Mt 26, 1-5 The consult to put Jesus to death.

Chapter 26

(Mt 26, 1-5) The consult to put Jesus to death.

[1] When Jesus finished all these words, he said to his disciples, [2] "You know that in two days' time it will be Passover, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." [3] Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, [4] and they consulted together to arrest Jesus by treachery and put him to death. [5] But they said, "Not during the festival, that there may not be a riot among the people."

(CCC 569) Jesus went up to Jerusalem voluntarily, knowing well that there he would die a violent death because of the opposition of sinners (cf. Heb 12:3). (CCC 557) "When the days drew near for him to be taken up [Jesus] set his face to go to Jerusalem" (Lk 9:51; cf. Jn 13:1). By this decision he indicated that he was going up to Jerusalem prepared to die there. Three times he had announced his Passion and Resurrection; now, heading toward Jerusalem, Jesus says: "It cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem" (Lk 13:33; cf. Mk 8:31-33; 9:31-32; 10:32-34).