Definition: 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.

Explanation: Okay, let's break down this verse from Matthew 26:55. It’s a really important and somewhat dramatic passage about Jesus’s plan for his upcoming death. Here’s what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: Jesus is telling the disciples (his followers) that they’ve been deliberately trying to provoke him, almost like he was being targeted by someone who was stealing from him. He’s saying, "You're attacking me! You’re trying to take me away from you." Let’s unpack it piece by piece: “In that same hour…” : This means right now . It’s a very specific moment. “…said Jesus to the multitudes…” : Jesus is speaking to his followers – the people he was with. “…Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me?” : This is the core of it. He's asking, "You are actively trying to harm me? Are you attacking me like someone would attack a thief?" He’s pointing out their behavior – they’re acting aggressively and deliberately against him. “I sat daily with you teaching in the temple…” : This tells us Jesus was already teaching and leading people in the temple, which was a very important place for religious gatherings. “…and ye laid no hold on me.” : This is the crucial part. He says that they didn’t really connect with him or care about what he was doing. They weren't offering him support or helping him. They were focused on something else – perhaps a disagreement, a problem, or just being busy. "I laid no hold on me" means they didn't truly understand the importance of his teachings or his purpose. What’s the message? Jesus is expressing frustration and disappointment with this group of people. He’s feeling like they weren’t following him fully, that they weren’t valuing him as much as he valued them. It's a moment where he felt rejected and perhaps a little hurt. Important Note: This verse isn't about Jesus being angry at them . It’s about the disciples’ behavior – their actions were disruptive and disrespectful. It’s a reminder to be mindful of our thoughts and actions, especially when we are with someone important. --- Do you want me to: Explain another part of this verse? Give some context about why this passage is significant in the Bible? Discuss what Jesus might have been feeling at that moment?