Matthew 26
CHAPTER 26
Jesus predicts two days to His death
And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said to his disciples: 2 You know that after two days the Passover comes, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered at the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas. 4 And they plotted together how they might seize Jesus using trickery and kill him. 5 But they said: Not during the feast, lest a riot arise among the people.
Jesus is anointed with precious ointment
6 Now when Jesus was in 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. 8 But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying: To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this might have been sold for much and given to the poor. 10 But Jesus perceiving it, said to them: Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work upon me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me with you. 12 For in that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I say to you: Wherever in the whole world this gospel is preached, what this woman has done shall also be spoken of as a memorial to her.
Judas Iscariot decides to betray Jesus to the priests
14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, 15 and said: What are you willing to give me if I will deliver him to you? And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that time onward he sought opportunity to betray him.
Jesus’ last supper with His disciples
17 Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Where do you want us to prepare the Passover for you to eat? 18 And he said: Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him: The Teacher said, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they prepared the Passover.
20 Now when evening had come, he was dining with the twelve disciples. 21 And as they were eating, he said: Truly I say to you: One of you shall betray me. 22 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and all began to say to him: Is it I, Lord? 23 And he answered and said: He that dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes, even as it is written of him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better if that man had not been born. 25 And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said: Is it I, Rabbi? He said to him: You have said it.
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed and broke it, and he gave it to the disciples, saying: Take, eat. This is my body. 27 And he took a cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying: All of you, drink it. 28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say to you, I shall not drink of this fruit of the vine from this time forward, until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom.
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus predicts that Peter will deny he knows Jesus
31 Then Jesus said to them: You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written: I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you into Galilee. 33 But Peter answered and said to him: If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away. 34 Jesus said to him: Truly I say to you, that this night, before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times. 35 Peter said to him: Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you. Likewise said all the disciples.
Jesus prays in Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples: Sit here, while I go yonder and pray. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then he said to them: My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me. 39 And he went forward a little and fell on his face and prayed, saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as You will.
40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter: What! Could you not watch with me for 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 a second time he went away and prayed, saying: My Father, if this cup cannot pass, except I drink it, Your will be done. 43 And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them again and went away and prayed a third time, saying again the same words.
45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them: Sleep on now and take your rest.
Jesus is arrested by the priests and their people
The hour is at hand and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Arise! Let us be going. He that betrays me is nearby. 47 And while he yet spoke, Judas, one of the twelve, came; and with him a great crowd with swords and staves, from the chief priest and elders of the people. 48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he. Take him. 49 And immediately he came to Jesus, and said, Greetings, Rabbi; and kissed him. 50 And Jesus said to him: Friend, do what you came to do. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him.
Jesus reproves a disciple for using force
51 And one of those 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 said Jesus to him: Put away your sword into its place, for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53 Do you think I cannot ask my Father and He shall, even now, send me more than twelve legions of Angels? But how then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way? 55 In that hour Jesus said to the mob: Have you come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching and you did not take me. 56 But all this is happening so that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled.
The priests seek for an excuse to condemn Jesus to death
57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. 58 But Peter followed him afar off, to the court of the high priest; and entered in and sat with the officers, to see the end.
59 Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death. 60 And they did not find any, though many false witnesses came. But afterwards came two, 61 and said: This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest stood up and said to him: Do you answer nothing? What is it that these testify against you? 63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said to him: I bind you under oath to the living God, tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus said to him: You have said it; nevertheless I say to you, from this time forward you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest tore his garments, saying: He has spoken blasphemy. What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy. 66 What is your judgement? They answered and said: He is worthy of death.
67 Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him with the palms of their hands, 68 saying: Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is he that struck you?
Peter denies he knows Jesus
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a maid came to him, saying: You also were with Jesus the Galilean. 70 But he denied before them all, saying: I do not know what you say. 71 And when he went out to the entrance, another maid saw him and said to the bystanders: This man was with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath: I do not know the man. 73 And after a little while they that stood by came and said to Peter: Of a truth you also are one of them, for your dialect makes you known. 74 Then he began to curse and to swear: I do not know the man! And immediately the cock crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the words which Jesus had said: Before the cock crows, you shall deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly.
Commentary
26:5 The crowds were very pro Jesus, but soon shouted “Crucify Him!”. We must try not to be so fickle, even though it’s how we tend to be by nature.
26:8 Disciples- the other records say that Judas said this. One person can so easily negatively influence a whole group of believers.
26:13 This incident is mentioned in all the Gospel records, confirming our thesis that the Gospels are transcripts of the actual Gospel message which the authors usually preached.
26:15 This suggests that Judas’ motivation was largely financial. Hence his throwing down of the pieces of silver in disgust at himself. So many have betrayed Christ for the passing wealth of this world.
26:26 The original breaking of bread was part of a meal.
26:29 Alluding to how the priest on duty wasn’t allowed to drink alcohol. Jesus intended us to understand that He will literally drink wine again with us when He returns, at the marriage supper of the Lamb.
26:38 Jesus almost died from sorrow, sorrow that Israel had rejected God’s salvation. His heart so bled for others’ response to the Gospel, as should ours.
26:39 How long did it take Jesus to pray these words? Were there minutes between each word or clause? Our salvation hung in the balance as He struggled. The will of God was clearly not the same as the will of Jesus in all things- Jesus was certainly not God in person.
26:45 Jesus said this to them as they slept, as if talking to His own sleeping children.
26:52 A solid argument against Christians taking weapons. 26:60 The Jews had a strange desire to still keep the Law and to be legally correct- whilst destroying the innocent Son of God. This kind of paradox and gross internal contradiction is so often seen in religious people.
26:73 Jesus and His followers were distinguished by their Galilean accents. Another window into the humanity of Jesus.
26:74 These oaths weren’t expletives. They were calling down various types of Divine condemnation upon himself if he had ever known Jesus. Peter’s bitter weeping in v. 75 is similar to the weeping which Jesus often predicted would be experienced by those whom He rejects at the last day. Peter condemned himself in this life- but repented and was saved. We either go through that process now, in contrition for our sins- or then at the day of judgment when it’s too late to change the verdict.
