Matthew 26:55Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He reiterated, ‘Every day I sat with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not take Me,’ indicating that they apprehended Him only with His consent. Without mentioning His miracles, He focused solely on His teachings, avoiding any hint of arrogance. While teaching, they did not lay hands on Him; yet when He was silent, they launched their attack. He was in the temple, unrestrained, and now, in the depths of night, they approached Him with weapons. What need did they have for these arms against the one who was always in their midst? Through this, He conveys that they could not have seized Him had He not willingly surrendered; for if they could not take Him while He freely walked among them, then they certainly could not do so now had He not chosen to allow it.

This also clarifies the mystery surrounding His willingness to surrender Himself. He stated that all of this occurred so the prophecies would be fulfilled. Observe how even until the moment of betrayal, He took every opportunity to correct His adversaries: He cautioned them, foretold their fate, and warned, ‘By the sword, they shall perish.’ When He mentioned, ‘Every day I sat with you, teaching in the temple,’ He illustrated His voluntary submission. By asserting that the prophecies must be fulfilled, He demonstrated His submission to His Father’s will. Why didn’t they arrest Him in the temple? Because they lacked the courage to do so openly before the gathered people. Thus, He left the city, granting them free reign over the time and place, even to the last moment, denying them any excuse for their actions. He who willingly surrendered Himself in accordance with divine prophecy could not act contrary to God’s will. The evangelist notes that all the disciples abandoned Him and fled. When they seized Jesus Christ, the disciples remained nearby; however, upon hearing His words directed at the crowd that came for Him, they scattered. They finally realized that escape was no longer an option once He had willingly submitted and declared that this was in fulfillment of the prophets’ writings.

The heavenly Teacher of truth faced the threat to His life with confidence, distinguishing His boldness from that of earthly teachers, who typically falter in moments of peril. The armed crowd that came to seize Him treated Him as a criminal, but in reality, He was innocent and unblemished. He made this clear publicly, challenging anyone to find fault in Him. Who was more committed to the welfare of the people than He? His unparalleled manner of speaking was acknowledged even by those sent to apprehend Him, who inadvertently testified to His uniqueness before the Sanhedrin. Thus, the way His foes approached Him was utterly inappropriate. Their appeal revealed only an internal conflict with holiness and truth or exposed their viciousness, driven solely by force, like common thieves. He reminded them that He had been with them daily, teaching in the temple, yet they did not seize Him. Through this declaration, the Savior made it clear that He willingly submitted to His enemies, asserting that if He had chosen to resist, no act of aggression could have restrained Him. Why, then, did they not capture Him during His daily presence in plain view, without any defenses, instructing in the temple—a public setting under the watch of guards loyal to their authority?

According to the Evangelist, this was essential to fulfill what Jesus had mentioned during His high priestly prayer in John 17:12. The very fact that their Master had fallen into the hands of sinful men posed a challenge to the disciples; should they be taken as well, their faith could have faltered under such testing. The subsequent events are recounted with varying levels of detail by all the Evangelists. As the soldiers moved in to arrest Jesus, the disciples attempted to protect Him with swords. One of the disciples, identified as Peter by John, severed the ear of the high priest’s servant, named Malchus. In response to Peter's impulsive action, the Lord admonished him and, according to Luke, miraculously healed the wounded ear with a touch. Additionally, Matthew and Mark provide an account of Jesus addressing those who had come to arrest Him, emphasizing that their numbers and weapons would not have succeeded had He not chosen to surrender Himself voluntarily. Mark also recounts the incident of a young man who sought to follow Jesus but fled in fear when the soldiers attempted to seize Him. This young man, wrapped only in a linen cloth, had likely been roused from sleep by the commotion surrounding the crowd in the garden of Gethsemane. Whether he was Mark himself or another individual, it is reasonable to believe he was among those whose faith in the Lord was awakened, compelled to learn the outcome of the events in Gethsemane.

This was due to the fact that after Judea was incorporated into the Roman Empire, the appointment and confirmation of high priests became subject to the whims of the Roman governors, who frequently made changes, preferring to rotate the office rather than allow any individual to remain for long. Additionally, the individual at the head of the priestly order was likewise designated as high priest. Consequently, apart from Caiaphas, who held the official title of high priest at that time, there were numerous others who were also called high priests. These chief priests and the temple authorities pushed their way through the contingent of guards sent to capture Jesus. Upon seeing them, Jesus remarked: “Have you come out as against a bandit, with swords and clubs to seize Me? Daily I was with you in the temple, yet you did not lay hands on Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:52-53).

Through this, He demonstrates that Had He not chosen to surrender Himself, they would never have been able to capture Him. If previously they could not lay hands on Him while He was constantly among them, it stands to reason that they could not do so now, unless He willed it.

However, now that the moment had arrived, He permitted them to capture Him, making it clear that in the past, when they held Him physically among them, they could not seize Him, and now it was only by His own desire that it was possible (St. John Chrysostom). The measures taken by His cautious foes were superfluous and led only to their condemnation: "Did you come out with swords and clubs to apprehend Me as you would a criminal? I have been among you daily in the temple, teaching, and you did not lay hands on Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness reigns." Subsequently, the Lord allowed His innocent hands—the very hands that had accomplished countless acts of goodness, healing all (Acts 10:38), restoring sight to the blind, giving hearing to the deaf, and raising the dead—to be bound. All the blessings He had bestowed were disregarded, and the forces of darkness prevailed.