When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:
All Commentaries on Matthew 27:1 Go To Matthew 27
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
But when the morning was come (Syr. when it was dawn), all the chief priests, &c. "See here," says S. Jerome, "the eagerness of the Priests for evil," their feet were swift to shed blood ( Psalm 14:6). They were urged on by their bitter hatred of Christ, and by Satan"s instigation. It was the morning of Friday, only a few hours before His crucifixion, when Caiaphas, who had already tried and condemned Him the night before, summoned thus early the great Council of the Sanhedrin. It was to obtain His condemnation by the whole Body, which would ensure the subsequent condemnation by Pilate. S. Matthew omits the proceedings of this Council, as being a mere repetition of what he had already recorded (chap. xxvi59 seq.). But the narrative is supplied by S. Luke (xxii26 seq.), as explained above (see ver59).
S. Leo says strikingly, "This morning, 0 Jews, destroyed your Temple and altars, took away from you the Law and the Prophets, deprived you of your kingdom and priesthood, and turned all your feasts into unending woe" (Serm. iii. de Pass.).
To put Him to death. That Isaiah , how they could do it without hindrance or tumult, and also by what kind of death, as, e.g, that of the Cross, the most ignominious of all. Some members of the Council were probably Christ"s followers and friends; and these most likely absented themselves, or were not summoned, or sent away elsewhere, for fear they should defend Him. But if any of them were present, they either gave sentence in His favour, or were forced by the clamour of the rest to remain silent; as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathæa ( Luke 23:51). Here notice, this wicked Council erred not only in fact, but in faith. For it gave sentence that Jesus was not the Christ nor the Son of God, but that He was guilty of death, as having falsely claimed to be both: all which statements are erroneous and heretical. This, however, was only a small and particular, not an Å’cumenical Council. These latter, as representing the whole Church, have the gift of inerrancy by the power of the Holy Ghost and by Christ"s own promise. But you will say the whole Jewish Church at that time fell away from the faith. It was not Song of Solomon , for many of Christ"s converts in Judæa remained steadfast, and there were true believers among the Jews who were converted at the day of Pentecost ( Acts 2).
