Matthew 20:18 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Shall be betrayed unto the chief priests— The original word παραδοθησεται, is the same both here and in St. Mark 10:33 and plainly includes both our Saviour's being treacherously discovered by Judas, and given up into the hands of his enemies. He foretels that they should mock him, as if he was a fool, scourge him, as if he was a knave; spit on him, (Mark 10:34.) to express their abhorrence of him, as a blasphemer; and crucify him, as a criminal slave. This prediction, being built upon the ancient prophesies concerning the Messiah, certainly contained matter of great encouragement to the disciples, had they understood and applied it in a proper manner; and it is a remarkable proof of the prophetic spirit which dwelt in Christ; for, humanly speaking, it was much more probable that he would have been privately assassinated, or stoned, as was once attempted, by some zealous transport of popular fury, than that he should have been thus solemnly condemned, and delivered up to crucifixion: a Roman punishment, with which we do not that find he had ever been threatened. Indeed, when the Jews condemned him for blasphemy, for which the punishment appointed in the law was stoning, and Pilate at last gave them a general permission to take him, and judge him according to their own law, (Matthew 26:65-66. John 18:31; John 19:7.) it is wonderful that they did not choose to stone him. But all this was done, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Compare Matthew 26:56 and John 19:36.