Matthew Chapter 26:26-75
Memory verses for
this week: Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the
world. Amen.
Introduction:
In
the first half of Chapter 26, we studied how the Priests, Scribes, and
elders of Israel came together to plot to murder Jesus Christ. We
found Mary of Bethany coming and anointing the Lord which was for his
burial Christ said. Later we saw Satan entering into Judas Iscariot
and he betrays the Lord for 30 pieces of silver. We closed as the
disciples prepared the upper room for Jesus and his disciples to
partake of the passover. This was the time when Jesus instituted
the Lord’s Supper which is one of the two ordinances of the church.
I. Jesus
Institutes the Lord’s Supper
Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed
it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat;
this is my body.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to
them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed
for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this
fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my
Father's kingdom.
The Lord’s Supper is a symbol of the broken body of Christ at
Calvary. The bread symbolizes his broken body, while the cup is a
symbol of his shed blood. The Lord’s Supper should truly only be
observed by the local church and the members of that local church as
Christ set the example here with His first church. Christ promises
that he will come again and drink the fruit of the vine again in His
Father’s kingdom. It is important to note that BEFORE they partook of
the Lord’s supper, Judas Iscariot went out from their presence.
John 13:26 Jesus
answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it.
And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son
of Simon.
John 13:27 And after
the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou
doest, do quickly.
John 13:28 Now no
man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
John 13:29 For some
of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto
him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that
he should give something to the poor.
John 13:30 He then
having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
II. Jesus Foretells
of Peter’s Denial
Mat 26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the
mount of Olives.
Mat 26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended
because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the
shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Mat 26:32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into
Galilee.
Mat 26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall
be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.
Jesus warns the disciples that he would soon be smitten.
But he also promises that he would be resurrected and would come and
see them in Galilee. Peter makes a bold statement and says if others
were offended, he would never be. We need to be careful when using
the word NEVER. We may find ourselves doing exactly what we don’t
want to do. Peter was the FIRST one to be offended when Jesus was
arrested. It is important that we realize that when things get
rough, it is only by the Grace of God we will be faithful and stand
strong. None of us in the flesh can do much, but with God’s Grace,
we can stand strong. When young David faced Goliath, he came in the
power of the Lord, and he won that battle against great odds.
1 Sam 17:45 Then
said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with
a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD
of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
Mat 26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this
night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.
Mat 26:35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet
will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Jesus tells Peter that he would deny Him three times before
the cock would crow. Not only did Peter say he would not deny him
even if he should die, but ALL the disciples said this. As I said
earlier, we need to realize without God’s Grace we may or may not do
what we say we will do.
III. The Agony in
the Garden
Mat 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called
Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and
pray yonder.
Mat 26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee,
and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful,
even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
It appears that Jesus and his disciples came to this garden
often to pray. He took Peter, James, and John (those who were in his
special inner circle of close friends), and asks them to watch. It
says he became exceeding sorrowful as He knows his time is drawing
near to go to the Cross.
Mat 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and
prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from
me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Mat 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them
asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one
hour?
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the
spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Jesus prays first in verse 30 that if it were possible, that
God would let this cup pass from Him. He was not asking to not go to
the Cross, but rather to let it happen now if it be the Father’s
Will. He was ready to drink the bitter cup, but even yet, he says
“Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” That is how we need
to face each day. Let God by the Holy Spirit guide us as to what we
should do, and try our best to do what God would have us do.
Jesus returns and finds them all asleep.
Mat 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying,
O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it,
thy will be done.
Mat 26:43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes
were heavy.
Jesus prays a second time that it might be possible that the
cup could be taken at this time.
Jesus was to drink of the bitter cup of suffering for sin. No
one else could drink this cup, and had Jesus not done it, we would
have no hope for salvation today. He took upon Him our sin that we
might be made righteous before God. Again he returns and finds the
disciples sleeping.
Mat 26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the
third time, saying the same words.
Mat 26:45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them,
Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the
Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Mat 26:46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth
betray me.
In this third prayer that Christ prays to the Father, he says
the same words concerning the cup passing from Him if it be
possible. He finds the disciples sleeping, and he tells them to
sleep on now. He tells them later that the hour is at hand when He
would be betrayed into the hands of sinners. We know at other times
they could not take the Lord because it was not yet time. But now the
time has come, and Christ tells them the betrayer is at Hand.
IV. The Betrayal and
Arrest of Jesus
Mat 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve,
came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the
chief priests and elders of the people.
Mat 26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying,
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
Mat 26:49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master;
and kissed him.
Mat 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou
come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
Judas comes with this great multitude and comes and kisses
Christ, and calls him master. Jesus was the Great Master, but was
not Judas’ master. Judas was being led by his father the Devil in
this act. Christ told the disciples before Judas came on the scene
that he would identify the traitor. The whom he was to kiss would be
the one who would betray him.
Mat 26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched
out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high
priest's, and smote off his ear.
Mat 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into
his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the
sword.
Mat 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and
he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Mat 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that
thus it must be?
Mat 26:55 In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye
come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I
sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
Mat 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the
prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and
fled.
Peter attempts to protect the Lord and fight for him. One of
the disciples, Peter, drew a sword and cut off the ear of one of the
high priest’s servants. Jesus tells them to put up the sword, that
he was going willingly. If he did not want to be taken, God could
send him 12 legions of angels and he could be taken out. But all
these things happened to fulfill the scriptures. Jesus questions why
they come out in the middle of the night when each day he stood in the
temple teaching, and they never lay hold on him. But it was due to
several reasons. One, they feared the people. Secondly, they felt
strong with this large number of soldiers coming in the middle of the
night, they could easily take him. And lastly, it was now time. Until
God chose the time, Christ would never have been taken.
He goes willingly because the scriptures had to be
fulfilled. And as he fulfills the scriptures, we see all the
disciples forsaking him and running away. Just earlier, all said they
would NEVER forsake him, but now they all turn away.
Luke 4:28 And all
they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with
wrath,
Luke 4:29 And rose
up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the
hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down
headlong.
Luke 4:30 But he
passing through the midst of them went his way,
V. Jesus Brought
Before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin
Mat 26:57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to
Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were
assembled.
Mat 26:58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's
palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.
We find Jesus being taken before the High Priest which is
Caiaphas at this time. If you remember when we studied Hebrew
History, the very first High Priest was Aaron. Peter does not come
near, but follows from a far off. I’m afraid that is the way many of
us follow Jesus today. Many times we want to just blend in with the
crowd like Peter did here… he goes in and sits with the servants to
see what would transpire. These servants were the enemies of
Christ. When we try to associate ourselves with the world, we are
partaking of Satan’s crowd.
John 15:18 If the
world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
John 15:19 If ye
were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are
not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore
the world hateth you.
John 17:14 I have
given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are
not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:15 I pray
not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou
shouldest keep them from the evil.
John 17:16 They are
not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
John 17:17 Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
John 17:18 As thou
hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the
world.
John 17:19 And for
their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified
through the truth.
Mat 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council,
sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Mat 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came,
yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
Mat 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the
temple of God, and to build it in three days.
Mat 26:62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest
thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Mat 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered
and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us
whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
They seek for false witnesses. Many come and condemn
Christ, but their words did not agree. Finally the last two false
witnesses accuse Christ of saying He could destroy the temple and
rebuild it in three days. (Jesus was not referring to the literal
temple, but the temple of his body in that statement.) The High
Priest questions why that he did not speak in His own defense. Jesus
was not trying to save Himself from the death that faced Him. The
High Priest says that he should tell them if he was the Christ, the
Son of God. However, they would not have believed Him had He told
them all things. He had been in their midst for three years
teaching total truth, and they would not hear.
John 2:19 Jesus
answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I
will raise it up.
John 2:20 Then said
the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt
thou rear it up in three days?
John 2:21 But he
spake of the temple of his body.
Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say
unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right
hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mat 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath
spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now
ye have heard his blasphemy.
Mat 26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of
death.
Mat 26:67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and
others smote him with the palms of their hands,
Mat 26:68 Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that
smote thee?
Christ tells them that they would see Him coming again in the
clouds of heaven when He returns at the right hand of God one day.
This is speaking of the time at the close of the 7 Years of
Tribulation. The High Priest charges him with blasphemy, and says he
is guilty of death. The condemn Christ to die and he is mocked by
the crowd and the soldiers. They spit in his face and beat him with
the palms of their hands. Oh what Christ suffered for us in those
last hours of His life.
Isa 53:5 But he was
wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are
healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like
sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and
the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers
is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
VI. Peter’s Denial
Mat 26:69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came
unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.
Mat 26:70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what
thou sayest.
Mat 26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid
saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with
Jesus of Nazareth.
Mat 26:72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.
Mat 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and
said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech
bewrayeth thee.
Mat 26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not
the man. And immediately the cock crew.
Mat 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto
him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out,
and wept bitterly.
Peter had said he would never deny the Lord, but when the
damsel says he is one of those who were with Christ, he denies it.
Each time, he denies that he is a Christian, and finally began to
curse and swear. After denying the Lord three times, then he heard
the cock crow. How many times could you and I be a witness for the
Lord, but we similarly deny Him and don’t speak up. There is a time
to speak, and a time to be silent. God help us to recognize when we
should speak up, and give us the courage to do so. When Peter
remembered the words of Jesus, he went out and wept bitterly. He
repented of his sins and asked God to restore his fellowship. Peter
felt defeated that night, but God was not through with this man. He
was used on the day of Pentecost to preach the message that led over
3,000 people to be saved. (Acts Chapter 2)
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Prov
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