Matthew 26

Matthew 26:1

XIV. THE KING’S PASSION AND DEATH (Chaps. 26, 27) A. The Plot to Kill Jesus (26:1-5) 26:1, 2 For the fourth and last time in this Gospel our Lord forewarned His disciples that He must die (Mat_16:21; Mat_17:23; Mat_20:18). His announcement implied a close time relationship between the Passover and His crucifixion: You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified. This year the Passover would find its true meaning. The Paschal Lamb had at last arrived and would soon be slain. 26:3-5 Even as He was uttering the words, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders were gathering in the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest, to map out their strategy. They wanted to arrest Him furtively and have Him killed, but did not think it prudent to do it during the feast; the people might react violently against His execution. It is incredible that Israel’s religious leaders took the lead in plotting the death of their Messiah. They should have been the first to recognize and to enthrone Him. Instead, they formed the vanguard of His enemies.

Matthew 26:6

B. Jesus Anointed at Bethany (26:6-13) 26:6, 7 This incident provides a welcome relief, coming amid the treachery of the priests, the pettiness of the disciples, and the perfidy of Judas. When Jesus was at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany, a woman came in and poured out a flask of very expensive perfume on His head. The costliness of her sacrifice expressed the depth of her devotion for the Lord Jesus, saying, in effect, that there was nothing too good for Him. 26:8, 9 His disciples, and Judas in particular (Joh_12:4-5), looked upon the act as an enormous waste. They thought the money might better have been given to the poor. 26:10-12 Jesus corrected their distorted thinking. Her act was not wasteful, but beautiful. Not only so, it was perfectly timed. The poor can be helped at any time. But only once in the world’s history could the Savior be anointed for burial. That moment had struck and one lone woman with spiritual discernment had seized it. Believing the Lord’s predictions concerning His death, she must have realized it was now or never. As it turned out, she was right. Those women who planned to anoint His body after His burial were thwarted by the resurrection (Mar_16:1-6). 26:13 The Lord Jesus immortalized her simple act of love: Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. Any act of true worship fills the courts of heaven with fragrance and is indelibly recorded in the Lord’s memory.

Matthew 26:14

C. The Treachery of Judas (26:14-16) 26:14, 15 Then one of the twelveone of the disciples who had lived with the Lord Jesus, traveled with Him, seen His miracles, heard His incomparable teaching, and witnessed the miracle of a sinless lifeone whom Jesus could call my familiar friend … who ate my bread (Psa_41:9)it was that one who lifted up his heel against the Son of God. Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and agreed to sell his Master for thirty pieces of silver. The priests paid him on the spotthe contemptible total of about fifteen dollars. It is striking to note the contrast between the woman who anointed Jesus at Simon’s home and Judas. She valued the Savior highly. Judas valued Him lightly. 26:16 And so the one who had received nothing but kindness from Jesus went out to arrange his part of the dreadful bargain.

Matthew 26:17

D. The Last Passover (26:17-25) 26:17 It was the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Breada time when all leaven was removed from Jewish homes. What thoughts must have flooded the mind of the Lord as He sent the disciples into Jerusalem to prepare for … the Passover. Every detail of the meal would have poignant significance. 26:18-20 Jesus sent the disciples to look for a certain unnamed man who would lead them to the appointed house. Perhaps the vagueness of the instructions was designed to foil the conspirators. At any rate, we note Jesus’ full knowledge of individuals, their whereabouts, and their willingness to cooperate. Note His words, The Teacher says, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples. He faced His approaching death with poise. With perfect grace, He arranged the meal. What a privilege for this anonymous man to lend his house for this final Passover! 26:21-24 As they were eating, Jesus made the shocking announcement that one of the twelve would betray Him. The disciples were filled with sorrow, chagrin, and self-distrust. One by one they asked, Lord, is it I? When all but Judas had inquired, Jesus told them that it was the one who dipped with Him in the dish. The Lord then took a piece of bread, dipped it in the meat juice, and handed it to Judas (Joh_13:26)a token of special affection and friendship. He reminded them that there was a certain irresistibility in what was going to happen to Him. But that did not free the traitor from responsibility; it would be better for him if he had never been born. Judas deliberately chose to sell the Savior and is thus held personally responsible. 26:25 When Judas finally asked point-blank if he were the one, Jesus answered, Yes.

Matthew 26:26

E. The First Lord’s Supper (26:26-29) In Joh_13:30 we learn that as soon as Judas received the piece of bread, he went out, and it was night. We therefore conclude that he was not present when the Lord’s Supper was instituted (although there is considerable disagreement on this point). 26:26 After observing His last Passover, the Savior instituted what we know as the Lord’s Supper. The essential elementsbread and winewere already on the table as part of the Paschal meal; Jesus clothed them with new meaning. First He took bread, blessed and broke it. As He gave it to the disciples He said, Take, eat, this is My body. Since His body had not yet been given on the cross, it is clear that He was speaking figuratively, using the bread to symbolize His body. 26:27, 28 The same is true of the cup; the container is used to express the thing contained. The cup contained the fruit of the vine, which in turn was a symbol of the blood of the new covenant. The new, unconditional covenant of grace would be ratified by His precious blood shed for many for the forgiveness of sins. His blood was sufficient to provide forgiveness for all. But here it was shed for many in that it was only effective in removing the sins of those who believe. 26:29 The Savior then reminded His disciples that He would not drink from the fruit of the vine with them again until He returned to earth to reign. Then the wine would have a new significance; it would speak of the joy and blessedness of His Father’s kingdom. The question is often raised whether we should use leavened or unleavened bread, fermented or unfermented wine for the Lord’s Supper. There is little doubt that the Lord used unleavened bread and fermented wine (all wine in those days was fermented). Those who argue that leavened bread spoils the type (leaven is a picture of sin) should realize that the same is true of fermentation. It is a tragedy when we become so occupied with the elements that we fail to see the Lord Himself. Paul emphasized that it is the spiritual meaning of the bread, not the bread itself that counts. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1Co_5:7-8). It is not the leaven in the bread that matters, but the leaven in our lives!

Matthew 26:30

F. The Self-Confident Disciples (26:30-35) 26:30 Following the Lord’s Supper, the little band sang a hymn, probably taken from Psalms 113-118the Great Hallel. Then they left Jerusalem, crossed the Brook Kidron, and climbed the western slope of Olivet to the Garden of Gethsemane. 26:31 Throughout His earthly ministry the Lord Jesus had faithfully warned His disciples concerning the pathway ahead. Now He told them that they would all dissociate themselves from Him that night. Fear would overwhelm them when they saw the fury of the storm breaking. To save their own skins, they would forsake their Master. Zechariah’s prophecy would be fulfilled: Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered (Zec_13:7). 26:32 But He did not leave them without hope. Though they would be ashamed of their association with Him, He would never forsake them. After rising from the dead, He would meet them in Galilee. Wonderful, never-failing Friend! 26:33, 34 Peter rashly interrupted to assure the Lord that although the others might desert Him, he would never do such a thing. Jesus corrected the never to this night … three times. Before the rooster crowed, the impetuous disciple would deny his Master three times. 26:35 Still protesting his loyalty, Peter insisted that he would die with Christ rather than deny Him. All the disciples chimed in their agreement. They were sincere; they meant what they said. It was just that they didn’t know their own hearts.

Matthew 26:36

G. The Agony in Gethsemane (26:36-46) No one can approach this account of the Garden of Gethsemane without realizing that he is walking on holy ground. Anyone who attempts to comment on it feels a tremendous sense of awe and reticence. As Guy King wrote, The supernal character of the event causes one to fear lest one should in any way spoil it by touching it.26:36-38 After entering Gethsemane (meaning olive vat or olive press), Jesus told eight of the eleven disciples with Him to sit and wait, then took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee deeper into the garden. Might this suggest that different disciples have different capacities for empathizing with the Savior in His agony? He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. He frankly told Peter, James, and John that His soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. This was doubtless the unspeakable revulsion of His holy soul as He anticipated becoming a sin-offering for us. We who are sinful cannot conceive what it meant to Him, the Sinless One, to be made sin for us (2Co_5:21). 26:39 It is not surprising that He left the three and went a little farther into the garden. No one else could share His suffering or pray His prayer: O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.Lest we think this prayer expressed reluctance or a desire to turn back, we should remember His words in Joh_12:27-28 : Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name. Therefore, in praying that the cup might pass from Him, He was not asking to be delivered from going to the cross. That was the very purpose of His coming into the world! The prayer was rhetorical, that is, it was not intended to elicit an answer but to teach us a lesson. Jesus was saying in effect, My Father, if there is any other way by which ungodly sinners can be saved than by My going to the cross, reveal that way now! But in all of this, I want it known that I desire nothing contrary to Your will.What was the answer? There was none; the heavens were silent. By this eloquent silence we know that there was no other way for God to justify guilty sinners than for Christ, the sinless Savior, to die as our Substitute. 26:40, 41 Returning to the disciples, He found them sleeping. Their spirits were willing; their flesh was weak. We dare not condemn them when we think of our own prayer lives; we sleep better than we pray, and our minds wander when they should be watching. How often the Lord has to say to us as He said to Peter, Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.26:42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, expressing submission to the Father’s will. He would drink the cup of suffering and death to the dregs. He was necessarily alone in His prayer life. He taught the disciples to pray, and He prayed in their presence, but He never prayed with them. The uniqueness of His Person and work precluded others from sharing in His prayer life. 26:43-45 When He came to the disciples the second time, they were asleep again. Likewise the third time: He prayed, they slept. It was then He said to them, Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.26:46 The opportunity of watching with Him in His vigil was gone. The footsteps of the traitor were already audible. Jesus said, Rise, let us be goingnot in retreat but to face the foe. Before we leave the garden, let us pause once more to hear His sobs, to ponder His sorrow, and to thank Him with all our hearts.

Matthew 26:47

H. Jesus Betrayed and Arrested in Gethsemane (26:47-56) The betrayal of the sinless Savior by one of His own creatures presents one of the most amazing anomalies of history. Apart from human depravity we would be at a loss to explain the base, inexcusable treachery of Judas. 26:47 While Jesus was still speaking to the eleven, Judas arrived with a gang armed with swords and clubs. Surely the weapons were not Judas’s idea; he had never seen the Savior resist or fight back. Perhaps the weapons symbolized the determination of the chief priests and elders to capture Him without any possibility of escape. 26:48 Judas would use a kiss as the sign to help the mob distinguish Jesus from His disciples. The universal symbol of love was to be prostituted to its lowest use. 26:49 As he approached the Lord, Judas said, Greetings, Rabbi! then kissed Him profusely. Two different words for kiss are used in this passage. The first, in verse 48, is the usual word for kiss. But in verse 49 a stronger word is used, expressing repeated or demonstrative kissing. 26:50 With poise and convicting penetration, Jesus asked, Friend, why have you come? No doubt the question came with scalding power to Judas, but events were moving fast now. The mob surged in and seized the Lord Jesus without delay. 26:51 One of the discipleswe know from Joh_18:10 that it was Peterdrew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. It is unlikely that Peter had aimed for the ear; he had doubtless planned a mortal blow. That his aim was as poor as his judgment must be attributed to divine Providence. 26:52 The moral glory of the Lord Jesus shines radiantly here. First He rebuked Peter: Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. In Christ’s kingdom, victories are not won by carnal means. To resort to armed force in spiritual warfare is to invite disaster. Let the enemies of the kingdom use the sword; they will eventually meet defeat. Let the soldier of Christ resort to prayer, the Word of God, and the power of a Spirit-filled life. We learn from Dr. Luke that Jesus then healed the ear of Malchusfor that was the victim’s name (Luk_22:51; Joh_18:10). Is this not a wonderful display of grace? He loved those who hated Him and showed kindness to those who were after His life. 26:53, 54 If Jesus had desired to resist the mob, He would not have been limited to Peter’s puny sword. In an instant He could have asked for and been sent more than twelve legions of angels (from 36,000 to 72,000). But that would only have frustrated the divine program. The Scriptures predicting His betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection had to be fulfilled. 26:55 Then Jesus reminded the crowds how incongruous it was for them to come out after Him with weapons. They had never seen Him resort to violence or engage in plunder. Rather, He had been a quiet Teacher, daily sitting in the temple. They could easily have captured Him then, but didn’t. Why come now with swords and clubs? Humanly speaking, their behavior was irrational. 26:56 Yet the Savior realized that man’s wickedness was succeeding only in accomplishing the definite plan of God. All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Realizing there would be no deliverance for their Master, all the disciples forsook Him and fled in panic. If their cowardice was inexcusable, ours is more so. They had not yet been indwelt by the Holy Spirit; we have.

Matthew 26:57

I. Jesus Before Caiaphas (26:57-68) 26:57 There were two main trials of the Lord Jesus: a religious trial before the Jewish leaders, and a civil trial before the Roman authorities. Combining the accounts from all four Gospels shows that each trial had three stages. John’s account of the Jewish trial shows that Jesus was first brought before Caiaphas’ father-in-law, Annas. Matthew’s account begins with the second stage at the home of Caiaphas, the high priest. The Sanhedrin were assembled there. Ordinarily, accused men were given an opportunity to prepare their defense. But the desperate religious leaders hurried Jesus away from prison and justice (Isa_53:8), in every way denying Him a fair trial. On this particular night, the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, and elders who comprised the Sanhedrin showed an utter disregard for the rules under which they were supposed to operate. They were not supposed to meet at night nor during any of the Jewish feasts. They were not supposed to bribe witnesses to commit perjury. A death verdict was not to be carried out until a night had elapsed. And, unless they met in the Hall of Hewn Stone, in the temple area, their verdicts were not binding. In their eagerness to get rid of Jesus, the Jewish establishment did not hesitate to stoop to breaking their own laws. 26:58 Caiaphas was the presiding judge. The Sanhedrin apparently served as both jury and prosecution, an irregular combination, to say the least. Jesus was the Defendant. And Peter was a spectatorfrom a safe distance; he sat with the guards to see the end. 26:59-61 The Jewish leaders had a difficult time finding false testimony against Jesus. They would have been more successful had they fulfilled their prior obligation in the judicial process and sought evidence of His innocence. Finally, two false witnesses produced a garbled account of Jesus’ words: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (Joh_2:19-21). According to the witnesses, He had threatened to destroy the temple in Jerusalem and then rebuild it. In fact, He had been predicting His own death and subsequent resurrection. The Jews now used that prediction as an excuse for killing Him. 26:62-63 During these accusations the Lord Jesus said nothing: as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth (Isa_53:7). The high priest, irritated by His silence, pressed Him for a statement; still the Savior refrained from answering. The high priest then said to Him, I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God! The Law of Moses required that a Jew testify when put under oath by the high priest (Lev_5:1). 26:64 Being an obedient Jew under the law, Jesus answered: It is as you said. He then asserted His Messiahship and deity even more strongly: Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. In essence He was saying, I am the Christ, the Son of God, as you have said. My glory is presently veiled in a human body; I appear to be just another man. You see Me in the days of My humiliation. But the day is coming when you Jews will see Me as the glorified One, equal in all respects with God, sitting at His right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.In verse 64 the first you is singular, referring to Caiaphas. The second you is plural (also the third), referring to the Jews as representative of those Israelites living at the time of Christ’s glorious appearing, who will clearly see that He is the Son of God. The assertion is sometimes made, writes Lenski, that Jesus never called Himself The Son of God. Here (in v. 64) He swears that He is no less.26:65-67 Caiaphas did not miss the point. Jesus had alluded to a Messianic prophecy of Daniel: I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. The high priest’s reaction proves that he understood Jesus was claiming equality with God (see Joh_5:18). He tore his priestly clothes, a sign that the witness had blasphemed.

His inflammatory words to the Sanhedrin assumed Jesus was guilty. When asked their verdict, the Council answered, He is deserving of death.26:68 The second stage of the trial ended with the jurists striking and spitting upon the Accused, then taunting Him to use His power as Christ to identify His assailants. The entire proceeding was not only unjuridical, but scandalous.

Matthew 26:69

J. Peter Denies Jesus and Weeps Bitterly (26:69-75) 26:69-72 Peter’s darkest hour had now arrived. As he sat outside in the courtyard, a young woman came by and accused him of being an associate of Jesus. His denial was vigorous and prompt, I do not know what you are saying. He went out to the gateway, perhaps to escape further notice. But there another girl publicly identified him as one who had been with Jesus of Nazareth. This time he swore that he did not know the Man. The Man was his Master. 26:73, 74 A little later several bystanders came saying, Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you. A simple denial was no longer sufficient; this time he confirmed it with oaths and curses. I do not know the Man! With disquieting timing, a rooster crowed. 26:75 The familiar sound pierced not only the quiet of the early hours but Peter’s heart as well. The deflated disciple, remembering what the Lord had said, went out and wept bitterly. There is a seeming contradiction in the Gospels concerning the number and timing of the denials. In Matthew, Luke, and John, Jesus is reported as saying, Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times (Mat_26:34; see also Luk_22:34; Joh_13:38). In Mark, the prediction is, … before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times (Mar_14:30). Possibly there was more than one rooster crowing, one during the night and another at dawn. Also it is possible that the Gospels record at least six different denials by Peter. He denied Christ before: (1) a young woman (Mat_26:69-70; Mar_14:66-68); (2) another young woman (Mat_26:71-72; Mar_14:69-70); (3) the crowd that stood by (Mat_26:73-74; Mar_14:70-71); (4) a man (Luk_22:58); (5) another man (Luk_22:59-60); (6) a servant of the high priest (Joh_18:26-27). We believe this last man is different from the others because he said, Did I not see you in the garden with Him? The others are not described as saying this.