1. What does this passage tell us about Jesus?

2. What does it tell us about the religious authorities?

3. What does it tell us about the common people?

C. Comment:

Having just spoken at length about his second coming, Jesus now returns to the present. He is still speaking to the disciples and he reminds them that the beginning of the feast of the Passover is only two days away. When that comes it will be time for Jesus to be arrested, wrongly tried and then crucified. For those of us who've been Christians a long time, we probably take these familiar words for granted, but look again.

He speaks of himself as the Son of Man, that prophetic designation from the Old Testament of the Coming One, the Anointed One from God. He clearly identified himself as that one. Then he speaks about being “handed over” to the authorities. This speaks of the coming betrayal; he won't just be simply arrested. Then there is “to be crucified”. He's going to receive the death penalty. He's not just going to be killed in a skirmish with the Romans. He's not just going to be put in prison. He's actually going to receive the death sentence. In all of this Jesus clearly shows us that he is completely aware of what is going to happen. He won't MAKE it happen, but it will be the result of sinful, jealous, insecure men using their positions of power against him, as the following verses showed us.

D. Application:

1. Jesus was TOTALLY aware of what was going to happen.

2. Jesus is never taken by surprise.

Chapter: Matthew 26:1-35

Passage: Matthew 26:6-13

A. Find Out:

1. Where was Jesus? v.6

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper,

2. Who came and did what? v.7

a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

3. What was the response of the disciples? v.8,9

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. "Why this waste?" they asked. "This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor."

4. How did Jesus describe what she had done? v.10

Aware of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.

5. What did Jesus say she had done? v.12

When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

6. What did Jesus say would happen in the future? v.13

I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

B. Think:

1. Why do you think the woman did this to Jesus?

2. What was behind the thinking of the disciples?

3. Yet how does Jesus interpret it?

C. Comment:

An intriguing episode! Jesus is in the home of an ex-leper (he healed him) and it seems a variety of other people were there as well. Other Gospel writers identify the woman as one of the Mary's who followed Jesus. Note first of all Jesus is being blessed by a leper and a woman (who in Jewish male society was very second class). Just meditate on those two people, first of all.

Then she pours out this very expensive ointment on Jesus. Now whatever reason she had in her mind (and we're not told), this was at least an act of pure devotion, a willingness to spend on Jesus! Something in this woman urged her to do this. She probably wasn't fully aware of even why she was doing it. Dare we suggest it was the prompting of the Holy Spirit, for her to pour out her love in a prophetic gesture, or that is how Jesus interpreted it.

And then there are “the disciples”. Other Gospels identify Judas as at the heart of the complaint but others probably agreed with him. They saw this as a waste. They were in the house of a man who was probably poor. How he must be offended by this, they probably think. Yet the extravagant giving to Jesus is approved by him, after all if you want to bless the poor, they're always around!

D. Application:

1. They will be key moments when we can bless Jesus with our love.

2. Let's bless Jesus AND others.

Chapter: Matthew 26:1-35

Passage: Matthew 26:14-19

A. Find Out:

1. Who went to whom? v.14

Then one of the Twelve--the one called Judas Iscariot--went to the chief priests

2. What did he ask and what was agreed? v.15

"What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?"So they counted out for him thirty silver coins

3. So what was he looking for? v.16

From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

4. What did the disciples ask and when? v.17

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"

5. What was Jesus' reply? v.18

He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, `The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.' "

6. So what happened? v.19

So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

B. Think:

1. Read also Lk 22:3,4 What are we told about Judas's plans?

2. How do verses 17-19 seem so contrary to verses 14-16?

3. What indications are given here of Jesus' preplanning?

C. Comment:

Now we come to the awful news about Judas planning to betray Jesus. Nowhere are we told quite why he did this, simply that Luke tells us he was prompted by Satan. Perhaps he wanted to provoke Jesus into action against the authorities, but we aren't told that. All we are told are the bald facts that he agreed for thirty silver coins to betray Jesus when the opportunity arose.

Immediately following this we're told about the preparations going on to hold the Passover Supper. Jesus has obviously made arrangements when he was previously in Jerusalem for this event and so he simply sends the disciples to set this up.

The overwhelming sense here on v.17-19 is of living continuing as normal with the usual preparations being made. Yet the previous verses tell us that everything is far from normal; there is an undercover plot to destroy Jesus. Very often in life, it seems everything is carrying on as normal, yet things are happening “under cover”, things that the enemy is doing to seek to bring us down. Are we alert to these things? The only person who would have known what was going on was Jesus, and for the moment he said nothing more than he had already said (26:2).

D. Application:

1. Are we alert to the enemy's strategies against us?

2. Do we ask Jesus to keep us alert to what is going on around us?

Chapter: Matthew 26:1-35

Passage: Matthew 26:20-25

A. Find Out:

1. Who was where doing what? v.20,21a

When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating,

2. What did Jesus say? v.21b

he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."

3. What was the response of each disciple? v.22

They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"

4. Who did Jesus say it was? v.23

Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me

5. What further did he say about him? v.24

The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

6. How was Judas finally identified? v.25

Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you

B. Think:

1. How did all the other disciples address Jesus here?

2. How did Judas address him?

3. Why do you think Jesus exposed Judas like this?

C. Comment:

It is now the Last Supper and it is on this occasion that Jesus chooses to expose Judas, yet the way he does it, although stark is not condemnatory. In fact, in many ways, it is quite gentle. He starts out by a simple comment that one of them would betray him. No doubt this was part of the general conversation and so it doesn't come as a bolt out of the blue. yet it does cause each disciple to declare his innocence Now the fact that Jesus is referring to a future event, perhaps makes it less terrible and they each believe that they could not do such a thing.

Even Judas has the temerity to deny he will do this thing, yet he has already taken money to do just that. Note that Judas calls Jesus Rabbi, or Teacher, but the rest address him as Lord. Surely an indication there of what Judas thinks about Jesus?

Jesus is quite uncompromising in identifying Judas, it is quite clear. And yet his apparently stinging remark in v.24 seems at first sight to be quite condemning. Yet if it was condemning he would not have gone on and shared the bread and wine with Judas. So why is he saying this? Surely to give Judas an opportunity to face his sin and repent. Sometimes we need facing with our sin before we can come to repentance, and this, surely, is what Jesus is doing here.

D. Application:

1. We ARE responsible for our own wrong actions.

2. When God confronts us, it is to give opportunity for repentance.

Chapter: Matthew 26:1-35

Passage: Matthew 26:26-30

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus do with the bread? v.26a.b

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples,

2. How did he describe it? v.26c

"Take and eat; this is my body."

3. What did he next take with what instruction? v.27

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you

4. How did he describe it? v.28a

This is my blood of the B covenant, which is poured out for many

5. What effect would it have? v.28b

for the forgiveness of sins.

6. What did he then say about the future? v.29

I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."

B. Think:

1. What was Jesus symbolically saying via the bread?

2. What was he saying via the wine?

3. What do you think he meant about the future?

C. Comment:

For some reason parts of the church go blind at this passage of Scripture. Throughout Jesus ministry he taught using symbolic language, either in parables or prophecy, to convey spiritual truths, yet when we come to these verses some groups try to go literal.

When Jesus took the bread he didn't suddenly mean there were two expressions of his body in front of them, him and the bread. So what is he saying? Only what he says elsewhere - “I am the bread of life (Jn 6:35 ), I am the living bread.. if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever (Jn 6:51 ).. on that day.. you will realise I am in you (Jn 14:20 ). So what is he saying? To be a Christian you have to take Jesus into your life so he becomes one with you and you become one with him. That happens when he puts his Holy Spirit in you.

And the wine? A symbolic reference to his death on the Cross, or as John recorded, “Look the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29) or as the writer to the Hebrews put it, “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Heb 9:22), both referring to the sacrificial system where either you paid for your own sin, or you let another die in your place. To literalise these verses misses the point! We are to receive Jesus and his death on our behalf.

D. Application:

1. Jesus lives in me! That is the wonder of being a Christian.

2. Jesus died to bring my forgiveness. That is even more wonderful!

Chapter: Matthew 26:1-35

Passage: Matthew 26:31-35

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus say about all the disciples? v.31a

Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me

2. What Scripture did he quote would be fulfilled? v.31b

for it is written: " `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

3. What did he say would later happen? v.32

But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee ."

4. What was Peter's reaction to this? v.33

Peter replied, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will."

5. What did Jesus tell him would actually happen? v.34

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times."

6. Yet still what did Peter insist? v.35

But Peter declared, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." And all the other disciples said the same

B. Think:

1. Read Zech 13:7 How is Jesus described prophetically there?

2. How many things did Jesus prophesy in today's passage?

3. What do you think about Peter's assertions?

C. Comment:

Let's take, first of all, the things Jesus prophesied in this passage. Four things: i) the disciples would all fall away from him that night, ii) he will rise from the dead, iii) he will go up to Galilee to be with them after he's risen, and iv) Peter, specifically, will disown Jesus three times that night before the cock crows in the morning.

We have here a clear indication that Jesus is fully aware of what will be happening. In no way are the coming events going to take him by surprise, even his own rejection by his own disciples. In some ways that must have been the hardest thing, yet he knew, as we see in this passage, that he would be back and that he would bring them together again in Galilee.

When people fail us or let us down, it is easier to take if we can get a sense of the long-term. They may fail now but in the long-term Jesus will be working for their restoration and development. So, don't hold grudges, you may miss seeing the wonder of what God wants to do in that person's life in the future.

Now let's look briefly at Peter. Peter doesn't know himself, that's clear! Peter is weak but doesn't realise it, only Jesus does. Peter has yet to learn the meaning of grace and he'll do it through failure.

D. Application:

1. See the long-term when people offend you.

2. Be realistic about yourself, but know that God loves you like you are.

RECAP: "Plots & Passover Meal" Matthew 26:1-35

SUMMARY :

In this second group of 6 studies we have seen :

- the religious leaders plotting against Jesus

- Jesus anointed at Bethany

- Judas agreeing to betray Jesus

- Jesus setting up the Last Supper

- Jesus predicting his betrayal by Judas

- Jesus speaking of the effect of his shed blood

- Jesus predicting Peter's denial

COMMENT :

The pace picks up. Jesus predicts his death, the religious leaders plot his death, a woman anoints him for burial, Judas agrees the betrayal and Jesus sets up the Lord's Supper where he predicts his betrayal and denial by Judas and Peter respectively. In the midst of it all Jesus shows that he is completely aware of all that is happening. The Son of God is in control!

LESSONS?

1. Jesus is in control whatever appears to be happening.

2. Can I take opportunities to bless the Lord with my love?

3. Jesus knows me through and through.

4. Jesus gave his life for me.

5. Jesus knows my future.

PRAY :

Thank the Lord for each of the truths above. Submit your day to him and rest in the security that he is in control, he knows, and he can do whatever is necessary. Thank and praise him that he died for you and has your future in his sights.

PART 3 : "Arrest, trial and denial"

In this next Part the process marches on towards Jesus death. First we'll see Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane , where he is later arrested. He is taken before the Jewish ruling council and condemned, while outside Peter denies him three times. These are studies about humanity – the humanity of Jesus as he prays, the religious leaders against him, and Peter in weakness denying him.