Matthew 26:67

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him

Matthew 26:67 in Other Translations

67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him,

67 Then they began to spit in Jesus’ face and beat him with their fists. And some slapped him,

67 Then they were spitting in his face and banging him around. They jeered as they slapped him:

67 Then they spit in His face and beat Him; others slapped Him

Matthew 26:67 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 26:67

Then did they spit in his face
Not the judges, the members of the sanhedrim, but the servants of the high priest, and the officers that had Jesus in hold, and were the guard upon him; see ( Luke 22:63 ) , who seeing him condemned as guilty of death, thought they might insult him at pleasure, and use him in the most indecent and barbarous manner; and therefore, in a way of contempt, spit in his face; than which nothing was more reproachful and disgraceful: the Jews ^F24 say, that he that spits before, or in the presence of his master, is guilty of death, so nauseous and filthy was it accounted; and how much more must it be so, to spit in the face of anyone? hereby a prophecy was fulfilled, ( Isaiah 50:6 ) , "I hid not my face from shame and spitting": and hereby, together with his sweat and blood, his visage was more marred than any man's, and his form than the sons of men:

and buffeted him;
cuffed, or boxed him with their double fists:

and others smote him, with the palms of their hands;
gave him many a slap on the face with their open hands, or struck him on the face with rods, as the word will bear to be rendered: they rapped him with the wands they had in their hands, and struck him on the head with the rods or staves they had with them; whereby was accomplished the prophecy, in ( Micah 5:1 ) , "they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek". This was very injurious treatment, the Jews themselves being witnesses; who have in their canons enjoined {y}, that

``if a man strikes his neighbour with his double fist, he must give him a shekel; R. Judah says, on account of R. Jose the Galilean, a pound: if he gives him a slap of the face, he must pay him two hundred zuzims, or pence; and if with the back of his hand (which was accounted ^F26 the more ignominious) four hundred zuzims: if he plucked him by his ear, or plucked off his hair, or spit, so as that the spittle came upon him, or took away his cloak--he must pay four hundred zuzims, and all according to his honour or dignity.''

All these indignities were done to Christ; see ( Isaiah 50:6 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 99. 1.
F25 Misn. Bava Kama, c. 8. sect. 6.
F26 Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

Matthew 26:67 In-Context

65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy.

66 What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered.

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him

68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

Cross References

• 1. S Matthew 16:21; Matthew 27:30