It was now two days before the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread, and the High Priests and Scribes were bent on finding how to seize Him by stratagem and put Him to death.
`When you give in charity, never blow a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and streets in order that their praises may be sung by men. I solemnly tell you that they already have their reward.
On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread –the day for killing the Passover lamb– His disciples asked Him, »Where shall we go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?«
Therefore the High Priests and the Pharisees held a meeting of the Sanhedrin. »What steps are we taking?« they asked one another; »for this man is performing a great number of miracles.
Now just before the Feast of the Passover this incident took place. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father; and having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
He had him arrested and lodged in jail, handing him over to the care of sixteen soldiers; and intended after the Passover to bring him out again to the people.