Matthew 26:5But they said, "Not during the feast, lest a riot occur among the people."
The setting
Jerusalem, Israel, ~30 AD. Passover week with 200,000+ pilgrims crowding the city. The leaders know Jesus is popular with these crowds...
The emotion here: amazed at how God's sovereignty works through human evil and timing
The original word
thorubos (θόρυβος) — uproar, riot, tumultuous disturbance - they feared mass uprising
Why it matters
Passover was the most politically sensitive time - it celebrated freedom from oppression, making Romans nervous
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 26:5
Their evil plan was constrained by God's timing - Jesus would die at Passover as the ultimate sacrifice
Common misconceptionPeople think the leaders were being considerate of the feast, but they were just afraid of losing control if the crowds rioted in Jesus' favor.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 26:5
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 26:5 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 26:5 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. The setting is a royal palace. These words are attributed to chief priests. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include timing, crowd control. Notable phrases: Not during the feast; lest a riot occur.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does Matthew 26:5 mean to you, today?
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