What is the meaning of Matthew 26:55?

At that time Jesus said to the crowd

• The moment is Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36, 47), a setting of betrayal and darkness, yet Jesus speaks with composure and authority.

• Scripture shows that every detail unfolds “at that time” according to the Father’s sovereign plan (John 18:4; Acts 2:23).

• By addressing “the crowd,” Jesus exposes the collective responsibility of religious leaders, soldiers, and onlookers alike (Luke 22:52).

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Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw?

• Jesus calls out the excessive force: clubs and swords against the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; John 18:36).

• Labeling Him “an outlaw” (literally “a robber”) shows the blindness of those treating the sinless Son of God like Barabbas (John 18:40).

• The contrast highlights prophecy: the Messiah would be “numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12; Mark 15:28).

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Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts

• For an entire week Jesus taught openly—parables, rebukes, and calls to repentance—before the very eyes of His accusers (Matthew 21:12–27:2).

• His posture of sitting underscores recognized rabbinic authority (Luke 4:20–22), fulfilled before “all the people” (Luke 19:47–48).

• This daily ministry fulfills Malachi 3:1, the Lord suddenly coming to His temple, inviting Israel to receive truth.

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and you did not arrest Me

• Their restraint earlier was driven by fear of the crowds (Matthew 21:46) and by God’s timing (“His hour had not yet come,” John 7:30).

• The statement exposes their hypocrisy: they feared people more than God, waiting for darkness to hide their deed (Luke 22:53).

• Jesus’ words affirm that even their delayed arrest serves divine purpose; the cross would occur exactly when foretold (Galatians 4:4).

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summary

Matthew 26:55 reveals Jesus’ calm authority amid betrayal, contrasts worldly violence with His peaceful ministry, and exposes the hypocrisy of those treating Him like a criminal. By reminding the crowd of His open teaching in the temple and their earlier inaction, He underscores that His arrest is not a triumph of human scheming but the unfolding of God’s sovereign plan, fulfilling prophecy and leading to the redemption accomplished at the cross.