Matthew 26:5
“But they said, “Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people.””
What does Matthew 26:5 mean?
The chief priests and elders were plotting to arrest Jesus, but they realized the timing had to be careful. During Passover, Jerusalem overflowed with pilgrims who loved Jesus and would likely rise up if they saw him arrested publicly. So they decided to wait until after the festival crowds left, when they could move against him quietly without sparking violence. What's striking is how their fear of human reaction actually forced their hand into the very plot that would define history. Their caution ultimately didn't protect them from what was coming, it just delayed it by a few days.