Word of Jesus Part 23
Mat 26:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he
said unto his disciples,
Mat 26:2 Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son
of man is betrayed to be crucified.
Our wonderful compassionate Jesus again prepared His disciples of what was to
come. It didn't really register in their minds until after the event occurred but
they were told of events shortly to come to past. Perhaps they were blinded on
purpose so that they would not attempt to prevent the death of Christ.
Mat 26:3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the
elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called
Caiaphas,
Mat 26:4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.
Mat 26:5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the
people.
Mat 26:6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
Mat 26:7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious
ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
Mat 26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what
purpose is this waste?
Mat 26:9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
Mat 26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman?
for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
Mat 26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
Until the Second coming of Jesus Christ when He sets up a kingdom in which there
will be no poor, the poor is always among us. While we should try to stamp out
poverty, we will not be able to do it. The poor just might be among us to see
how we treat them. God sees every time we pass by on the other side and avoid
the poor, disabled and hurting. It is wonderful to praise and worship God in our
church services. That should increase as evil days approach us but we must not
be guilty only outward worship. if we know of situations where a family is
without food and clothing, and we are able financially to help them, then we
should where possible. I realize that sometimes we just don't know and we can't
always give to everyone that calls a church because there are many who make a
living out of fleecing churches. We can however, find them if we look and give
to those we find.
Mat 26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for
my burial.
We sometimes ignore the significance of women in the bible. Here is one lady
that heard the warnings Jesus gave and anointed Him ahead of time. She may have
understood what He was going to have to do for the salvation of all mankind and
knew that His death was imminent.
Mat 26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in
the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a
memorial of her.
Why would someone be awarded a memorial for just anointing a body for burial? It
must have been deeper than that. Perhaps her faith could actually see what was
to happen to Jesus and it was her faith that the Lord commended. The oil was
costly and perhaps the sacrifice she was making was great. She probably bought
it with her own means. Notice also, that every time we mention the part about
this woman we fulfill the scriptures about telling this story as a memorial.
Mat 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief
priests,
Mat 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto
you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.
Mat 26:16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Mat 26:17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came
to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the
passover?
Mat 26:18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The
Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my
disciples.
Mat 26:19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready
the passover.
Mat 26:20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
Mat 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you
shall betray me.
Mat 26:22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say
unto him, Lord, is it I?
Mat 26:23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the
dish, the same shall betray me.
Mat 26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by
whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not
been born.
God is a just God. Judas was not allowed to seal his own fate without proper
warning from the Lord. This was to happen to fulfill scripture but Judas was
given warning before he was allowed to betray Jesus.
Another thought here is a reminder to all of us that we are usually tempted with
something that is our weakness. Judas had a weakness of money and gain. He
betrayed the Lord to gain money. He had the power to choose not to give into
that temptation. Another weakness may have been anger. If he was the one
objecting to the above woman's waste of money, he was rebuked by the Lord and it
might have angered him a little, spurring him to go ahead with the temptation
already in his heart.
Mat 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He
said unto him, Thou hast said.
Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake
it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying,
Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for
the remission of sins.
The shed blood of Jesus is what is necessary for remission of sins. Like the
blood on the door posts in the days of the Passover, Jesus suffered during the
same season of the Passover to become the final sacrifice for the sins of
mankind. All those that obeyed the commands of the first Passover and placed the
blood on the doorposts and then staying inside until the death angel passed
over, were spared death. All those that refused to hear, suffered a death of
each and every firstborn. Those that refuse to believe and obey God's command to
repent and believe the Son of God that was sent to save us from sin, will perish
and lose their eternal souls.
Every time we partake of the Lord's supper or communion, we remember the body
that Jesus gave and the blood that He shed for our sins. It is a sacred
ordinance.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the
vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
Jesus awaits our reunion with Him before He will drink of the fruit of the vine.
However we drink it on occasion to remember this sacrifice He made for our
salvation.
Mat 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of
Olives.
Singing was part of worship then even before Jesus returned to heaven.
Mat 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me
this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the
flock shall be scattered abroad.
Zec 13:7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my
fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be
scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Mat 26:32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.
They would see Christ before He ascended by to the Father in Heaven.
Mat 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended
because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
How we need to be careful about boasting. How many times do we say, "Oh, I would
never do that." Instead we could say, "By the grace of God I hope that I
wouldn't be capable of that."
Mat 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before
the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Mat 26:35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not
deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
This is a noble feeling that he sincerely had, not realizing the weakness of the
flesh when unequally yoked with unbelievers.
Mat 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith
unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.
Mat 26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to
be sorrowful and very heavy.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless
not as I will, but as thou wilt.
What anguish the Lord must have felt just before His crucifixion. He knew that
he would suffer physical pain for hours and also every one of our filthy sins
(murder, thefts, adultery, homosexuality, pornography) and every sin that breaks
the law in the books written by Moses, would enter His own body just before it
His death. Jesus Himself did not break even one of those laws but He paid the
price of the consequences of all those sins just as if He had of done them. He
took our place. We broke the law, He didn't. His death now can count on the
behalf of every person who repents and believes in the sacrifice He made on
their behalf.
Mat 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith
unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Can we not watch one hour?
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak.
This may have been why Peter later was weak when he was surrounded with
unbelievers.
We cannot walk in the spirit, we cannot be fruitful and abound, we cannot walk a
holy life unless we watch and pray. Weakness and compromise comes when we are
lulled into spiritual sleep.
Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father,
if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
If there had been another way to save mankind from an eternity in hell, God
would not have allowed this to happen to His own Son. There is no other way.
Mat 26:43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.
Mat 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time,
saying the same words.
Jesus knew that He needed prayer to follow through with the task ahead. How much
more do we?
Mat 26:45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now,
and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed
into the hands of sinners.
There could have been a space of time between these two verses.
Mat 26:46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Mat 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with
him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders
of the people.
Mat 26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall
kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
Not everyone that greets us warmly, has good intentions toward us.
Mat 26:49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed
him.
Mat 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came
they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
Mat 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand,
and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his
ear.
Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for
all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
This is the same words given to the martyrs in Revelation in which those that kill
with the sword will be killed. Their days are numbered and they continue only a
short time.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall
presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Indicating that Jesus didn't have to die for our sins. The angels could have
rescued Him at any time.
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we
esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we
are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own
way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he
is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is
dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his
generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the
transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death;
because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall
prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by
his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their
iniquities.
Mat 26:55 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.
Mat 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be
fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
Mat 26:57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high
priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
Mat 26:58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and
went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
At least Peter tried to stay with Him and not forsake Him but we see from this
part of scripture that we cannot succeed by "following Him afar off." We have to
live close to Him.
Mat 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false
witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Mat 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they
none. At the last came two false witnesses,
Mat 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God,
and to build it in three days.
This may seem like a silly thing to put a man to death for but in those days
there was no, "Separation of Church and State." The government and religion was
a force that ruled most countries. If one broke a religious law, they could be
condemned to death
just like they would be if they killed someone. In fact most religions held it a
greater sin to break a religous law than to kill or steal.
Mat 26:62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing?
what is it which these witness against thee?
Mat 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto
him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the
Christ, the Son of God.
Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you,
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and
coming in the clouds of heaven.
We are still waiting for this day to arrive. Even so come Lord Jesus.
Mat 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken
blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his
blasphemy.
The priest were so passionate about the seriousness of blasphemy that they tore
at their clothes and really put on a show to convince the authorities that Jesus
deserved death. Notice Jesus didn't have any fancy lawyers to come to His
defense.
Mat 26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
Mat 26:67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him
with the palms of their hands,
Mat 26:68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
Jesus knew exactly who hit Him but would not give into the temptation to use His
power just to satisfy someone's fault finding spirit. We see this all through
the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Mat 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him,
saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
Mat 26:70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.
Mat 26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and
said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.
Mat 26:72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
Mat 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter,
Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.
Mat 26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And
immediately the cock crew.
He tried to be one of the crowd and blend in unnoticed but He soon succumbed to
pressure. We would probably do the same thing.
Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before
the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
I would have wept too. However, we do can deny Christ every time we show shame
for anyone to know who we believe in. Do we openly claim Christ when we are
around people of like faith only? We can deny Him by allowing sin to creep
back into our lives after His blood has cleansed us from sin. We can deny Christ
by accepting false doctrine contrary to the truth of God's word. We can deny
Christ by ignoring His word, ignoring His Spirit within us, and by doing our own
thing instead of God's things. It is one thing to acknowledge the existence of
Christ, but quite another to live by His teachings.
