Mat 26:14-15 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 14. Then one of the twelve , etc. Luke says that Satan entered into Judas. That is, Satan tempted or instigated him to do it. Probably he tempted Judas by appealing to his avarice, his ruling passion, and by suggesting that now was a favourable opportunity to make money rapidly, by selling his Lord. Judas Iscariot . . Unto the Chief Priests . The high priest, and those who had been high priests. The ruling men of the sanhedrim. Luke adds, that he went also to the captains , ( .) It was necessary, on account of the great wealth deposited there, and its great sacredness, to guard the temple by night. Accordingly, men were stationed around it, whose leaders or commanders were caned captains, . These men were commonly of the tribe of the Levites, were closely connected with the priests, were men of influence; and Judas went to them, therefore, as well as to the priests, to offer himself as a traitor. Probably his object was to get as much money as possible; and he might therefore have attempted to make a bargain with several of them apart from each other. (w) "of the twelve"

Matthew 26:14-15

Verse 14. Then one of the twelve, etc. Luke says that Satan entered into Judas. That is, Satan tempted or instigated him to do it. Probably he tempted Judas by appealing to his avarice, his ruling passion, and by suggesting that now was a favourable opportunity to make money rapidly, by selling his Lord.

Judas Iscariot. Mt 10:4.

Unto the Chief Priests. The high priest, and those who had been high priests. The ruling men of the sanhedrim. Luke adds, that he went also to the captains, (Mt 22:4.) It was necessary, on account of the great wealth deposited there, and its great sacredness, to guard the temple by night. Accordingly, men were stationed around it, whose leaders or commanders were caned captains, Acts 4:1. These men were commonly of the tribe of the Levites, were closely connected with the priests, were men of influence; and Judas went to them, therefore, as well as to the priests, to offer himself as a traitor. Probably his object was to get as much money as possible; and he might therefore have attempted to make a bargain with several of them apart from each other.

(w) "of the twelve" Mt 10:4 Verse 15. And they covenanted with him. Made a bargain with him. Agreed to give him. Mark says they promised to give him money. They did not pay it to him then, lest he should deceive them. When the deed was done, and before he was made sensible of its guilt, they paid him. See Mt 27:3, Acts 1:18.

Thirty pieces of silver. Mark and Luke do not mention the sum. They say that they promised him money--in the original, silver. In Matthew, in the original, it is thirty silvers, or silverlings. This was the price of a slave. See Ex 21:32. And it is not unlikely that this sum was fixed on by them to show their contempt of Jesus, and that they regarded him as of little value. There is no doubt, also, that they understood that such was the anxiety of Judas to obtain money, that he would betray his Lord for any sum. The money usually denoted by pieces of silver, when the precise sum is not mentioned, is a shekel --a silver Jewish coin, amounting to about fifty cents, [or 2s. 3d.] The whole sum, therefore, for which Judas committed this crime, was fifteen dollars, [or 3l 7s. 6d.]

(x) "covenanted" Zech 11:12,13, Mt 27:3