The Meaning of Matthew 26:68 Explained

Matthew 26:68

KJV: Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

YLT: saying, 'Declare to us, O Christ, who he is that struck thee?'

Darby: saying, Prophesy to us, Christ, Who is it who struck thee?

ASV: saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ: who is he that struck thee?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Saying,  Prophesy  unto us,  thou Christ,  Who  is he  that smote  thee? 

What does Matthew 26:68 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 26:67-75 - "ashamed Of Jesus!"
What a shameful travesty of justice! When men yield themselves to violence like this, their passion condemns them as perpetrating the devil's work. But in the whirlwind of abuse and horror, the one thing that hurt our Lord was the defection of Peter, Luke 22:61.
It was love that led him to dare to follow to the court. John contrived to get him in, John 18:16. But he stood too near the fire amid that motley group, who were discussing their night adventure. He had been too self-confident, John 13:36; he had not watched unto prayer, Matthew 26:40. The more he cursed and swore, the more he betrayed his Galilean brogue. Ah, the agony that ensued! Did he rush off to Gethsemane, and throw himself on the bent grass, where the form of the Master had so recently lain prostrate? Did his tears mingle with the sweat of blood? But Jesus loved him still, and was preparing a propitiation that would cleanse his sin, as He had already secured that his faith should not fail, Luke 22:32. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 26

1  Jesus foretells his own death
3  The rulers conspire against him
6  The woman anoints his feet
14  Judas bargains to betray him
17  Jesus eats the Passover;
26  institutes his holy supper;
30  foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36  prays in the garden;
47  and being betrayed by a kiss,
57  is carried to Caiaphas,
69  and denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Matthew 26:68

Thou Christ [Χριστε]
With definite sneer at his claims under oath in Matthew 26:63. With uncontrolled glee and abandon like a lot of hoodlums these doctors of divinity insulted Jesus. They actually spat in his face, buffeted him on the neck (εκολαπισαν — ekolaphisan from κολαπος — kolaphos the fist), and struck him in the face with the palms of their hands (εραπισαν — erapisan from ραπις — rapis a rod), all personal indignities after the legal injustice already done. They thus gave vent to their spite and hatred. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 26:68 mean?

saying Prophesy to us Christ who is the [one] having struck You
λέγοντες Προφήτευσον ἡμῖν Χριστέ τίς ἐστιν παίσας σε

λέγοντες  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Προφήτευσον  Prophesy 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: προφητεύω  
Sense: to prophesy, to be a prophet, speak forth by divine inspirations, to predict.
ἡμῖν  to  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
Χριστέ  Christ 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: Χριστός  
Sense: Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
παίσας  having  struck 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: παίω  
Sense: to strike, smite.