The King Marches Downward to Death and Upward to Victory
A verse-by-verse explanation of the chapter.
An overview of the principles and applications from the chapter.
Melding the chapter to life.
Tying the chapter to life with God.
Historical, geographical, and grammatical enrichment of the commentary.
Suggested step-by-step group study of the chapter.
Zeroing the chapter in on daily life.
Camerado, I give you my hand!
I give you my love more precious than money,
I give you myself before preaching or law;
Will you give me yourself?
Walt Whitman
In his final block of narrative (chaps. 26-27), Matthew presents the Passion. For the fourth time, Jesus predicts his death; but this time he adds that it will be by crucifixion and take place during the Passover celebration. Key themes in chapter 26 are Jesus' final evening with his disciples and the Last Supper, his arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, and his trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate. Many of Matthew's underlying themes converge in this chapter. What is clear is that God is in control of all these events, however tragic they may appear to be.
This is a story about standing strong in spite of betrayal.
More than fifty years ago my mother-in-law stood before the altar and recited her wedding vows. On that beautiful day, she could never have guessed what would ensue. The man she married was not all he made himself out to be.
It was not long before the problems began to surface—loud shouting, hurtful names, physical abuse. Over time, and with four years between, they had two daughters, the first of whom would become my wife. Unfortunately, the two little girls would often have to cower in their bedroom while the ugly shouts of anger and the bumps and thumps of physical abuse filled their home. The walls of the home—with a dent here and a hole there—bore the physical evidence of his violence.
Eventually, the abuse spread to the children. My wife remembers him spinning the cylinder on his gun. His threats to kill them and “spread your blood over the county” sent shudders through their little hearts. They could not fall asleep at night without the fear that he would enter the room.
Ultimately, he moved out, abandoning his family without so much as a dollar of support.
With no man, no marriage, and no childhood for her young daughters, “Mom” could have felt very much the victim. But she refused to look at herself that way. In spite of her being completely betrayed and abused, Mom never lost sight of her commitment to her Lord. Single and pregnant with a third child, Mom carried on. If the kids were going to eat, she would have to work, full-time now. And there was not much available in the little valley where they lived. No matter. It was the right and loyal and godly thing to do.
Yes, Mom was special. And God blessed her faithfulness. All three of her children are effective, responsible adults. Her son is a pastor. Her two daughters married pastors. And her grandchildren are walking with the Lord today. Out of disaster God has built a heritage.
And that is precisely what God is doing in the next two chapters of Matthew. Out of the trauma of betrayal, the humiliation of trial, the pain of beatings, and the terror of crucifixion, Jesus marched with determination toward his Father's intentions. What looked like a terrible trip to death was actually a magnificent climb to the peak of God's intentions. In perfect faithfulness and obedience, Jesus walked down the lonely road toward death, only to emerge on the other side victoriously. He was always a king and never a victim.
The King Marches Downward to Death and Upward to victory
MAIN IDEA: The Messiah, our Sovereign Savior, remains loyal to the end, while others fall away.
The first four chapters of Matthew serve as a narrative introduction to the flow of Matthew's Gospel. Chapters 5-25 trace Jesus' ministry, using the five discourses as organizational structure. Chapters 26-28 serve as a narrative conclusion and as a magnificent climax to the ministry of Messiah. Here Jesus filled out, to the fullest, the role of the sacrificial Son of Abraham.
The King Predicts His Enemies' Plot (26:1-5)SUPPORTING IDEA: Jesus continued in the face of death, letting nothing hinder his obedience to the Father.
Having securely sealed his case for Jesus' identity as the Messiah, Matthew embarked on the final progression of events leading up to the Messiah's victorious death and resurrection. Jesus' prediction (26:1-2) and the Jewish leaders' plotting (26:3-5) are the beginning of the end of his first advent.
26:1-2. The first part of 26:1 (When Jesus had finished saying all these things) is the formula that ends all five of Jesus' discourses in Matthew (cf. 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 23:39), so it serves as the transitional phrase ending the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25).
As you know draws on the disciples' awareness that the Passover was just two days away. Jesus used this event as a reference point for his betrayal and crucifixion. The Passover began at sunset Thursday. Jesus' final triumphant work of his earthly ministry, death for redemption, was only days away.
Jesus' mention of the Passover in connection with his death also served as a statement concerning the significance of his death. As was made clear later (the Lord's Supper, Matt. 26:26-29; cf. 1 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 7-10), Jesus the Messiah is the ultimate Passover sacrifice for the forgiveness of his people's sins (Matt. 1:21; 20:28).
In this prediction, Jesus again used his messianic title the Son of Man. The phrase Will be handed over is in the present tense, possibly indicating that the beginnings of his betrayal were already set in motion. And he stated the exact method of his death—crucifixion. Even though he had told the disciples previously that he would be crucified (20:19), they must have been shocked at the thought of the Christ dying a disgraceful death. Crucifixion was a form of execution reserved only for the worst criminals.
Notice the lack of any mention of his resurrection. This placed the emphasis even more on Jesus' death as the Passover lamb.
26:3-5. The chief priests and the elders of the people were members of the Sanhedrin, and they represented the key leaders of Israel. This was Matthew's first mention of Caiaphas, the high priest, the person with highest human authority in all Israel. His only other appearance in Matthew was when he presided over Jesus' mock trial before the Sanhedrin (26:57-66). This private gathering to plot a sly way to arrest and kill a man who had not yet stood trial was cruel and underhanded.
But as much as they wanted Jesus out of the way, they cautioned one another not to arrest him during the Feast (Passover), lest Jesus' popularity lead to a riot when the people saw their Messiah taken away. During the Passover season, Jerusalem probably swelled to five times its normal population with thousands of pilgrims attending from all over the Mediterranean basin. Any political or religious spark in that crowd could set off a riot.
Jesus—always a king and never a victim—intended to orchestrate the events so he would die at Passover. Jesus' statement in 26:2, followed by the contradictory plotting of 26:3-5, provided a distinct sense of divine sovereignty over the whole affair.
This Jewish plotting provided fertile ground for Judas' approach to the Jewish leaders in 26:14-16.
The King Is Lovingly Prepared for Burial (26:6-13)SUPPORTING IDEA: Loyalty to the Messiah requires extravagant worship, as we give unreservedly of ourselves.
Jesus' anointing by the unnamed woman is enclosed by two brief paragraphs related to the plotting against him (26:3-5,14-16). There are obvious clues within the “anointing” passage which pointed to Jesus' imminent death, but Matthew's placement of the story makes the connection even stronger.
26:6-7. During this week, Jesus was apparently spending the nights with friends in Bethany (21:17). This town was two miles east of Jerusalem, on the ridge of the Mount of Olives. On one of these days, he was at the home of Simon the Leper. Simon must have been one of the hundreds of people whom Jesus had healed during his ministry. Reclining, or sitting on cushions on the floor, was the posture people used for dining. As Jesus rested in this home, an unnamed woman came to him with a valuable gift of perfume. In an act of extravagant worship, she poured it on his head. This “anointing” was an appropriate way to honor the Messiah. It was often done for special guests or rabbinical figures. The anointing oil used on Jesus was very valuable, worth perhaps a year's wages.
26:8-9. Jesus had taught about caring for the poor (25:34-45). Thus, the disciples' indignant reaction to this woman's waste of resources that could have benefited the poor was understandable. But their error lay in their lack of appreciation for who was in their midst. Jesus was the Messiah-King, who alone deserved such extravagant worship.
26:10-13. The disciples apparently scolded the woman and Jesus told them to leave her alone: Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. Such an act of worship would have been inappropriate with others. But not in the case of Jesus, God's Son.
Jesus referred to the short time of his stay on earth. The Messiah should have been the guest of honor, welcomed and respected not only by Israel but by the entire world. He had been on earth a few short years, and he would die in a matter of days. There would always be opportunity to minister to the poor, but the opportunities to minister to the Messiah in the flesh were limited. Timing is always an issue in the spending of kingdom resources.
When a body was prepared for burial, it was wrapped in layers of cloth, with spices and perfumes sprinkled between the layers. Jesus claimed that this woman's anointing was to prepare me for burial, figuratively speaking. Jesus used every opportunity to teach his people.
Solemnly affirming his words with I tell you the truth, Jesus promised that this humble woman's loving gift would become world-renowned. The story of her act of worship would be taught along with the gospel throughout the world … in memory of her.
Imagine a story from your life being translated into every language and then taught as part of Scripture throughout the centuries! This woman had honored Jesus, and he returned honor to her. Such is the blessing of the Messiah upon those who worship him from a true heart.
What honor and blessing awaits you as you begin to give extravagantly of yourself to the king? Compare this gain with what you lose by withholding yourself. We serve a generous king, and he seeks generous worshipers (John 4:24).
The King's Betrayer Is Paid (26:14-16)SUPPORTING IDEA: Disloyalty comes cheaply.
26:14-16. Judas Iscariot had already been introduced in the original listing of the disciples (Matt. 10:4), together with the one notorious act that would forever be associated with his name—his betrayal of Jesus. Matthew's mention of Judas as one of the Twelve was intended to draw a gasp of disbelief from the reader.
Judas knew who to approach, the chief priests, and he knew they wanted Jesus. Judas had watched these leaders suffer humiliation before the people many times, as Jesus defeated them with truth and his authority. Judas asked their price for his help to betray Jesus to them.
The King Communes with Friend and Enemy (26:17-29)SUPPORTING IDEA: Jesus wants us to remember continually his loyal and sacrificial love.
This portion of the narrative includes three brief paragraphs revolving around the Passover meal: Jesus' careful preparation for the meal (26:17-19), his revelation that a betrayer was in their midst (26:20-25), and the institution of the Lord's Supper (26:26-29). This emphasis on the Passover strengthened the symbolism of Jesus as the Passover lamb (cf. 26:2).
26:17-19. The phrase the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (27:17) was another way of referring to the day of the Passover. The feast derived its name from the fact that no yeast was used in the cooking for these meals. This commemorated Israel's hurried departure from Egypt (Exod. 12). They had to leave on such short notice that they did not have time to leaven their bread, so they ate the first Passover meal with unleavened bread. This was some time before sunset on Thursday. Thus, the Passover meal would be eaten at or after sunset that evening, just as Friday began.
At the disciples' inquiry, Jesus directed them to a particular man's home in the city, referring to Jerusalem. The man apparently knew who the Teacher was, and would gladly welcome the Messiah into his home. Jesus' words, My appointed time is near, indicated his awareness of the triumphant completion of his work of suffering, which would begin that night.
The reason Matthew included these details was to show Jesus' careful preparation for this meal. The king himself was making these arrangements.
The lamb was selected, the leaven was burned, and then the lamb was sacrificed and roasted. The whole process was an elaborate ceremony that lasted several days. The order of the meal was a carefully prescribed tradition that had begun nearly fifteen hundred years before. A prayer of thanksgiving was offered over the first of four cups of wine. A preliminary course of bitter herbs was eaten. A ceremonial question was asked and answered about the meaning of the meal. Throughout the meal, at prescribed times, certain parts of the great Jewish Hallel (Pss. 113-118) were sung.
26:20-24. The words evening came refer to the setting of the sun and the beginning of the Passover celebration.
In the middle of the meal, Jesus made a statement that shocked the disciples. Jesus' announcement of a betrayer in their midst met with denial, tinged with self-doubt. They all knew they were weak, but it was hard for them to conceive that they could betray their Lord. Their denials took the form of a question that expected a negative answer: Surely not I, Lord? Matthew noted that they were very sad, a word that amplified their grief to the extreme. The disciples were beside themselves with sorrow. Jesus' response to their denials was an allusion to Psalm 41:9. This psalm of David praised Yahweh for protecting him from the most treacherous of his enemies.
Matthew recorded Jesus' words in 26:23 in such a way that Jesus is seen as emphasizing the travesty of a person who shared his meal serving as his betrayer. Matthew's point was the unimaginable depth of the betrayal, not the identity of the person who betrayed.
In 26:24, Jesus made it clear that, on the one hand, the Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But, on the other hand, woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! The Messiah-King's death as the sacrificial Son of Abraham must take place. But this did not relieve the betrayer of his guilt. God's sovereignty does not remove human responsibility. Even though the outcome would be the salvation of all who would believe, it would be better for the betrayer if he had not been born—so severe would be his judgment.
26:25. Judas joined the chorus of denials, hoping that Jesus' answer to his Surely not I, Rabbi? would be “No, of course not.” This would indicate that Jesus did not know of Judas's plans. But Jesus' response took Judas's question and turned it into a confession: Yes, it is you.
Judas's use of the respectful Rabbi was a smokescreen that hid his disrespect for Jesus. Judas was just like the hypocrites who built Jesus up with false compliments even as they were trying to take him down.
26:26. John was the only gospel writer who recorded Judas's departure from the meal (John 13:30). Apparently Judas's presence at the Lord's Supper was not an important detail to Matthew. He wanted to focus our attention on the Supper.
Jesus' comment, Take and eat; this is my body, must have caused a stir among the disciples. Matthew did not record Jesus' further elaboration on the significance of the bread, but the symbolism of sacrificial provision was unmistakable. This new rite had direct links with all of redemption history. Just as Israel's deliverance from bondage in Egypt was remembered in the Passover, so all of Messiah's people were to remember his death in this communion ordinance.
26:27-29. At one point in the meal, Jesus took the cup of wine, again gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples, commanding them, Drink from it, all of you. On this occasion, Jesus shocked the disciples by breaking the order of the centuries-long liturgy and offering the cup of his own blood. Thus, Jesus rendered the earlier Passover ceremonial meals obsolete and introduced a brand-new ceremony, the communion. But his further explanation must have surprised them: This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (27:28). The disciples had witnessed the pouring of an animal's blood on the temple altar as the required Mosaic sacrifice for the sins of Israel (e.g., Lev. 4:7,18,25,30,34). But Jesus introduced something new to their understanding. It would no longer be an animal's blood that would cover sins, but his blood—the blood of the Messiah-King. The blood of animals sealed the old covenant between Yahweh and his people (Exod. 24:8; Zech. 9:11). The blood of the Messiah would seal the new covenant (Matt. 1:1-17,21; Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-27; Heb. 7-10).
Jesus concluded the institution of the ordinance with a solemn affirmation (I tell you), vowing not to celebrate this symbolic meal until the eschatological feast with you in my Father's kingdom (26:29). This verse anticipates Christ's future reign on the throne of David. We are commanded to celebrate this meal regularly on earth to remember what Jesus has done for us. But he will take part in it again when he can celebrate the final reunion with all his people. This reality emphasizes the symbolism of unity when we celebrate communion together as members of his body.
We feel this same sense of anticipation as we wait for our adult children to arrive “home for the holidays.” We can imagine the heart of the king waiting for the ingathering of his entire family before participating again in the meal himself. It has been anticipated nearly two thousand years now by our reckoning. Imagine how long it has been in the reckoning of the Father's heart! What a grand family meal it will be!
The King Predicts Abandonment by His Best Friends (26:30-35)SUPPORTING IDEA: We must not underestimate our own ability to betray Jesus.
Judas's treachery had already been revealed. But Jesus then told the remaining eleven disciples that they would also become disloyal, though not to the point of betraying him to his enemies. Jesus' careful delineation of these events was one more indication that he was not a blind victim. His was a sovereign and voluntary sacrifice.
26:30-32. Jesus and his disciples sang the last of the Hallel (probably Pss. 115-118). When Jesus and the eleven were finished with the meal, they went out of Jerusalem to the Mount of Olives. This path was familiar, as they seemed to have spent the nights of this week with friends in Bethany, on the other side of the Mount. But this time Jesus stopped on the Mount, not continuing to climb on toward Bethany.
Despite all Jesus' warnings and predictions, the disciples still did not understand what the next twenty-four hours held for them or their master. Jesus told the eleven that all of them would fall away. The reason would be on account of me—because of their association with him and the danger that would befall them. This very night is emphatic. There was no doubt, and their failure would come sooner than they realized.
Jesus explained that their abandonment would be a fulfillment of Zechariah 13:7. Jesus was foretelling the suffering he was about to undergo. While he remained faithful and endured, his disciples, like shepherdless sheep, would be scattered in fear.
The word But introduces the contrasting note of hope (26:32). Jesus once again foretold his resurrection, adding for the first time a glimpse into the days after he would be raised. I will go ahead of you into Galilee suggested that they were to meet him there after his resurrection. Of course, the disciples did not know enough at the time of Jesus' death to go on to Galilee. In fact, the Lord did not want them to go before they had proof of his resurrection—the empty tomb. At that time he would remind them of his instructions (28:7,10).
After spending most of three years in the Galilean ministry, there was a warm ring of familiarity to the name Galilee, almost as though they would be going home for a final meeting before his ascension. The Messiah spent most of his ministry out of the spotlight in the geographical backwater, emerging into the spotlight only when the time was right and only when he would accomplish his greatest work. His short postresurrection period on earth would also be spent out of the spotlight. His last appearances would be reserved primarily for those who were already his followers.
26:33-35. Each of the eleven disciples felt as strongly as Peter, and they told Jesus so (26:35). But it was Peter, their spokesman, whose verbal contradiction of Jesus' prediction was recorded by Matthew. Peter took his promise of loyalty to great heights; he would stand by Jesus even if he had to do it alone (even if all fall away … I never will).
We can read sorrow, and possibly affection, into Jesus' words, as he solemnly affirmed to Peter: I tell you the truth, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.
Peter was within a few hours of this denial. Not only would Peter not stand by Jesus, but he would go so far as to disown him three times before morning. The disciples expected to get at least a little sleep before morning (Passover was customarily a late night observance for most people). This cut down even further the likelihood that Peter would have the opportunity to deny Jesus three times during that time.
All of the eleven affirmed that they would go to their deaths with Jesus before denying him. The disciples recognized that Jesus faced danger, though they still did not understand that it was almost upon them, and they promised to face it with him. The linguistic construction of Peter's protest indicates he could not imagine Jesus was actually going to die.
The King Finds Comfort with His Father (26:36-46)SUPPORTING IDEA: The only way we can remain loyal in spite of our weakness is to stay alert to danger and to depend continually on God through prayer.
Four truths stand out in the Gethsemane passage. First, the disciples continued to fail to understand the danger that awaited them that night. Second, Jesus was alone in his anxiety and grief, since the disciples kept falling asleep on him. Third, Jesus was fully human, longing for the emotional support from his friends. Fourth, Jesus remained loyal to his Father's will, in spite of his knowledge that he was about to endure the agony of crucifixion. In his death on the cross, he was to endure unthinkable separation from his Father. Jesus' death was like no other death, heroic or otherwise. This was not martyrdom. This was self-sacrifice.
26:36-38. The place called Gethsemane, on the west slope of the Mount of Olives, faced Jerusalem. The name means “olive press,” so it may have been an olive grove with its own press. Jesus left eight disciples in one place, while he and his inner circle of disciples—Peter, James, and John—went a little further for the purpose of prayer. Knowing the physical, emotional, and spiritual torture he was about to bear, Jesus began to be sorrowful and troubled. Matthew used these words to communicate the extreme emotional distress Jesus experienced.
Jesus' own words further explained his emotional state: My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (cf. Ps. 42:5-6,11; 43:5). Jesus was on the verge of dying from a broken heart, so extreme was his emotional distress. In deep sorrow, the Messiah-King instructed his three closest friends to stay near and keep watch with him, probably to support him through their own prayers. He—fully God—put his own emotional well-being in the hands of his creatures!
26:39. Then, moving just a little further on, the king fell with his face to the ground—a posture communicating desperate entreaty—and prayed to his Father. He prayed if it is possible, knowing that his request could not be granted if he were to remain obedient. But Jesus' model is a comfort to us. We need to pour out our hearts honestly to God (Ps. 62:8), even if we know our deepest “want” is not what he will grant. God desires us to be able to come to him feeling the safety of total honesty. He is competent to handle the cries of our souls.
Jesus' request to be spared suffering and death was the desperate cry of a Son's heart to his Father. And his Father accepted it, as a loving Father—but without granting it. And the Son accepted his Father's love, but without receiving his specific request. A Son's loving request and a Father's loving wisdom; let this be a model for our own prayerful exchanges with the Father.
This cup refers not only to Christ's suffering and death (Isa. 51:22; Jer. 25:15-16; Ezek. 23:31-34) but even more uniquely to the Father's wrath upon sin. It was an anticipation of Matthew 27:46 and the Father's turning his back on him. Jesus' extreme grief was rooted in the fact that he was about to become the object of his Father's wrath—an experience that many people on earth will encounter in eternity, but which no one but the Son of God could possibly anticipate ahead of time.
The Father's holy wrath was about to crush the Son (see Isa. 53:10), when the Son had done nothing to offend him. Here Jesus was facing more than humiliation, torture, and physical death. He was about to enter hell. We can only begin to imagine how fearful this prospect was to him. He and the Father had always been one. No wonder he cried out in desperation!
But we are not to confuse Jesus' honest expression of desire with a willful decision to disobey. In the same breath, Jesus continued, Yet not as I will, but as you will. As always, the Son remained thoroughly submissive to his Father. There was no other way to fulfill the eternal plan that the Father, Son, and Spirit had foreordained from eternity His mission was to defeat the adversary by restoring the kingdom and to redeem a rebellious people.
26:40-41. Returning to the three disciples, Jesus found them sleeping. He rebuked Peter on behalf of the others, using plural verbs throughout verses 40-41. His question did not expect an answer: Could you men not keep watch with me for one hour? The disciples' sleeping showed that they were unaware of the spiritual danger and that their guard was down. This time when Jesus commanded them to watch and pray, he was referring to more than staying awake physically They were on the verge of entering into the temptation to deny and abandon him, and they needed God's help to stand fast.
Jesus acknowledged their uninformed willingness to remain loyal when he said, The spirit is willing. But they were unaware of how weak their flesh was. Without prayerful dependence on God and continual spiritual watchfulness, the flesh would win at the first moment of weakness.
26:42-44. Then Jesus left them to pray again to his Father. This time the words Matthew recorded demonstrate less distress and even greater resolve to obey. The wording of may your will be done is a more complete thought than the fragmented wording of the prayer in 26:39.
After some time, Jesus again returned to the three. But again they were sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. Matthew acknowledged their human limitations, even as Jesus seemed to do by his decision not to rebuke them the second time. Still with a heavy heart, the Son sought the companionship of the Father a third time, not having found it in his disciples.
26:45-46. For the third time Jesus returned to his disciples. The hour is near, he declared. There was no longer any time for sleeping or prayer. He awoke them with a rebuke that might be taken as a question: Are you still sleeping and resting? Jesus was not satisfied with their faithfulness.
Jesus' word Look may have drawn the disciples' attention to the sound of the approaching crowd, or perhaps to the light of their torches. The time he had been warning them about—the time for action, the time when the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners—had arrived. Sinners refers to those who had rejected his authority as Messiah and who were about to arrest, try, and execute him as a common criminal.
With the moment of crisis at hand, Jesus spurred his disciples to action: Rise, let us go. Again he drew their attention to the reality around them—to the approaching crowd, led by Judas Iscariot. Things were now moving too quickly for the disciples. Thanks to his time of watchful prayer, the Messiah-King was ready for what lay ahead. Most people would have taken this opportunity to escape, but his purpose did not lie in escape. Jesus went boldly to meet his enemies.
The King Has Them Right Where They Want Him (26:47-56)SUPPORTING IDEA: Loyal obedience sometimes means exercising the strength to do the difficult thing.
26:47. Jesus' enemies arrived while he was still speaking. Matthew again referred to Judas as one of the Twelve, to draw attention to the irony that one of Jesus' closest associates would be turning on him. He came leading a large crowd armed with swords and clubs. Perhaps they thought they would have to overpower an armed revolutionary. If any of the chief priests and the elders of the people were among this crowd, they must have been few in numbers. This was consistent with their desire to exercise caution about incurring popular disapproval (26:5). Instead, these armed guards were sent from the Jewish leaders to do their dirty work for them.
This was an unexpected opportunity for the Jewish leaders. Because Jesus was usually surrounded by a crowd, they did not expect to have an opportunity to apprehend him until after the Passover festival (26:5). But Jesus deliberately chose to come out to Gethsemane with his disciples. This created the opportunity for his enemies to arrest him. The king was sovereign even over the timing of his arrest.
26:48-50. Judas had arranged a sign with Jesus' enemies, hoping to identify Jesus in the darkness. The signal was to be a kiss, a customary greeting between members of the same sex in that culture. Judas at once went to Jesus with a greeting and a kiss.
Judas could not have expected Jesus not to know what he was doing. But the eleven were unaware of Judas's treachery, and perhaps he could fool them. Judas, however, was the fool. Before the men seized him, Jesus declared, Friend (referring sorrowfully to the friendship that had been betrayed), do what you came for.
26:51-54. The phrase with that was intended to draw surprise from the reader at the next step of narrative action. One of Jesus' companions was (according to John 18:10) none other than Peter. But we should not make much of this knowledge of the identity of the sword-wielder, since Matthew (as well as Mark and Luke) chose not to include it.
This rash disciple struck out in an effort to defend his master. He cut off the ear of the high priest's servant, although he was probably aiming for the man's neck. Matthew's point was to show that the eleven were apparently ready to fight to the death. But they were not ready to see the king give in meekly to what must have seemed like disappointing defeat to them.
Jesus rebuked the sword-bearing disciple, telling him to put his sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword (26:52). Jesus would provide the disciples with more effective weapons, suited to a different type of battle, to win a victory much greater than a military triumph. He wanted them alive to carry on the spiritual battle until the gospel of the kingdom was preached to all peoples of the world (24:14).
Jesus further explained why such retaliation was inappropriate. He had the power to end this fiasco any time he wished (26:53). He did not need others to defend him. He expressed continued submission to my Father, through whom he could request an angelic army. But, at the same time, he asserted that if he were to make such a request, the Father would grant it at once.
A legion consisted of six thousand soldiers. So the number Jesus used (twelve legions) was equivalent to an army of 72,000 angels. Because a single angel was capable of defeating an entire army (e.g., 2 Kgs. 19:35), Jesus had at his disposal an infinitely larger power than was needed to handle the mob. This was not the time for a fight. God's perfect plan would be carried out this night.
Finally (26:54), Jesus reminded the disciples that there was a purpose to all that was happening. He was not struggling to escape, because he was here to fulfill the Father's eternal purpose. This had been revealed centuries before through the Scriptures… that say it must happen in this way.
26:55-56. Turning from his confused disciples, Jesus addressed his captors, shaming those who had come in treachery and deceit to arrest an innocent man. They had had many opportunities to arrest him in the temple. He had been there teaching regularly. Jesus confronted their true motives by demonstrating that it was these hypocrites who had much to hide, coming out to this lonely place to capture him in the middle of the night, with swords and clubs. This was inappropriate and unnecessary. It was by his design that they were here to arrest him, and it was his plan to go with them to trial and to the cross.
Jesus had planned this event from eternity past and had written about it through the writings of the prophets (Isa. 53; Zech. 12-13; cf. Matt. 26:54). And now it was being fulfilled exactly as he had planned (26:56).
This was the last response the disciples expected from the king. They had watched him heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. They had seen him calm the sea and walk on water. Before their eyes he had provided food for thousands. And he had put the hypocritical leaders in their place, embarrassing them time after time. Why now was he so easily “giving in”? What happened to the authority he had displayed?
In their perplexity and confusion, the disciples deserted him and fled. In fulfillment of Jesus' prediction (26:31-32), these men lost their nerve. They relied on human courage rather than spiritual preparation. Their downfall was their failure to follow Jesus' advice to keep watch and remain dependent on God in prayer (26:41; cf. 24:42). They had been so distracted by their own preconceived ideas that they did not recognize Jesus' exercise of authentic authority when they saw it. Neither did they recognize that the path to victory was through the valley of sacrifice (16:24-28).
Now the king was alone, and he would face the rest of his passion without a single human companion at his side. Even his communion with the Father would soon be severed. He was beginning the bleakest season of his existence. Yet, the king was still in control, marching victoriously downward to death.
The King Is Found Guilty of Speaking the Truth (26:57-68)SUPPORTING IDEA: Sometimes loyal obedience involves silence; sometimes it involves speaking the truth.
26:57-58. The temple guards took Jesus into Jerusalem to face Caiaphas, the high priest, and the rest of the Sanhedrin (the teachers of the law and the elders). They had assembled in the middle of the night, in the home of the high priest. This was not their normal gathering place. They were meeting illegally, plotting a murder without a trial, and doing it during a special feast—all of which were against pharisaical laws.
While this was happening, Peter was attempting to redeem himself and keep what remained of his promise to stand by Jesus even to death (26:33,35). He followed Jesus at a distance, committed enough to trespass on the high priest's property, but not wanting to be discovered. To Peter's credit, he risked coming into the high priest's courtyard (an unroofed, open space surrounded by the buildings) and sat down with the guards (those who served the Sanhedrin). He pretended that he belonged there. He wanted to see the outcome (what would happen to Jesus). He may have been waiting for Jesus to exert himself in miraculous military power.
26:59-62. The key leaders of Israel under the high priest and the leaders of the Sanhedrin were running the show, with Caiaphas supervising and stepping in at key points. Participating in this kangaroo court was the whole Sanhedrin.
Together they were looking for false evidence against Jesus. This was a violation of the ninth commandment, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exod. 20:16). Matthew used the imperfect tense of “seek” (were looking) along with 26:60. They kept on trying to bring forward many false witnesses. But they did not find any testimony they could make stick.
Finally implied that they had tried for some time to make a convincing case, but Jesus had broken no laws. They began to achieve some degree of success when they found two witnesses who agreed that Jesus had made a statement that could be misconstrued as blasphemy against the temple.
They quoted him as saying, I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days. But Jesus never actually said those words. This accusation would return in mockery on the lips of those who watched Jesus die (27:40). Years later, this same accusation would be used against Stephen (Acts 6:14).
These false witnesses attempted to convict Jesus of a capital crime—one worthy of the death sentence. If justice was done and the false witnesses were shown to be liars, each of them should have received the death penalty under Jewish law (Deut. 19:16-21). However, these false witnesses felt safe. The men with the authority to convict them of false testimony were the ones who wanted them to give false testimony.
26:63-64. But Jesus remained silent, in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7. Just as no sign would change the hardened hearts of the hypocrites in Matthew 12:38-45 and 16:1-4, so no answer would change their opinion of Jesus. In fact, by remaining silent, Jesus allowed them to convict themselves—by their persistent efforts to find some shred of evidence against him.
When Jesus refused to answer and the attempts of the chief priests failed to convict Jesus, Caiaphas took the lead. I charge you under oath by the living God was the priest's trump card. According to Jewish law, the priest had the authority to force a person to testify. If Jesus remained silent, he would violate the law. His decision to answer showed his respect for civil law and authority. His answer also showed that the time was right, in his sovereign plan, to speak and so move one more step closer to the cross.
The question Jesus was charged to answer was, Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus had already answered that question many times for all who were willing to hear. And he had backed up his claim with authoritative words and miracles. But given the stubborn refusal of the Sanhedrin to accept him as the Messiah, his admission to being the Messiah would be blasphemy.
The time was right. And the question was right. It was the heart of the one asking that was wrong. Jesus spoke. Jesus' answer was Yes. But he added wording (as with Judas in 26:25) that made the high priest's own words the answer to his own question: it is as you say.
Jesus turned to address the entire Sanhedrin. In the future looked ahead to the day when he would be the judge and all of them would stand trial before him. Jesus stated that they would see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One. God's right hand is the position of authority and honor.
Then Jesus quoted the key messianic “Son of Man” passage (Dan. 7:13). Jesus affirmed his identity with authority—both in the boldness with which he spoke and with the authority of the Scriptures to back up his claim.
26:65-66. This affirmation was what they had been looking for. The high priest tore his clothes as a sign of revulsion and moral indignation at Jesus' blasphemy. Jewish law considered blasphemy a terrible sin, worthy of death (Lev. 24:16). But the Messiah had not blasphemed. He had the right to claim to be himself.
There was no more need for witnesses, since the entire Sanhedrin had now witnessed Jesus committing the “crime” of blasphemy. Caiaphas asked for their verdict: What do you think? They answered immediately, He is worthy of death. With that, as far as Jewish authority was concerned, the Messiah's sentence was pronounced.
26:67-68. The job was not yet finished. Now the Jewish leaders had to convince the Roman authorities that Jesus deserved death under Roman law. Now that Jesus was convicted under Jewish law, the hypocrites allowed themselves to gloat over their victim. Their abuse and mockery further deepened their own guilt. Spitting in a person's face was one of the deepest insults possible. It was also against Jewish law. They struck him with their fists and slapped him. Only Mark 14:65 and Luke 22:64 recorded that Jesus was blindfolded, but Matthew implied it, for he recorded the leaders' mocking challenge, Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit you?
SUPPORTING IDEA: Disloyalty can catch us unaware. Stay alert and pray!
26:69-70. Meanwhile, Peter sat in the courtyard. Jesus and his disciples had been a public spectacle all week, and it would not have been unusual for someone in the courtyard to recognize Peter from the crowded temple gatherings. A servant girl came to Peter and challenged him, You also were with Jesus of Galilee. The addition of Jesus' place of origin, Galilee, was probably intended as an insult.
But Peter denied his association with Jesus. In fact, he pleaded ignorance about the whole matter: I don't know what you're talking about. His denial was directed toward all who might have heard the girl's challenge (before them all). This may imply that more than the servant girl were questioning him.
26:71-72. Peter evidently became uncomfortable under the scrutiny of those who had just challenged him, so he moved to a different location: out to the gateway of the enclosed courtyard. He still wanted to find out what happened to Jesus, but he hoped not to attract any more attention. Another girl saw him there and recognized him. Rather than addressing Peter directly, she spoke to the other people in Peter's hearing, possibly trying to get someone to investigate and detain Peter.
A second time Peter denied his relationship with Jesus, this time with an oath. An oath in Jewish culture made God a party to the assertion, calling down the judgment of God if the words spoken were false. This was an ultimate oath of denial. Peter invited God's curse on himself if he was not telling the truth when he said, I don't know the man!
26:73-75. Some of the same people came to Peter again and said to him with greater certainty, Surely you are one of them, meaning one of Jesus' disciples. Although Peter had said very little, they picked up on his northern accent: for your accent gives you away.
Things were getting tense for Peter. They were on to him now, and any minute they might act on their suspicions and arrest him. In an attempt to convince them once and for all, Peter began to call down curses on himself. He swore to them, repeating the words of his second denial, this time with even more force: I don't know the man!
Immediately a rooster crowed. This reminded Peter of Jesus' prediction that he would deny his master three times before a rooster crowed (26:34). It was his deep sorrow at betraying his master, more than fear, that caused Peter to flee from the courtyard, weeping bitterly. All of this probably happened well before dawn.
Peter had been so sure of himself and his loyalty (26:33,35), but he failed to recognize the weakness of the flesh. He did not depend on God for strength and wisdom (26:41). We would do well to heed Peter's example, becoming less confident in ourselves and more dependent on God. It is the most basic and the most difficult lessons to learn in Christian living.
MAIN IDEA REVIEW: The Messiah, our Sovereign Savior, remains loyal to the end, while others fall away.
No matter how strong our intentions, we are susceptible to becoming disloyal to our king. Undivided loyalty requires a recognition of our own weakness, a constant awareness of possible danger, and continual dependence on God through prayer.
PRINCIPLES
APPLICATIONS
When we press the buttons of a remote control unit, whether aimed at a video recorder, CD player, or television, we are never surprised that the commands we give our entertainment centers work every time. Why? We know they are programmed to function certain ways.
The transmitter unit (hand-held remote control unit) and the receiver unit work together as a single unit. The encoder microchip in your hand sends a series of electrical impulses in binary code that the decoder microchip in the VCR or TV receives and translates. They are completely in sync with each other. The result is that we can, with a single finger action, remain in our overstuffed chairs with full confidence that our machines will obey our every command.
When it comes to people being in sync with each other, however, they are nothing like machines. With machines, it's easy—it's a matter of programming them to obey certain guidelines and laws. They do not exercise options. With people, it's difficult—it is a matter of choices and obedience to authority.
As we read Matthew 26, we see the Father and the Son in complete synchronization with each other in terms of mission and will. The Son was in loyal obedience to the Father to the end. While those around him were succumbing to the pressure and abandoning him, Jesus remained committed to his mission.
There is a lesson here for us. God can use even the most tragic circumstances to accomplish his sovereign purposes. Whatever your burden or circumstances, feed on God's Word. Stay in sync with his revealed will and follow the leading of his Holy Spirit. Resolve to follow our Lord's example and obediently stay the course.
Loving Father, I realize I am just as capable as Peter of denying you. Lead me to lean on you and your power—not on my own human strength—as I seek to be a loyal servant in your kingdom. Amen.
A. Judas' Betrayal of Jesus
Thirty pieces of silver was an average price paid to compensate for a dead slave (Exod. 21:32). Much of the prophetic imagery of Zechariah 11:12-13 is found here and later in this narrative (Matt. 27:3-10). The sinister agreement was sealed. From that point on, Judas's job was to watch for an opportunity to hand … over the Messiah to the religious leaders. Like a fool, Judas had betrayed himself. The old English couplet says it well: “Still, as of old, man by himself is priced; for thirty pieces, Judas sold himself, not Christ.”
Why did Judas betray Jesus? Money may have been one reason, but this was probably not the main one, considering the small payoff. He may also have feared for his own safety as the Jewish leaders became more threatening toward Jesus. Perhaps he was disillusioned, along with most of the Jewish population, with the way the Messiah was conducting himself. They expected a powerful military leader to oust the oppressive Romans, and Jesus came as a spiritual Messiah.
B. The Blood
The blood was thought to carry the life of the animal, which belonged to God as the redemption price for the life of the human sinner—a life for a life (Lev. 17:10-14). The symbolism of Jesus' exchange of his life blood for our lives, requiring our voluntary acceptance of his sacrifice for us (symbolized by our drinking it), seems obvious to us today. But the idea was shocking to the disciples. They obeyed out of loyalty rather than understanding. Only later would the significance of Jesus' instructions become clear (1 Cor. 11:17-34).
C. “My God, My God”
In his prayer, Jesus displayed the same pattern that his forefather David often used. We see in many of the psalms honest expressions of anger, grief, and feelings of abandonment from David's heart (e.g., Pss. 22; 60). But these outcries were honest expressions of what was happening inside the man. By the end of the psalm, David was confident in the Lord's faithful presence, ready to move on in obedience. The release of prayer is critical for all of us, especially when we are experiencing extreme emotions. Honest prayer gives the Holy Spirit an opportunity to bring us back into touch with reality, equipping us for further obedience.
D. The Structure of Matthew 26-27
This two-chapter narrative drama, known as the passion narrative, is a single unit. It consists of these sections: (1) events leading up to Jesus' arrest, including his final evening with his disciples (26:1-46); (2) Jesus' arrest and trials before the Sanhedrin and Pilate (26:47-27:26); and (3) Jesus' suffering, death, and burial (27:27-66).
Of course, the Messiah's death is of critical significance, but the true climax of Matthew's Gospel comes with his victorious resurrection in Matthew 28. It is the Messiah's final and greatest miracle, closing Matthew's case for Jesus' identity. The drama of Matthew 26-27 builds toward this conclusion.
Keep in mind that the chapter divisions of the Bible were not inspired by God as is the Scripture itself. It would probably have been more reflective of Matthew's narrative development to make three chapters out of Matthew 26-27, according to the outline given above. One unfortunate result of the division as it stands is that the second of the three narrative portions is divided down the middle. The flow of Jesus' trials is broken. Do your best to maintain Matthew's flow of thought from this chapter to the next.
E. The Crisis and the Sovereign King
One key theme in the passion is that even as Jesus goes to the cross as the sacrificial Son of Abraham, he is still the sovereign Son of David, the king. He is betrayed and arrested, tried and convicted, crucified and buried, all because they are according to his agenda. This is demonstrated by the number of fulfillment passages and Old Testament allusions throughout the narrative. It is also shown by his conduct—steady movement toward the cross, even when he could have chosen a different course—and by his words.
F. Summary
The entire book has been building to the narrative of Matthew 26-28. In Matthew 1-25, Matthew established Jesus' identity and authority. He laid the groundwork for the fledgling church. And he shed light on Jesus' purpose in coming to earth.
In Matthew 26, Jesus' identity is the key question. His opponents refuse to accept him as the Messiah, which is the basis for their pressing for his death. It is only by his sovereign authority, as demonstrated in Matthew 26, that he progresses toward the cross at Passover and the completion of God's plan to restore the kingdom and redeem a people. It is through his death that he will make the church possible.
A. INTRODUCTION
C. CONCLUSION
