In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes,
Are you come out as against a thief with swords and clubs to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid no hold on me.
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Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves for to take Me? I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple, and ye laid no hold on Me. He had before reproved Peter and the Apostles when they drew their swords; He now reproves still more severely Judas and the Jews who wished to take Him; exhibiting in this way wonderful loftiness, freedom, and calmness of mind. For He said this when He was still free. It was just after He had healed Malchus" ear. Shame on you, He would say, to come and seize Me by night, as a thief! I am no thief, but publicly taught the Jews in the Temple. Why did ye not seize Me then? I know why you seek to take Me, but I know also that ye were afraid to take Me in the Temple on account of the people. Deal with Me now as you please; I surrender Myself willingly; bind Me, scourge Me at your will, &c. This is your hour, and the power of darkness. And ye therefore fittingly come to seize Me by night, because I ...
In that same hour The reason why the Jewish princes did not seize our Lord in the temple, was, because they feared the multitude; on which account Jesus retired, that he might give them an opportunity, both from the circumstances of place and time, to apprehend him: thus shewing us, that without his permission they could not so much as lay a finger upon him. The evangelist informs us in the following verse of the reason of this conduct; that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled. (St. Chrysostom) See Luke xxii. 53.
After this, he solves also the difficulty of why he willed it at this time. “All this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” See how even up to the last hour and in the very act of being betrayed, he did everything he did seeking their amendment and healing, employing prophecy and argument and admonition. Those who take up coercion will perish by their coercion. To show that he is suffering voluntarily, he says, “I was daily with you teaching.” All this was to show his accord with his Father’s will and “that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” But why did they not lay hold on him in the temple? Because they would not have dared to do so in the temple on account of the people. This is why he continued teaching at all times and places, even to the last hour, taking away their excuse. In order to obey the prophets, he gave up even his very life. In no way did he teach contrary to the prophets.“Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.” ...
Then he also adds, “Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.” By this he makes it clear that the seizure was of his permission. He passes over the miracles and mentions only his teaching, that he might not seem to boast. When I taught, you did not seize me. Why now, when I hold my peace, do you come against me? I was in the temple every day, and no one seized me. Now you come to me late and at midnight with swords and staves! What need is there of these weapons? I have been around daily. Thus he was teaching them that unless he had voluntarily yielded, not even then would they have succeeded. Even then those who were holding him with their hands would not succeed in doing so if he were not willing. The Gospel of Matthew, Homily
See how many things He does that might awaken them. He cast them to the ground, He healed the servant's ear, He threatened them with being slain; For they shall perish with the sword, He says, who take the sword. By the healing of the ear, He gave assurance of these things also; from every quarter, both from the things present, and from the things to come, manifesting His power, and showing that it was not a work of their strength to seize Him. Wherefore He also adds, I was daily with you, and sat teaching, and you laid no hold on me; by this also making it manifest, that the seizure was of His permission. He passed over the miracles, and mentions the teaching, that He might not seem to boast.
When I taught, you laid no hold on me; when I held my peace, did ye come against me? I was in the temple, and no one seized me, and now do ye come upon me late and at midnight with swords and staves? What need was there of these weapons against Him, who was with you always? By these things tea...
