At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
Matthew 26:3. Then were assembled the chief priests. Matthew does not mean that they assembled during the two days, but introduces this narrative to show, that Christ was not led by any opinion of man to fix the day of his death; for by what conjectures could he have been led to it, since his enemies themselves had resolved to delay for a time?
Then assembled together the chief priests,.... About the same time, two days before the passover, that Jesus said these things to his disciples, as is plain from Mar 14:1. By "the chief priests" are meant, either such who had been high priests, or such as were the heads of the twenty four courses of the priests; or rather, the principal men of the priesthood, who...
Verse 3. Then assembled, etc. This was a meeting of the great council or sanhedrim. . The palace. The original word properly denotes the hall or large area in the centre of the dwelling, called the court. . It may be understood, however, as referring to the palace itself. The High Priest. Holding the office that was first conferred on Aaron, and following.