers the one who uses it. He also notes that Peter was the disciple who struck Malchus, and that legions of angels were available had rescue been God's will.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin sees Jesus confronting his enemies not just for their armed violence but for their guilty fear. They needed soldiers and a traitor to seize a man who taught openly in the temple each day, and their trembling betrayed a bad conscience they could not hide.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary points out that the Greek word usually translated "thief" here actually means "robber," a distinction Jesus himself makes in John's Gospel. The words were addressed to chief priests, temple captains, and elders, some of whom had joined in Jesus' arrest. These were not common criminals but religious leaders acting under the power of darkness.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes highlight the irony Jesus points out: he taught openly every day in the temple, yet the authorities never seized him there. Now they come secretly at night with swords and clubs, treating him like a dangerous thief rather than the public teacher he was.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the irony of Jesus' arrest: the crowd came armed at night as if capturing a violent criminal, yet Jesus had taught openly in the temple every day. Their elaborate, secretive force was unnecessary, for he was never hiding and offered no resistance.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to the relentless nature of Christ's suffering: his inner agony in the garden gave way instantly to the arrest, with no breathing space between. The commentator frames the seizure as the moment the Philistines fell upon the blessed Samson, the Anointed taken in the pit, all so the Scriptures might be fulfilled.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the Greek word for "thief" here means "robber" — a bandit with associates who would need an armed force to capture him, not just a petty pilferer. He also observes that the verb "I sat" is in the imperfect tense, indicating a customary practice.