RK FORM V MATTHEW - 26

The Plot against Jesus (26 :1-5)

Jesus foretold about his suffering. In this particular instance, Jesus mentions that it is imminent.
The Jewish leaders plot to kill Jesus but not during the feast lest there be a tumult of the people. In
Matthew's Gospel, the teaching of Jesus is finished. In these last days leading up to His betrayal
and crucifixion He warned the multitudes about the corrupt religious leadership and He spoke to
His disciples about things to come. Now, it was time for Jesus to fulfill His work on the cross.
According to Matthew it was Caiaphas the high priest who plotted the execution of Jesus. He was
holding the position of high priest for a long time and killed himself long time after Jesus’
crucifixion because of the stings of conscience for the murder of Christ. They didn't want to put
Jesus to death during the Passover feast, but that is exactly how it happened. This is another subtle
indication that Jesus was in control of events, as they in fact killed Him on the very day that they
didn't want to.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany (26: 6-13)

The woman that came to Jesus with alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil was Mary the Sister
of Lazarus and Martha. Simon the leper is presumably a local figure who was cured by Jesus but
his name bears his former disease. When disciples said “Why this waste?” they criticized this
display of love and honor for Jesus. This makes us feel that whatever which is not given to Jesus
is a waste. Specifically, the critic was Judas (John 12:4-6). But Jesus defended Mary as an example
of someone who simply did a good work for Jesus. Her deed done for Jesus would be remembered
as long as the gospel was preached as a memorial to her.
When Jesus says ‘’You have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always’’; Jesus
did not say this to discourage generosity and kind treatment of the poor. In fact, His recent words
about the judgment of the nations had just radically encouraged kindness to those in need (Matthew
25:31-46). Jesus pointed to the appropriate nature of that moment to honor Him in an extravagant
way. “She did it for My burial”: Even if she did not understand the full significance of what she
did, Mary's act said something that the disciples didn't say or do. She gave Jesus the love and
attention He deserved before His great suffering. She understood more because she was in the
place of greatest understanding - being at the feet of Jesus.

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Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus (Mt 26:14-16)
The sense from Matthew is that the matter with Mary was the final insult to Judas, even though it
may have happened some days before. After that, he was determined to betray Jesus to the religious
leaders who wanted to kill Him. “And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver”: According
to the Bible, there was no noble intention in Judas' heart. His motive was simply money, and his
price wasn't too high: thirty pieces of silver was worth perhaps $25.

The Last Supper (Mt 26:17-30)

This must have been a very moving commemoration for Jesus. Passover remembers the
deliverance of Israel from Egypt, which was the central act of redemption in the Old Testament.
Jesus now provided a new center of redemption, to be remembered by a new ceremonial meal.
When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve: Since the Jewish day began at sundown.
Jesus ate the Passover and was killed on the same day according to the Jewish calendar. Assuredly,
I say to you, one of you will betray Me: In the midst of their Passover meal, Jesus made a startling
announcement. He told His disciples that one of their own - these twelve who had lived and heard
and learned from Jesus for three years - would betray Him.

‘He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me’: Jesus said this not to point out a
specific disciple, because they all dipped with Him. Instead, Jesus identified the betrayer as a
friend, someone who ate at the same table with Him. For Judas to ask, "Rabbi, is it I?" while
knowing he had already arranged the arrest of Jesus was the height of treachery. You have said it:
Jesus did not say this to condemn Judas, but to call him to repentance.

Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it: When the bread was lifted up at Passover, the head of the
meal would say: "This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt. Let
everyone who hungers come and eat; let everyone who is needy come and eat the Passover meal."
Everything eaten at the Passover meal had a symbolic meaning. The bitter herbs recalled the
bitterness of slavery; the salt water remembered the tears shed under Egypt's oppression. The main
course of the meal - a lamb freshly sacrificed for that particular household - did not symbolize
anything connected to the agonies of Egypt. It was the sin-bearing sacrifice that allowed the

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judgment of God to pass over the household that believed. Until that day when I drink it new with
you in My Father's kingdom: Jesus looked forward to a future celebration of the Passover in
heaven, one that He has not yet celebrated with His people. He is waiting for all His people to be
gathered to Him and then there will be a great supper - the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation
19:9). This is the fulfillment in My Father's kingdom that Jesus longed for. The last supper
concluded with a psalm.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial (26:31- 35)

“All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night:” Jesus said this not to condemn His
disciples, but to show them that He really was in command of the situation, and to demonstrate
that the Scriptures regarding the suffering of the Messiah must be fulfilled. “After I have been
raised:” Jesus already was looking beyond the cross. His eyes were set on the joy set before Him
(Hebrews 12:2).
“Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” Peter was tragically unaware of both the
spiritual reality and the spiritual battle that Jesus clearly saw. Peter felt brave at the moment and
had no perception beyond the moment. Soon, Peter would be intimidated before a humble servant
girl, and before her Peter would deny that he even knew Jesus. “Assuredly, I say to you that this
night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times:” Jesus knew that Peter would fail
in what he thought was his strong area - courage and boldness. Through this solemn warning Jesus
gave Peter an opportunity to take heed and consider his own weakness.

Gethsemane (26:36-46)
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane: This is just east of the temple mount
area in Jerusalem, across the ravine of the Brook Kidron, and on the lower slopes of the Mount of
Olives. Surrounded by ancient olive trees, Gethsemane means "olive press." There olives from the
neighborhood were crushed for their oil. So too, the Son of God would be crushed here. Jesus was
disturbed; in part from knowing the physical horror waiting for Him at the cross.
If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me: God the Father would never deny the Son any request,
because Jesus prayed according to the heart and will of the Father. Since Jesus drank the cup of
judgment at the cross, we know that it is not possible for salvation to come any other way. Salvation

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by the work of Jesus at the cross is the only possible way; if there is any other way to be made
right before God, then Jesus died an unnecessary death.

Jesus is Arrested (26:47-56)

They clearly regarded Jesus as a dangerous man and came to take Him with great force.
Greetings, Rabbi! Judas warmly greeted Jesus, even giving Him the customary kiss. But the kiss
only precisely identified Jesus to the authorities who came to arrest Jesus. There are no more
hollow, hypocritical words in the Bible than "Greetings, Rabbi!" in the mouth of Judas. The
loving, heartfelt words of Jesus - calling Judas "Friend" - stand in sharp contrast. With all power
at His disposal, Jesus was in total command. He was not the victim of circumstance, but He
managed circumstances for the fulfillment of prophecy.

Jesus before Sanhedrin

Caiaphas had gathered a group of the Sanhedrin to pass judgment on Jesus. This nighttime trial
was illegal according to the Sanhedrin's own laws and regulations. According to Jewish law, all
criminal trials must begin and end in the daylight. Therefore, though the decision to condemn Jesus
was already made, they conducted a second trial in daylight (Luke 22:66-71), because they knew
the first one - the real trial - had no legal standing. The council sought false testimony against Jesus
to put Him to death, but found none: This is a remarkable testimony to the life and integrity of
Jesus. For having lived such a public life and performed such a public ministry, it was difficult to
find even false testimony against Him. After all the false witnesses had their say, Jesus was finally
charged with threatening to destroy the temple.
You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of
heaven: Jesus did add this one word of warning. He warned them that though they sit in judgment
of Him now, He will one day sit in judgment of them - and with a far more binding judgment. a.
He has spoken blasphemy! The accusation of blasphemy would have been correct, except that
Jesus was whom He said He was. It is no crime for the Christ, the Son of God, to declare who He
really is. He is deserving of death: Their verdict reveals the depths of man's depravity. God, in
total perfection, came to earth, lived among men, and this was man's reply to God. They spat in
His face and beat Him: They spit on Him; they hit Him with their fists; they slapped Him with
their open hands. It is easy to think that they did this because they didn't know who He was. That

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is true in one sense, because they would not admit to themselves that He was indeed the Messiah
and the Son of God. Yet in another sense it is not true at all, because by nature man is an enemy
of God (Romans 5:10, Colossians 1:21). For a long time, man waited to literally hit, slap, and spit
in God's face.