Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 26]
iniquitous thing in the most orthodox way" (Bruce). It is not
known whether the Sanhedrin had offered a reward for the arrest
of Jesus or not. {Thirty pieces of silver} (\triakonta arguria\).
A reference to Zec 11:12. If a man's ox gored a servant, he had
to pay this amount (Ex 21:32). Some manuscripts have \stat•ras\
(staters). These thirty silver shekels were equal to 120
\denarii\, less than five English pounds, less than twenty-five
dollars, the current price of a slave. There was no doubt
contempt for Jesus in the minds of both the Sanhedrin and Judas
in this bargain.
26:16 {Sought opportunity} (\ez•tei eukarian\). A good chance.
Note imperfect tense. Judas went at his business and stuck to it.
26:17 {To eat the passover} (\phagein to pascha\). There were two
feasts rolled into one, the passover feast and the feast of
unleavened bread. Either name was employed. Here the passover
meal is meant, though in Joh 18:28 it is probable that the
passover feast is referred to as the passover meal (the last
supper) had already been observed. There is a famous controversy
on the apparent disagreement between the Synoptic Gospels and the
Fourth Gospel on the date of this last passover meal. My view is
that the five passages in John (Joh 13:1f.,27; 18:28; 19:14,31)
rightly interpreted agree with the Synoptic Gospels (Mt
26:17,20; Mr 14:12,17; Lu 22:7,14) that Jesus ate the passover
meal at the regular time about 6 P.M. beginning of 15 Nisan. The
passover lamb was slain on the afternoon of 14 Nisan and the meal
eaten at sunset the beginning of 15 Nisan. According to this view
Jesus ate the passover meal at the regular time and died on the
cross the afternoon of 15 Nisan. See my _Harmony of the Gospels
for Students of the Life of Christ_, pp.279-284. The question of
the disciples here assumes that they are to observe the regular
passover meal. Note the deliberative subjunctive (\hetoimas•men\)
after \theleis\ with \hina\. For the asyndeton see Robertson,
_Grammar_, p. 935.
26:18 {To such a man} (\pros ton deina\). The only instance in
the N.T. of this old Attic idiom. The papyri show it for "Mr. X"
and the modern Greek keeps it. Jesus may have indicated the man's
name. Mark (Mr 14:13) and Luke (Lu 22:10) describe him as a
man bearing a pitcher of water. It may have been the home of Mary
the mother of John Mark. {I keep the passover at thy house}
(\pros se poi• to pascha\). Futuristic present indicative. The
use of \pros se\ for "at thy house" is neat Greek of the classic
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