Luke 22:1-6 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh Being to be celebrated within two days after our Lord had delivered the prophecies and admonitions recorded above. Concerning this feast, see on Matthew 26:2. The chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him See on Matthew 26:3-5. But they feared the people Lest, if they seized him openly, a tumult should be raised among them, either to rescue him out of their hands, or to avenge his death. Then entered Satan For he is never wanting to assist those whose hearts are bent upon mischief; into Judas Being one of the twelve. This was a circumstance of such high aggravation, that it is observable each of the evangelists has marked it out in this view. See on Matthew 26:14-16, and Mark 14:10. He went He went from Christ and his company, who were at Bethany, in the house of Simon, to the house of Caiaphas, the high-priest, whom he knew to be a most inveterate enemy to his Master, and having found means of introducing himself, and communicating his general design, communed, or conversed, with the chief priests and captains Called captains of the temple, Luke 22:52. They were Jewish officers, who presided over the guards which kept watch every night in the temple. The result of their communing is not mentioned, only by the sequel it appears, that he informed the priests of the place where his Master used to spend the nights, and undertook to conduct a band of armed men thither, who, in the absence of the multitude, might easily take him. And, because none of them were so well acquainted with Jesus as to be able to distinguish him from his disciples, in the darkness of the night, he agreed to point him out to them by kissing him. And they were glad When they heard his proposal, they thought it very practicable, and rejoiced at so unexpected an offer from one of his disciples, to facilitate their measures. And covenanted to give him money As a reward for that service. See on Matthew 26:4-16. And he promised To attend particularly to the affair; and sought opportunity to betray him To put him into their hands in as private a manner as possible; in the absence of the multitude That, knowing nothing of what was done, they might not raise a tumult, and rescue him out of the hands of those that seized him.