Matthew Chapter Twenty-Six
Plotting to Kill Jesus
[Text parallels Mark 14:1-2 and Luke 21:37-22:2]
26:1 When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”
Jesus closes the Olivet Discourse with another reminder that Passover is coming and that He will soon be put to death on a cross. As we begin the longest chapter in the book of Matthew, the text returns to a narrative form, however it does not appear to be in chronological order.
26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
When the chief priests and Jewish elders officially assembled, they formed what was known as the Sanhedrin[1]. Here they gathered in the courtyard (Greek ‘aulēn’,[2] translated here as ‘palace’, which describes an area exposed to open air, typically referring to a courtyard area next to a dwelling) likely in front of a special dwelling for the currently serving high priest (undoubtedly ornate and large giving the translators the idea of a palace). Although this meeting was likely assembled ‘unofficially’ as they determine that Jesus was a threat against their way of life and decide that He must be killed. In order to prevent any unwanted attention they chose to arrest Him by stealth (Greek ‘dolō’,[3] meaning to bait, metaphorically used to refer to fraud, deceit, etc.) However, they agree that they should wait until the spring feasts (Passover, Feast of Unleavened Bread, and Feast of Firstfruits) were finished due to potential uproar from the people which could result in an insurrection, then, in turn would bring in the wrath of the Romans. Since the Feast of Unleavened Bread was the first of the three annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem (see Exodus 23:14-17; 34:18-24; Deuteronomy 16:16), the population would also be significantly higher during this period and many of them could be Jesus sympathizers.
Considerations
Chief Priest versus High Priest
The terms “Chief Priest” and “High Priest” are synonymous as the word translated in verse three as “Chief Priest” and “High Priest” is the same Greek root word (‘archiereus’[4]) with the exception that one is plural and the other being singular. Since God’s law only recognized one person at any given time could be the high priest and there was no official Scriptural reference to a ‘chief’ priest, many translators prefer to translate the plural term here as ‘chief’ priests supporting the idea that the reference is to senior priests or the elders. However, since Caiaphas was appointed as the high priest by the Roman government and not by God, many of the Jews continued to recognize Annas, a former high priest, as the real high priest (perhaps thought to be appointed by God). So they were often seen together, both considered high priests, Caiaphas had the political power, and Annas had the greater influence over the people. Caiaphas was also the son-in-law of Annas. It is therefore likely that the use of the plural term is a reference to them being together.
Joseph Caiaphas (Ἰώσηπος, ὁ καὶ Καϊάφας), was high-priest of the Jews in the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, at the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry (Luke 3:2), A. D. 25, and also at the time of his condemnation and crucifixion (Matt. 26:3, 57; John 11:49; 18:13, 14, 24, 28; Acts 4:6), A.D. 29…The names of Annas and Caiaphas are coupled by Luke, “Annas and Caiaphas being the high-priests;” and this has given occasion to no small amount of discussion. Some maintain that Annas and Caiaphas then discharged the functions of the high-priesthood by turns; but this is not reconcilable with the statement of Josephus. Others think that Caiaphas is called high-priest, because he then actually exercised the functions of the office, and that Annas is so called because he had formerly filled the situation.[5]
Jesus is Anointed
[Text parallels Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:2-11]
26:6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.
This section introduces us to yet another often-debated disagreement within Christendom which requires the careful review of all four gospels. The subject is the anointing of Jesus. Since the title ‘Messiah’ and ‘Christ’ are both words meaning ‘anointed one’ (or the one that is anointed), the question that is often asked is when did Jesus get anointed? There are four references to Jesus being anointed in the gospels but none of them in the classic “oil pouring” way, plus none of them were performed by a priest or a prophet. Luke records the earliest account, an unidentified woman anointed Jesus with an unidentified ointment in a house owned by a Pharisee named Simon (see Luke 7:36-50). The next anointing took place in a home in Bethany (no owner identified) on the day before the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as recorded in John 12:1-8, which was offered by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus using a very expensive ointment made of pure nard (see below). Then recorded both here in Matthew and in Mark 14:3-9, Jesus is also anointed with an expensive ointment (Mark identifies it as being pure Nard) by an unknown woman in the house of Simon the leper.
There are some that believe all four accounts record the same event (only one anointing took place). Others believe that the accounts recorded in Matthew, Mark, and John are the same event with Luke recording a separate event (two anointings), while yet others believe that the anointings described in Matthew and Mark are the same event and the anointings described in Luke and John were also two separate events (making for a total of three anointings). It is interesting that each account has some overlapping similarities (names, location, etc.), but there are a number of significant and insurmountable differences. Making Luke’s account the first anointing and Matthew’s, Mark’s, and John’s accounts each describing the same event, being the second anointing, which occurred on the day before Jesus entered Jerusalem. Therefore Matthew and Mark would then be using the literary device known as a flashback.
Both Matthew and Mark refer to the owner of the house as Simon the leper, undoubtedly, to differentiate from Simon Peter, however, neither account explains who he was. Most scholars agree that he was once a leper and was fully healed and cleansed by Jesus and that this dinner occasion was given in gratitude for that healing.
26:8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
While anointing Jesus, Mary broke the alabaster jar that contained the ointment and poured the contents over His head (see Mark 14:3). This action was seen by the disciples as being wasteful and became indignant (John identifies Judas Iscariot as being the only disciple questioning, see John 12:4). They argued that the ointment could have been sold and the money given to the poor. Jesus replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me?” (verse 10b, NLT) He further noted that there will always be poor people, but He will only be around for a short period of time and that by pouring the ointment on His body she was preparing Him for burial. Knowing that this event would be recorded in the gospels which would be used to proclaim salvation to the whole world, Jesus said that what she had done there that evening will be proclaimed as well, in memory of her.
Considerations
In Scripture we find a variety of applications of anointing, for example we see Jacob anointing a pillar of rocks near where he encountered God (see Genesis 28:18); Aaron being anointed as the High Priest by Moses (see Leviticus 8:12); the youngest son of Jesse, David, being anointed as king many years before he became king (see 1 Samuel 16:12-13); etc. The practice of anointing is more than just a reoccurring process found in the Bible, it also has significance and a lengthy history in the secular world. For example, kings were often anointed prior to their official crowning.
Anointing in the secular world was typically just one step in a procedure to emphasize that the person being anointed had indeed been endowed with the authority given to them for their position within their jurisdiction (kingdom, nation, town, etc.) In the Bible we see that anyone being anointed per God’s instructions had more than authority, they had God with them. Psalm 89 encapsulates what it means to be on God’s side: “I have granted help to one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, so that my hand shall be established with him; my arm also shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him; the wicked shall not humble him. I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him. My faithfulness and my steadfast love shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers. He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’ And I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My steadfast love I will keep for him forever, and my covenant will stand firm for him. I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his children forsake my law and do not walk according to my rules, if they violate my statutes and do not keep my commandments, then I will punish their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes, but I will not remove from him my steadfast love or be false to my faithfulness. I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” (Psalm 89:19b-37, emphasis added) If God had someone anointed to do a task, it was going to happen.
In the first verse of Matthew, Jesus is introduced as Jesus Christ, or as translated, Jesus the anointed. What was the anointing for? The Old Testament referred to the Savior as being the Messiah, the Anointed One, so the first reason would be to fulfill prophecy (see Psalm 2:2; 18:50; 20:6; 45:7; Daniel 9:25-26; Habakkuk 3:13) and secondly it was to fulfill His Father’s plan for mankind’s salvation. The Messiah was to be born of a virgin, live a sinless life, suffer, die on a cross, and rise up from the dead, so that He can offer eternal life to all that accept His free gift.
Also known as spikenard, from a plant that grows mainly in the high altitude regions of India. The plant’s roots are very small and slender with a series of ‘spikes’ near ground level, which gives the plant the name ‘spikenard.’ An aromatic oil is extracted from the plant and is highly valued. The bride in the Song of Solomon favorably refers to nard’s aroma, “While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance.” (Song of Solomon 1:12)
Even though Jesus told His disciples several times that He was going to be executed and then rise to life again, they could not relate to a time being without Him. They did not understand His arrest, His trials, His persecution before His crucifixion and they especially did not understand His being put to death. They listened but did not hear that these things had to happen. But Mary knew, she understood who and what Jesus is. Remember when Martha complained about her sister Mary, “who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching” during a visit to their house (see Luke 10:38-42), apparently she did indeed listen. So she gave Him what may have been equivalent to her life savings in that expensive ointment and anointed Jesus in preparation for His burial, truly a self-less act of loving worship.
Judas Seeks to Betray Jesus
[Text parallels Mark 14:10-11 and Luke 22:3-6]
26:14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
The name Judas is a transliteration of the Hebrew name ‘Judah’, which essentially means ‘praise’, being the root for the term ‘Jew’. Since it was a popular name (in both the Old Testament and New Testament), the writers of the gospels, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, add clarification as to which Judas is being referred to. Here, this well-known disciple of Jesus is called Judas Iscariot, believed to be a reference to his home town of Kerioth (meaning “Judas of Kerioth,” see Joshua 15:25). We were first introduced to this Judas in Matthew 10:4 where Matthew pointed out that he was the one that betrayed Jesus (even though that had not yet occurred in his narrative).
By reading ahead we know that Judas was not an honest man. In John’s account of Jesus being anointed by Mary, he notes that Judas Iscariot was the disciple that complained about the expensive ointment being wasted. John also included the motivation behind the complaint, “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.” (John 12:6) Many believe that he thought, like many of Jesus’ followers did at that time, that Jesus as the Messiah would rise up and put a stop to the Roman oppression of the Jews. But apparently in his mind that was not happening quick enough and may have thought he could ‘force’ Jesus to act. So he secretly went to the chief priests and asked what he could get in return if he arranged to hand Jesus over to them. They paid him 30 pieces of silver (Greek ‘argyrion’,[6] a piece of silver weighing approximately one shekel, actual weight depended on the jurisdiction.) From that moment on he was watching and waiting for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
Considerations
In the Old Testament there are a number of references to 30 pieces of silver (for example see Exodus 21:32; Leviticus 27:4), however there is one Old Testament passage that prophetically points to this event recorded here in Matthew: “Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.” (Zechariah 11:12-13) Later in Matthew we read that Judas returned the pieces of silver to the priests, who then bought a field from a potter with the returned silver to be used as a cemetery, thus fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy. We will read later in the book of Matthew: “Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.” (Matthew 27:3-8)
Before reviewing the Passover, it is important to understand that there was only one Passover. Every observance since then has been a memorial of that event (see Exodus 13:3). However, both the event and all of the memorial celebrations in history prophetically point to Jesus.
Passover was a necessary component of the tenth and final plague God used to persuade Pharaoh to release the people of Israel (see Exodus chapter twelve). The event is also of vital importance to all Christians. Why? First, it is important to God, as evidenced by Jesus dying on the day of Passover and rose to life again on the day of the Feast of Firstfruits, making it clear that each of the festivals established in the Old Testament are still vital and will remain important to Him, forever. Second, just like several other models found in the Old Testament that point to various events and people that will play a major role later in Scripture, Passover is a model of God’s plan of redemption. Here is a quick look at some comparisons between Passover and what Jesus did for humanity:
The Lamb: In choosing a lamb for the Passover it was to be without blemish. Jesus had no blemishes of any kind; He led a completely sinless life. So that His life could qualify to be a substitute for believers. When Jesus first approached John the Baptist, John loudly proclaimed: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) connecting Jesus to Passover, being the ultimate Passover Lamb (see also Isaiah 53:7; John 1:36; Acts 8:32; Hebrews 10:4-14; 1 Peter 1:19 and Revelation 5:6).
The Blood: In the story of the Passover, the lamb’s blood was used to shield and protect the firstborn of that house from being killed. Jesus’ blood provides a substitutionary atonement, a covering (see Leviticus 17:11; Romans 3:25; 5:9; Hebrews 9:22) that prevents all believers throughout history from dying the second death (see Revelation 2:11; 20:6; 21:8).
The Lord’s Supper
While celebrating Passover with His disciples, Jesus institutes what is widely referred to as the “Lord’s Supper.” While not recorded in Matthew or Mark, the instructions are clear, “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Plus, the apostle Paul recorded in greater detail instructions given to him directly from Jesus: “For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, NLT) Christians are to regularly participate in this exercise. Some denominations refer to this as ‘Communion’ (from the Greek word for sharing with others), ‘Eucharist’ (from the Greek word for giving thanks, as Jesus began with giving thanks) or simply the “Lord’s Supper.”
Participants are typically given bread and wine. Jesus explains that the bread represents His body and the wine represents His blood shed. Sadly, these two consumable elements are highly debated in Christendom and have also alienated many potential new believers. While there are several ‘issues’, the most common source of difficulty comes from Jesus’ reference to His body and blood. Through the years theologians have developed some unusual concepts such as consubstantiation (that during the drinking of the wine and eating the bread, the substance of Jesus’ body and blood are present) and transubstantiation (where the bread and wine change into the body and blood of Jesus).
Understanding that the drinking of any blood is forbidden by God’s law (see Leviticus 17:10-16) and therefore would never be considered appropriate, let alone encouraged, the blood mentioned by Jesus refers to the wine that represents “the blood” of the new covenant. The old covenant required ongoing animal sacrifices as the law requires ‘innocent’ blood for the atonement of sins (see Exodus 24:8; Leviticus 17:11). Since the blood of Jesus provides eternal atonement (see Hebrews 7:22-28; 9:11-28; 10:10; 13:20), additional blood is no longer needed. The wine is only a reminder of the blood shed by Jesus, when He said, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:27b-28) He wants believers to remember what He did for them.
Brief History
God used the bazar enslavement of Jacob’s eleventh son, Joseph, to become a ruler over the people of Egypt (second only to Pharaoh) and a wide-area lengthy famine to bring Jacob (also known as Israel) and his family down to Egypt (see Genesis 46:1-27). After four hundred plus years in Egypt it was obvious that God had blessed the Israelites and they were rapidly increasing in number. Concerned that they might out number or conquer the Egyptians, the Pharaoh (who did not know anything about Joseph) decided to use the Israelites as slaves. When they finally had enough mistreatment, they prayed to God for relief (see Exodus 2:23-25). God heard and a boy was born under extreme circumstances by the name of Moses.
When Moses grew up God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After some resistance, Moses finally went to Pharaoh to ask that the Israelites be released, but Pharaoh refused to let them go. God used several plagues to demonstrate His power. Even though most of Egypt was in ruins after the ninth plague, Pharaoh remained obstinate and refused to let the people of Israel go. The tenth plague was coming. This plague would claim the life of all living firstborn, both human and animal.
In order to protect the Israelites and anyone else that wanted to leave Egypt, God instituted Passover. Every household was to kill a one-year old male lamb that had no blemishes. On the 14th day of Nisan (see Exodus 12:6, 18; Leviticus 23:5; Numbers 9:3; 28:16; Joshua 5:10; Ezra 6:19), they were to cook and eat the lamb and the blood from the lamb was to be applied to that house’s door posts and lintel. When God came later that evening to take the life of every firstborn He would ‘pass over’ the houses with the blood that was applied to the doorposts and lintel and not kill anyone in the house. As a result Pharaoh let the people of Israel go with Moses.
While they were still in Egypt God gave the Israelites instructions regarding the ongoing institution of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread as memorials (see Exodus 12:24-7; 13:3-10). During the many years prior to Jesus’ arrival many Jewish rabbis had added a number of traditions to the meal which morphed into a formal ritual of Scriptural readings, prayers, symbolic foods, and songs known as the Passover Seder (meaning ‘order’). Just like the Sabbath and all the other Jewish festivals, the basic procedures for the Passover Seder can be found in the Talmud.
The Passover Seder[7]
The keeping of the Passover Seder is a very serious matter to most practicing Jews. It takes a considerable amount of preparation and planning. Including practicing the prayers, songs, and narrative readings from the ‘Haggadah’ (meaning “the telling,” a written order of service), the food preparation, preparation of the table with the best china, and provide the appropriate seating arrangements which includes a place setting for the prophet Elijah.
The Seder centers around four segments of Scripture taken from Exodus 6:6-7 that outlines four promises of God: 1) “I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians;” 2) “I will deliver you from slavery to them;” 3) “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment;” and 4) “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Four cups of wine will be offered and consumed during the Seder to reflect each of these “four joys” of the Lord’s redemption.
In most modern observances, the Passover Seder begins with the mother of the household lighting the Passover candles who then offers a blessing of thanksgiving. Then the father would fill the first cup of wine and ask everyone to stand as he raises his cup toward heaven and recites the “prayer of sanctification” (called the ‘Kiddush’). In the Upper Room, Jesus, as the leader, offered the Kiddush, “And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.” (Matthew 26:27a, NLT)
The “first cup” is followed by the washing of hands, done at the table with a pitcher of water and a bowl. Some connect Jesus washing the feet of His disciples with this portion of the ritual as He alone can cleanse them. After the washing, a green vegetable is picked up and dipped in salt water as a reminder of the tears and suffering during the Israelites time as slaves.
A linen bag containing three matzah (unleavened flat bread, see Exodus 12:8) would have been prepared before the meal started. The middle matzah is removed and broken in half. One half is placed back in the bag and the other half is wrapped in a linen cloth and hidden somewhere in the room (to reappear later, children are encouraged to close their eyes while it is hidden).
Typically the youngest child is called upon to ask four questions regarding this ceremony:
Why is this night different from all other nights? On all other nights, we eat either leavened or unleavened bread, but on this night, only unleavened bread? On all other nights, we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night, only bitter herbs? On all other nights, we do not dip even once, but on this night, we dip twice? On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining, but on this night, we eat reclining.[8]
It is interesting to note that the youngest child at this time is often encouraged to lean on the Seder leader. Just as John leaned on Jesus (see John 13:23).
The “second cup” of wine is poured and the four questions are answered with a lengthy narrative recounting the early history of the Jews beginning with God calling Abraham in Ur through to the telling of the Passover story. This is then followed by reading the first half of the ‘Hallel’ or praise psalms (Psalms 113-118), often done responsively. The second cup of wine is then consumed.
Hands are washed again followed by the taking of the upper piece of matzah along with the remainder of the middle piece of matzah which are broken into pieces and distributed to everyone. The pieces are to be dipped in horseradish and ‘haroset’ (a sweet apple mixture) before eating. The haroset is to serve as a reminder of God’s redemption in the midst of their bitter slavery represented by the horseradish. Many practice making a ’sandwich’ of two pieces of matzah with horseradish in order to bring tears to their eyes to identify with their forefathers who were slaves in Egypt.
The dinner is then served. During Jesus’ day the dinner would have consisted of roasted lamb, bitter herbs, and matzah. In most modern Seder dinners the meals vary significantly and are generally generous and sumptuous. Traditional Jewish dishes include gefilte fish, matzah ball soup, glazed chicken, matzah nut stuffing, potato kugel, honeyed carrots, stewed fruit, and sponge cake.
Once the dinner is finished, the children are sent out to search the room for the other half of the middle piece of the matzah that was previous wrapped and hidden. The piece is known as the ‘afikomen’ (the word is actually of Greek origin, it essentially means, “that which comes after,” like dessert). The child that finds the afikomen is to be rewarded. A small piece is to be broken off and eaten by everyone as a reminder of the Passover Lamb.
The “third cup” (also known as the Cup of Redemption) is poured and sipped. Once everyone has sipped the wine, a child is sent to the front door to hopefully welcome in the prophet Elijah. It is hoped that the prophet will come in, drink his cup of wine and announce the coming of the Messiah. This tradition is based on Malachi 4:5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” This is the cup that Jesus used to institute the “Lord’s Supper.” John records, “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (John 22:20) This third cup is what Jesus chose to be a reminder of Him and His work on the cross.
The “fourth cup” (called the Cup of Acceptance, or praise) is poured and taken. This is the cup that Jesus stated that He would not drink again until He drank it with the disciples and all other believers in His Father’s kingdom. “I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29)
At the end of the Passover Seder a hymn is usually sung or recited. A tradition that Jesus and His disciples kept, “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” (Matthew 26:30)
Just like most “religious traditions,” many variations of the Passover Seder exist, with several of the “add ons” not always being Scriptural. However, it does not require much investigation to see the redemptive story of Jesus in the Seder.
Passover with the Disciples
[Verses 17-25 parallels Mark 14:12-21, Luke 22:7-23 and John 13:21-30; verses 26-29 parallels Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:17-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26]
26:17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 18 He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’ ” 19 And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
As discussed earlier,[9] the use of the feast named “Unleavened Bread” can be used as a metonym referring to all three of the spring feasts (Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits). Since this eight-day period begins with Passover, the disciples ask Jesus where He plans on celebrating the Passover meal. Jesus told them (Luke identifies them as Peter and John, see Luke 22:8) to go into the city of Jerusalem, as they were undoubtedly still in Bethany, to a certain man (both Mark’s and Luke’s accounts state that they would be greeted by a man carrying a pitcher of water, see Mark 14:13; Luke 22:10) and tell him, “The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” (Mark 14:14-15, see also Luke 22:11-12). The disciples did as Jesus directed them to do and prepared the Passover meal.
26:20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
The meal had started, undoubtedly all of the disciples were reclining around the table just as Jesus is doing here. The reclined position was the standard posture for eating at the time, nothing unusual (in many households the servants would remain standing). During the meal Jesus stated that someone there, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. This shocking news began a round of concerned inquiries, each asking, “Is it I, Lord?” His answer was somewhat cryptic, as most of those, if not all of them, had their hand in the dish at some point during the evening. But with the added criteria of “with me,” one might wonder if that was in the past, present, or future? Most believe that it was a present and concurrent act and Judas fully understood (see also John 13:26). Jesus notes that His journey for the next several days will proceed as it has been prophesied, written of Him long ago. But that does not excuse Judas, as Jesus proclaims, “It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” What may sound as harsh words coming from Jesus and even though both Luke and John report that Satan entered Judas (see Luke 22:3; John 13:27), Judas was completely responsible for his actions. Sadly, those that reject Jesus for salvation will go to hell, a place of such torment that it might have been better that they would have never been born. True for Judas, true for all non-believers.
Judas asks Jesus the same question as all the other disciples, “Is it I?” Jesus replies, “You have said so.” In John’s account he adds, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (John 13:27b) Originally the plan of the elders and priests was to quietly arrest Jesus after the festivals were over (see verses 3-5 above). However, that was not God’s plan, Jesus as the “Passover Lamb” was to be executed on Passover, so Jesus essentially tells Judas, “now is the time, go!”
26:26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
During the meal Jesus adds explanation to the Seder. Taking the unleavened bread He blessed it and broke it into pieces and gave it to the disciples with the instructions to eat the bread as it represents His once-broken body. Then He took the cup and after giving thanks, He gave the wine to the disciples to drink, saying that the wine represents the blood of a new covenant (several manuscripts include the Greek word ‘kainēs’,[10] meaning ‘new’ or newly made). He further explains that His blood is poured out (Greek ‘ekchynnomenon’,[11] referring to the fact that the pouring had occurred and was planned before the beginning of time, destined to be) for many people for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus then informs them that He will not drink any wine until the day He, His disciples, and all believers are with Him in His Father’s kingdom. Reminding all readers of His promise to return and share heaven with all believers.
Considerations
Mankind has always had a problem with remembering God. For example, in the Old Testament, God established several festivals and protocols to help the Israelites remember God and to help them stay close to Him. However, even with all those reminders, the Israelites when they were blessed by God and enjoying His prosperity, they often forgot God and followed their own lusts and desires. This behavior quickly led to idolatry and pagan worship. God would then bring calamity to remind them that they belong to Him, after much grief and suffering they would eventually repent and seek God who, in His mercy, would forgive and return them to prosperity. Sadly, this ‘cycle’ occurred several times.
Before anyone begins to think that now that they are Christians that they would always be close to Jesus and never turn away from Him like the Israelites did, they are wrong and are only deceiving themselves (see 1 John 1:5-10). Just like the Israelites, Christians are still sinners and can still fall away from Jesus (salvation would be secure but the person may lose their witness and possibly lose fellowship with Him). Here Jesus is instituting a new protocol to help Christians remember what He did for them. Sadly, many have made this graphic, yet beautiful, reminder into a ritualistic procedure that is done by rote that rarely serves as a reminder.
In John 13:18 Jesus identifies Himself as the subject of Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me." David writes about a close friend, someone close enough to share a meal together, that betrays Him. And Jesus further identifies Judas Iscariot, one of His “inner circle” of twelve disciples as His betrayer. Being betrayed by a friend is an unique prophetic fulfillment.
Determining the timeline between Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the day of His resurrection has been the subject of much research and debate. Many theories and ideas have been proposed. Why is the task of fitting the events recorded in the gospels into the appropriate day so difficult? Since the days are not directly named or delineated, one needs to watch carefully for words that refer to the end of a day or for words that infer or state the beginning of another.
However, there are several other factors, complications, and roadblocks to consider. The biggest hurdles undoubtedly are the complexity of Judaism (with its many extra-Biblical texts), the Hebrew language and incorrect presuppositions. Here is a short list of some of the items that have created headaches in this endeavor:
Warning: While investigations like this can be fruitful and provide greater insight, it should never distract from following Jesus. Precisely mapping the week’s events is of secondary importance compared to what Jesus did for every believer during that week.
1) One needs to remember that according to the Old Testament protocol a new day begins at dusk, not at midnight or dawn. 2) The three Mosaic spring festivals are not only back-to-back, they overlap, as the Feast of Firstfruits occurs during the week-long celebration of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 3) The names ‘Passover’ and the ‘Feast of Unleavened Bread’ are often used interchangeably as a metonym or synecdoche. Which can confuse some readers when trying to determine whether the text is referring to the specific festival or a group of more than one festival. 4) The Talmud (a major Jewish document that also contains the entire Mishnah, the Oral Law) can be difficult to comprehend and therefore be easily misinterpreted. For example, many believe that the Mishnah states that there was a difference in how a day was rendered at the time of Christ (Galilean versus Judean). Which may answer the potential problem of timing between the Seder and crucifixion (or is it a misinterpretation?). 5) The Mishnah also records that if a Passover falls on a Sabbath day or on the day before (Friday), the timing of many events can change, which would complicate the creation of a timeline. It is important to note that while Jewish literature is helpful in gaining understanding or insight of some cultural procedures and thinking, it is not on the same level as God’s Word.
However, nothing compares to the ongoing debate among Christians regarding the amount of time Jesus was in the grave. Please note the following discussion can be poignant and emotional to some readers.
Since several of God’s appointed feasts have one or more day of rest associated with the celebration, there can be more than 52 Sabbath days per year. If the first day of Unleavened Bread is considered a Sabbath, that could explain why in Matthew 28:1 when it opens with, “Now after the Sabbath,” the Greek word for Sabbath in this verse is plural. Allowing one Sabbath being used to identify the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread followed by a second, normal end-of-week Sabbath. It is interesting to note that this interpretation could allow for Jesus to spend three full days and three full nights in the tomb (see Matthew 12:40).
When Jesus was asked to provide a ‘sign’ to prove that He indeed has authority from God, He responded using the story of Jonah being in the belly of a great fish as a reference for His answer: “But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.” (Matthew 12:39-40) Note the time period: three days (Greek ‘treis’[12] and ‘hēmeras’)[13] and three nights (Greek ‘treis’ and ‘nyktas’).[14] Most Christian traditions teach that Jesus was crucified on Friday and then raised from the dead on that Sunday morning, which conflicts with the time period stated here in verse 40. How can this dilemma be resolved knowing that there are additional ‘Sabbaths’ per year other than those on the last day of the week? First, let’s establish that each of the gospels clearly state that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (see Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1), a day better known today as Sunday. So, to have Jesus, “in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights,” His crucifixion therefore must have been earlier than Friday.
Many are quick to point out that it was a popular Hebrew way to reckon two nights and three days as three nights and three days, much like today when someone calls Friday through Sunday a three-day weekend. Many have noted that even the Jewish Talmud supports this concept with statements like, “part of the day is counted as a whole.” While the Talmud does in fact say that or similar several times, those references are only used in conjunction with issues or events like when someone is born, a day of rest (no working at night, etc.), a woman’s discharge, time to consume food (such as on the Sabbath), reading the Torah, being rebuked (or punished), mourning, a Nazirite vow, being clean, or being unclean. Essentially anything that can occur on a day and thus calling it a day, but not the other way around. It is never used, nor was it widely accepted as a generalization referring to a time period. Actually, quite the opposite is true of the Talmud as it is very precise. Some attempt to justify the use of round numbers with the story of the Egyptian found by David’s men (see 1 Samuel 30:11-13). Again, not founded, one should not automatically think that Jesus was using a common Jewish generalization. The motivation for this effort may be the result of needing to justify a presupposition.
In Luke’s account he mentioned that when Jesus died, “It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning.” (Luke 23:54) The Apostle John’s account also states that it was the day before the Sabbath: “Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.” (John 19:31) Note also how John refers to “that Sabbath was a high day,” (the Greek word ‘megalē’,[15] translated here as ‘high’ whose root word appears in the New Testament 215 times and is most often translated as ‘great’). Seeing that the Feast of Unleavened Bread (the day after the day of Passover, truly a ‘great’ day according to Scripture) begins with a “Sabbath-like day” and is often simply called a ‘Sabbath’, we can see how the crucifixion could have occurred on Thursday instead of on Friday. Which would also explain the plural use of Sabbaths in Matthew 28:1.
Note: Every religion has its traditions and Christianity is no different. Through the years many Christian celebrations were created to honor several vital events in Jesus’ ministry. We need to understand that even though that some events may not have occurred on the day or date it is celebrated (such as Christmas), that fact should never dampen one’s willingness to participate or lose significance.
The word ‘sacrament’ cannot be found in the Bible. It is derived from the Latin ‘sacramentum’, referring to a sacred pledge of fidelity that is publicly seen (a time where God and man work together). The concept was originally something that was to serve as a testimony of God’s power of redemption, but soon became something that had ‘sacred’ powers of themselves. Just like many traditions that start out pointing to Jesus, that over the years the original meaning was lost and keeping the tradition became more important than Jesus, the same has occurred with sacraments. They have become immovable fixtures in many churches.
Tertullian (c. 160- c. 220) was one of the first Christian authors to speak of the baptismal ritual as a sacramentum. As the church developed, many of its rites and ceremonies were called sacraments or believed to have a sacramental significance. Peter Lombard, in the early and mid-twelfth century, postulated seven sacraments: baptism, confirmation, penance, the eucharist, ordination, marriage and unction. This came to be the official position and was declared so at the Council of Florence (1439) and the Council of Trent (1545–1563). Reformation theology limited the sacraments to two—baptism and the Lord’s Supper—since only these had explicit biblical sanction.[16]
The ”Lord’s Supper” (also known as communion or eucharist) that Jesus instituted in this chapter was to serve as a reminder of the work He did on the cross. It was never intended to be something that was to ‘add’ to or to ‘complete’ His work. Jesus paid 100% of everyone’s sins, no extra work is required, all anyone must do is accept the free gift He offers. That applies for everything anyone might do, including all of the ‘sacraments’. Nothing more is needed for salvation.
The Lord’s Supper is not a repetition or even a re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary but a proclamation and symbolic reenactment of this sacrifice. It is not a propitiatory sacrifice but a eucharistic sacrifice—a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. It is not a perpetuation of the sacrifice on Calvary but a remembrance of this sacrifice.[17]
Disciples Will Scatter and Peter Will Deny
[Text parallels Mark 14:26-31, Luke 22:29-40 and John 13:38; 18:1]
26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
In the tradition of the Seder, Jesus and His disciples all sung a hymn. Afterwards they went to the Mount of Olives where Jesus told them that they will each leave Him that evening because of Him. Jesus relates this soon-to-be-scattered group of disciples to the prophecy found in the last half of Zechariah 13:7. Peter, who is undoubtedly somewhat indignant due of the implication, told Jesus that he would never leave Him. Jesus then told Peter that he would indeed that evening, before a rooster crows, deny Him three times. In response, Peter, probably now louder, boldly states that even if he had to die, he would never deny Jesus. Each of the disciples relayed the same response.
Considerations
Prophetic Text Overview No. 15
There are several prophecies in Zechariah chapter 13 which pertain to the nation of Israel during the Second Coming of Jesus. In the middle of those prophecies is one that according to Jesus points to the scattering of His disciples. We read in Zechariah 13:7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the LORD of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.” God the Father is speaking about His Son the Shepherd, and warns that when the Shepherd is physically struck (Hebrew ‘hǎḵ’,[18] to beat, to strike, to wound) the sheep will be dispersed. Although referring to His disciples leaving Him, it also can pertain to the dispersion of the Jews due to their unwillingness to accept Jesus as the Messiah.
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
[Text parallels Mark 14:32-42 and Luke 22:41-46]
26:36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
Gethsemane is a garden on the Mount of Olives. The name, transliterated from the Aramaic words ‘gath’,[19] being ‘a press’ and ’shemen’,[20] a reference to ‘oil’, together means “oil press.” When Jesus and His disciples arrived, He asked them to sit down while He took Peter, John, and James to a different location in the garden (according to Luke just a stone’s throw away). Jesus soon began to be grieved and troubled (Greek ‘adēmonein’,[21] to faint, almost overwhelmed, or mentally burdened), He told this small group of disciples that His soul was distressed even to the point of death and that they should be with Him and remain awake during this troubling time. Jesus then walked a little farther and dropped to the ground prostrate and began to pray. He then pleaded with His Father that if it was possible to let this cup[22] pass from Him. He was asking His Father if there was any other way. This question was undoubtedly asked for future readers, as there was no other way to fix the problem of sin then and that is still true today. Jesus is the One and only path to salvation. Jesus accepts the cup of anguish knowing that it is His Father’s will.
26:40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
After praying, Jesus returned to the three disciples and found them each asleep. He asked Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour?” Jesus had asked His disciples to stay awake while He prayed. Anyone who had a nice meal at night can sympathize with Peter, James, and John, especially sitting for one hour. Jesus now asks them to pray that they not enter into temptation. Since the disciples were unaware of how the events that evening were going to “play out,” they undoubtedly did not fully understand Jesus’ request. They probably wondered how would they enter into temptation? Perhaps they thought He was referring to the temptation to fall asleep again. In the next four-plus hours they would be facing some of their worst fears and as a result their lives will be changed forever. Jesus notes that their spirit was willing to do as He requested, but their body, especially one that is tired, did not have the strength to resist going to sleep. Jesus leaves them again to pray, this time He said: “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” Continuing with the metaphor of the cup of anguish and recognizing that if this (the soon-to-begin sequence of very painful events) cannot pass unless He drinks that cup, He again tells His Father that He will indeed do His will.
26:43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Once again Jesus returns and finds them asleep, Matthew adds that their eyes were heavy, in other words, they were very sleepy. No interaction recorded except Mark notes that the disciples, “Did not know what to answer him.” (Mark 14:40b) Jesus went away for the third time and prayed the same prayer as before. When He returned, He told them that they will have to get their rest at some other time, as the hour in which He was to be betrayed had now arrived. Jesus adds that He is going to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, a reminder that He, who is without sin, would soon to be judged by those who had sinned against His Father. He tells His disciples to rise up and move as He sees His betrayer coming.
Considerations
In verse 39 Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Jesus is asking His Father for a “way out” of the suffering that He will soon face. He notes that “not as I will,” which raises the question, what was His will? Understanding that it is a moot inquiry as He further states that He will do His Father’s will, it is still nonetheless an intriguing question. Some believe this resistance was coming from His ‘human’ side. And since Jesus is omniscient and outside of time He would have known exactly what was going to occur. But we also know that the primary purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to save humanity, something that would not happen without Him suffering and dying.
During His ministry Jesus made several promises including, but not limited to: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.” (John 6:35-37) “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:9-10) “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25b-26) “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:1-3) None of these, and all of His other promises He made would not have been possible if Jesus backed out of going to the cross. Since being God He cannot lie[23] and we know that His love for us is beyond measure, we can conclude that Jesus was never thinking about reneging on His promises, nothing could stop Him from proceeding, including the thought of enduring intense pain. As pointed out above, there is only one way to solve the problem of sin and Jesus did it for us, He paid the full price for our sins. That is how much He loves you!
The apostle Paul wrote, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Paul says that Jesus was made sin for us, we may never know exactly what that entailed. Some believe the ‘weight’ of all sin (being all sins of all people throughout time) was placed on Jesus during the crucifixion. What we do know is that Jesus, who lived a sinless life, died for all of mankind’s sins (past, present, and future) so that we can become righteous before God. Nothing else is required for our salvation, just accepting the free gift.
Jesus notes in His explanation of why the disciples were having difficulty in staying awake that, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (see verse 41), giving us an example of our dual existence. The Bible teaches there are at least two parts to all life forms that breathe, the physical and the spiritual or non-corporeal.[24] The body is the physical component; through it breath is drawn and released, food is converted into energy, and it provides any necessary movement. The body is a fully operational containment device. Since the body can be seen and heard, it is straightforward and easy to explain. This, however, is not the case with a person’s spirit.
To understand the ‘spirit’ we can think of a computer with no operating system or software in it. Then next think of that same computer with an operating system and fully loaded with software. What changed, what was the difference? If the computer was never turned on to see the differences on the screen, there would be no difference perceived since software has no mass, shape, or any other notable physical feature, it cannot be seen by itself. Like the computer, the real essence of an animal or a person is not the body, it is the digital code that is operating the body (the ‘software’, which provides personality, memory, knowledge, etc.)
What does a dual existence mean for a Christian? Before a person believes and accepts Jesus as their Savior, both their body and their spirit have a sinful nature. While Christians do indeed possess a forgiven and changed ‘spirit’, they remain a sinner and will continue to struggle with the fleshly nature of their sinful body until their bodies are glorified in heaven.
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
[Text parallels Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53 and John 18:2-12]
26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him.
Judas makes a melodramatic entrance with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs. He greets Jesus with a kiss, a sign to the crowd that He is the one they need to arrest. The text states that the people of the crowd were sent from the chief priests and the elders, in John’s account he notes that they were soldiers and officers (see John 18:3), likely members of their “Temple guards” (see verse 58 below; Mark 14:54, 65; Luke 22:52; John 7:32, 45-46; 18:12, 18, 22, 19:6; Acts 5:22, 26).
26:50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
Jesus told Judas to proceed with the arrest. Matthew notes that someone that was with Jesus drew their sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant’s ear. John identifies the culprit as being Peter and the servant as being named Malchus (see John 18:10). Jesus immediately tells Peter to put the sword away (see John 18:11), healed the ear (see Luke 22:51), and then said, “For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” This well-known proverb, commonly quoted as “If you live by the sword, you will die by the sword,” is not a call for pacifism as some believe, but that any person who unlawful and violently uses a weapon will be subject to the same plight (see Genesis 9:6; Romans 13:4).
Jesus essentially asks Peter, “What were you thinking?” Jesus did not need someone to come to His defense. He reminds Peter that He could call on His Father to instantly dispatch a large number of angels to fight this crowd, but that would have prevented the arrest and everything that would occur afterwards. These events not only were needed to occur for humanity’s sake, they were necessary to fulfill prophecy.[25]
26:55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Now turning to the crowds, Jesus makes what could easily be described as a humorous observation. For nearly a week He has daily sat in the Temple courtyard teaching and now they come at night with swords and clubs, like what they might do in pursuit of a violent criminal. What did they think Jesus was going to do? Did they expect violence? Jesus notes how this mob action of accusers is in fulfillment of the prophecy found in Psalm 27:12, “Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.” Just as Jesus predicted in verse 31, all of His disciples left Him.
Considerations
Prophetic Text Overview No. 16
Psalm 27:12 has three components that relate to Jesus’ incarceration and the trials that follow. The first is “Give me not up to the will of my adversaries.” Even though Jesus demonstrated through His many miracles and teaching that He was who He said He was, the Jewish leadership would not accept Him as the Messiah. The only thing they could all agree on was that He couldn’t be allowed to continue as their way of life and their influential status were being threatened. These adversaries wanted to kill Him. It is hard to believe that these people who had dedicated their lives to following the commandments of God were willing to violate the first “You shall not…” commandment and murder Jesus. We need to remember what God told the prophet Jeremiah to write, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)
The second component to Psalm 27:12 is, “for false witnesses have risen against me.” Jesus will soon be accused by two false witnesses (the law required two or more witnesses, see Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15 and John 8:17). The third component is, “and they breathe out violence.” The crowd that came out to arrest Jesus certainly were ready to be violent. Later as the trials progress, the emotions of many will also escalate.
Overview
After Jesus was arrested He withstood a rapid-fire series of six trials in one evening. None of the gospel accounts record all six, in order to piece together the events of that night all four gospel accounts will be necessary. Three of the trials Jesus faced Jewish leadership, and since the Jews were no longer legally able to put someone to death,[26] three of the trials He faced Roman leadership.
Trial |
Jesus Faced |
Bible References |
| 1 | Annas | John 18:12-14, 19-24 |
| 2 | Caiaphas | Matthew 26:57-68; Luke 22:54 |
| 3 | Sanhedrin | Matthew 27:1; Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:66-21 |
| 4 | Pilate | Matthew 27:2, 11-14; Mark 15:1b-5; Luke 23:1-7; John 18:28-38 |
| 5 | Herod | Luke 23:8-12 |
| 6 | Pilate | Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 19:1-16 |
Abnormal Procedures
There were a number of legal irregularities in these trials. Due to the unexpected change in the time schedule (remember Jesus told Judas to go do what he was going to do ahead of the chief priest’s desired schedule) they had to rush through the proceedings to be finished before Passover (at least their part, to the Romans the timing was not an issue). Here is a partial list of abnormalities that would possibly be considered illegal if they occurred during any other trial:[27]
1) The binding of a prisoner before he was condemned was unlawful unless
resistance was offered or expected. Jesus offered none (John 18:12, 24).
2) It was illegal for judges to participate in the arrest of the accused (John 18:3).
3) No legal transactions, including a trial, could be conducted at night (John
18:28).
4) The arrest was affected through the agency of an informer and a traitor
(John 18:5; Exodus 23:6-8).
5) While an acquittal could be pronounced the same day, any other verdict
required a majority of two and had to come on a subsequent day (Matthew
26:65-66).
6) No prisoner could be convicted on his own evidence (Matthew 26:63-65).
7) It was the duty of a judge to see that the interest of the accused was fully
protected (John 18:14).
8) Preliminary hearings before a magistrate were completely foreign to the
Jewish legal system (John 18:13).
9) The judges sought false witnesses against Jesus (Matthew 26:59; Mark 14:56).
10) In a Jewish court the accused was to be assumed innocent until proven
guilty by two or more witnesses (Matthew 18:63).
11) The Jews failed to find two witnesses agreeing against Jesus (Mark 14:59).
12) When the witnesses first disagreed, the prisoner should have been
released (Mark 14:56-59).
13) The trial under Caiaphas took place in his home rather than the council
chamber where it should have been held (John 18:13-16).
14) The Court lacked the civil authority to condemn a man to death (John 18:31).
15) It was illegal to conduct a session of the court on a feast day (John 18:28).
16) A guilty verdict was rendered without evidence (John 18:30).
17) The balloting was illegal. It should have been by roll with the youngest
voting first (Matthew 26:66).
18) The sentence is finally passed in the palace of the high priest, but the
law demanded it be pronounced in the temple, in the hall of hewn stone
(John 18:28).
19) The high priest rends his garment (Matthew 26:65); he was never permitted to tear his official robe (Leviticus 21:10); If he did not have on his priestly robe, he couldn’t have put Christ under oath.
Jesus Before Caiaphas and the Council
[Text parallels Mark 14:53-65 and Luke 22:54]
26:57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered.
According to Luke’s account Jesus was brought to the high priest’s home (see Luke 22:54) not to the council chambers. Since the scribes and elders were already there, it is clear that this first phase of the trial period was essentially “off the record.”
26:58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end.
Undoubtedly not wanting to be arrested or identified as being one of Jesus’ disciples, Peter followed at a reasonable distance. He made it as far as the courtyard of the high priest’s house and sat down with the guards to watch. It is interesting to note that Peter’s denial is recorded in all four of the gospel accounts.
26:59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’ ” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
The truth is revealed, neither the chief priests nor the Sanhedrin had any evidence against Jesus that would justify having Him put to death. They apparently interviewed several false witnesses but still found nothing worthy of death. Then two witnesses came forward and offered testimony, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” A misquote from when Jesus first cleansed the Temple as recorded in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” These witnesses did not realize that Jesus was referring to Himself rising from the dead in three days.
Likely in high dramatic form, Caiaphas immediately jumps up and tells Jesus to respond to this accusation. Then after a period of silence, Caiaphas adjures Jesus (Greek ‘exorkizō’,[28] to put under an oath) to answer by the Living God, whether or not He is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus replied, “It is as you said. 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.” (NKJV) In addition to His admission that He is the Christ, He tells Caiaphas that in the future he will see Him sitting at the right hand of Power (a reference to His Father, see Hebrews 1:3) and coming on the clouds of heaven (see Matthew 24:30, see also commentary under Matthew 24:29-31).
26:65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.”
Again Caiaphas, without a doubt in a highly dramatic way, tears his robes[29] and accuses Jesus of blasphemy. He asks his fellow members of the Sanhedrin what their judgment is and they answer, “He deserves death.”[30] Jesus’ response was exactly what they were looking for, now they were able proceed to the next step. Remember, Jesus was then and is still in control, this is also exactly what He wanted to happen as well.
26:67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
While the text here does not state who spit in Jesus’ face, struck him or slapped Him, the culprits were likely the Temple guards (see also Mark 14:65; Luke 22:63-65; John 18:22-23). While Jesus was probably still in chains from the arrest, they begin to slap Him with His eyes blindfolded (see Mark 14:65; Luke 22:64) and ask Him to identify which one of them hit Him. Later we read when Jesus faced similar abuse from the soldiers of the governor (see Matthew 27:27-31).
Peter Denies Jesus
[Text parallels Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-65 and John 18:25-27]
26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70 But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72 And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” 73 After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” 74 Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
The narrative returns to Peter sitting outside the high priest’s courtyard (see verse 58), while there, a servant girl recognizes him and claims that he was with Jesus the Galilean. Peter then denied her claims by saying, “I don’t know what you mean,” and began to head out towards the entrance. Soon another servant girl recognized him and expressed to everyone else watching, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” Peter once again denies the accusation by swearing, “I don’t know the man.” After a period of time passes, some of the bystanders begin to confront Peter saying, “You really are one of them also, because even your accent reveals who you are.” (LEB) Peter began to call down curses on himself (NIV), acknowledging, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” (NLT) Then immediately the rooster crowed, and undoubtedly accompanied with tremendous pain, Peter remembered what Jesus earlier said (see verse 34). He left the area and wept bitterly.
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[1] See Considerations under Matthew 5:21–26 regarding the Sanhedrin.
[2] Strong’s Greek 833.
[3] Strong’s Greek 1388.
[4] Strong’s Greek 749.
[5] M’Clintock, J., & Strong, J. (1891). Cai′aphas. In Cyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Vol. 2, p. 11). New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers.
[6] Strong’s Greek 694.
[7] Adapted from “The Feasts of the Lord, God’s Prophetic Calendar from Calvary to the Kingdom,” written by Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal. Copyright 1997.
[8] Howard, K., & Rosenthal, M. (1997). The feasts of the Lord (p. 56). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
[9] See Considerations under Matthew 21:14-17 “Required Pilgrimage.”
[10] Strong’s Greek 2537.
[11] Strong’s Greek1632.
[12] Strong’s Greek 5140.
[13] Strong’s Greek 2250.
[14] Strong’s Greek 3571.
[15] Strong’s Greek 3173.
[16] Bloesch, D. G. (2002). The Church: sacraments, worship, ministry, mission (p. 148). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[17] Bloesch, D. G. (2002). The Church: sacraments, worship, ministry, mission (p. 160). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[18] Strong’s Hebrew 5221.
[19] Strong’s Hebrew 1660. Note: Both Hebrew and Aramaic words found in the Bible are listed in Strong’s Hebrew numbering system.
[20] Strong’s Hebrew 1881.
[21] Strong’s Greek 85.
[22] The ‘cup’ is a metaphor often found in Scripture referring to a period of intense anguish, wrath, or judgment, for example see Psalm 75:8; isaiah 52:17; Jeremiah 25:25; Lamentations 4:21; Ezekiel 23:32; Zechariah 12:2; Mark 10:38; John 18:11; Revelation 16:19.
[23] See Numbers 23:19; Psalm 89:34.
[24] Some believe in a ‘trichotomy’ where the ‘soul’ is different from the ‘spirit’.
[25] See Considerations under Matthew 26:16-29, “Prophetic Text Overview No. 15” and Considerations below, “Prophetic Text Overview No. 17.”
[26] See Considerations under Matthew 20:17-20 "Capital Punishment by the Jews Revoked."
[27] Adapted from Missler, C. (2006). Supplemental Notes: The Gospel of Matthew (p. 261). Coeur d’Alene, ID: Koinonia House.
[28] Strong’s Greek 1844.
[29] An Old Testament practice to demonstrate outward dismay or grief (see Genesis 37:34; 44:13; Numbers 14:6, etc.) God’s law forbids the high priest from tearing their clothes (see Leviticus 10:6; 21:10).
[30] According to God’s law the punishment for blasphemy (to curse God, speak evil of God, or otherwise slander God), was death (see Leviticus 24:10-16).