The King foretells His death and priests plot against Him
26
📚And it happened that when Jesus had finished speaking all these words, he said to his disciples, 2 📚“You know that after two days the feast of the Passover 📖 arrives, and the Son of man is to be handed over to be crucified”.3 📚Then the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 📚and plotted together to seize Jesus by trickery, and kill him.
26:3-4 They behaved like this because of their ignorance of God, their hatred of the truth, because the Lord Jesus exposed their sinfulness, and because the wicked will always be opposed to the righteous (Ps 37:12; John 3:19-20; 7:7; 8:40; 15:18-21; 1 John 3:12).⚜
26:5 At the time of the Passover great crowds flocked to Jerusalem from all over Israel. Jesus' enemies knew that many of those people admired Jesus. They feared trouble if they killed Him at that time.⚜
The King is anointed by a woman
6 📚Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
26:6 Simon was probably a man healed at some time by Jesus. Notice where Jesus the King from heaven (Matt 2:2; 27:11) spent time when He came to Jerusalem, the city of the great King (Matt 5:35). He chose the home of a humble man who had been an outcast, not some mansion, palace or fine hotel. Would that all who profess to be His followers were of the same mind (Phil 2:5-7).⚜
7 📚a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very valuable fragrant oil and poured it on his head, as he sat at the table. 8 📚But when his disciples saw it, they were indignant and said, “Why this waste? 9 📚For this oil might have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor”.
26:8-9 It seems that the source of such a remark was the traitor Judas Iscariot (John 12:4-6). Apparently other disciples agreed with him. The perfume was very costly. Mark 14:5 says (in Greek) that it was worth 300 Denarii. One Denarius was the accepted daily wage of a laborer (Matt 20:2).⚜
10 📚But aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why trouble the woman? For she has done a good deed to me.
26:10 The act of this woman was “good”, because it was a pure expression of love. Those who have a fervent love for God are willing to pour out all they have at His feet. They do not worry about what it costs them or what others may say about it.⚜
11 📚For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me. 12 📚For when she poured this oil on my body, she did it for my burial.
26:11-12 If the disciples wanted to show their love and concern for the poor, there would always be opportunity. But the Lord Jesus was soon going to die, and it seems the woman knew that. It was the custom in those days to anoint the dead with spices and perfumes before burial (Luke 23:55—24:1; John 19:39-40).⚜
13 📚Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in remembrance of her”.
26:13 Her act is recorded for all time in God's word. So much the Lord delights in the love shown by His people.⚜
Judas betrays the King for thirty pieces of silver
14 📚Then one of the Twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, 15 📚and said, “What will you give me? I myself will hand him over to you”. And they agreed with him for thirty pieces of silver.
26:14-15 Only one motive for this act of base treachery is recorded in the Bible. Judas wanted money. John 12:6 reveals one thing he was willing to do to get it. His love of money, which he did not conquer, and perhaps did not even resist, in spite of the teaching of Jesus about it (Matt 6:19-21, 24; Luke 6:20; 12:15-21; 14:33), completely ruined his character, helped to make him like a demon (John 6:70-71), and at last moved him to sell the Son of God. So see 1 Tim 6:8-10. Thirty silver coins was the usual value of a slave. See Ex 21:32; Zech 11:12.⚜
16 📚And from that time he looked for an opportunity to betray him.
26:16 Judas was not overcome by a sudden temptation. He was deliberate and calculating in his betrayal of Jesus.⚜
The King's last Passover
17 📚Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to him, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
26:17 Note at Lev 23:5-6. The Passover was considered the first day of the seven day observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.⚜
18 📚And 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.’ ”
26:18 All the time Jesus knew just when and how and why He would die (Matt 16:21; 20:28; John 7:30; 10:17-18; 12:23).⚜
19 📚And the disciples did as Jesus ordered them, and prepared the Passover.
20 📚Now when evening came, he sat down with the Twelve. 21 📚And as they ate, he said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me”.
26:21 From the beginning Jesus knew this also (John 6:64).⚜
22 📚And they became exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to him, “Lord, is it I?”
26:22 Each of them knew something of his own sinfulness and weakness, but probably none (except Judas) thought he could betray Christ and so commit the worst of sins. Compare vs 33-35. They were sad at the very thought that anyone called a disciple would or could do such a thing.⚜
23 📚And he answered and said, “The one who is dipping his hand with me in the bowl, he will betray me. 24 📚The Son of man is going just as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born”.
26:24 Judas in betraying Jesus was fulfilling the Scriptures (John 13:18; Ps 41:9). But Judas was free and responsible for his acts. God's foreknowledge did not interfere with His freedom to act. It is true of all who permanently refuse, reject or betray Christ that it would be better if they had not been born.⚜
25 📚Then Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, “Teacher, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it”.
26:25 It does not say that Judas was sorrowful (as the other disciples were – v 22). To keep up the pretense that he was like them, he asked the same question they asked even though he knew the answer.⚜
The New Covenant
26 📚And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat. This is my body”. 📖
27 📚And he took the cup, gave thanks 📖, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 📚For this is my blood of the new covenant 📖, which is shed for many 📖 for the forgiveness of sins 📖. 29 📚But I say to you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit of the vine, 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.
26:30 Ps 118 was often sung at the time of the Passover in Israel.⚜
31 📚Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will stumble because of me this night. For it is written,
I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock
will be scattered.
26:31 Verse 56; Zech 13:7.⚜
32 📚“But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you to Galilee”.
26:32 See Matt 16:21; John 10:17-18. Before His death He said He would rise from the dead. After His death He rose. This is the greatest possible evidence that He is the Son of God – Rom 1:4.⚜
33 📚Peter answered and said to him, “Even though everyone stumbles because of you, I will never stumble”.
34 📚Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times”.
26:33-34 Here is boastful self-confidence, or possibly the thought that he loved Jesus enough to overcome any temptation to deny Him, or ignorance still of the depths of his sinfulness and weakness, or perhaps all of these. Compare 1 Cor 10:12. Ignorance of ourselves, trusting in our own nature and strength can mean many a grievous fall.⚜
35 📚Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, yet I will not deny you”. And all the disciples said the same.
26:35 Peter was not alone in his self-confidence. They all still had much to experience before they were able to depend on God's strength and renounce their own. Observe Peter's unbelief of Jesus words, his flat denial that Jesus knew what He was talking about. This is another glimpse of the unbelieving folly which Christ's disciples sometimes displayed. When will we learn that not one word of the Lord Jesus will fall to the ground unfulfilled? And when will we see that our own opinions are completely worthless in matters He has already revealed?⚜
The King in the Garden of Gethsemane
36 📚Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray”.
26:36 Gethsemane was a garden a short distance outside the walls of Jerusalem at the foot of the Mount of Olives.⚜
37 📚And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy-hearted.
26:37 The two sons of Zebedee were James and John (Matt 4:21).⚜
38 📚Then he said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Wait here and watch with me”.
26:38 Here was a burden of sorrow so great it was pressing the life out of Him. What was the reason for such sorrow? He, the utterly Holy One, was about to bear the sin of the world on the cross, and to experience the punishment of that sin, and be forsaken by God the Father (Matt 27:46; John 1:29; 2 Cor 5:21). He wanted these disciples to watch with Him. Did His human nature long for companionship in this hour of suffering? Certainly He wanted witnesses of this event.⚜
39 📚And he went a little farther, and prostrated himself and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as you will”.
26:39 Prostrating Himself indicated great agitation, a sense of crisis, an agonizing desire for help. Compare Heb 5:7. The “cup” was a symbol of the terrible experiences which lay before Him. He was about to “become sin” (v 38), to drink the cup of God's wrath against human sin. This He had come to do (John 12:27; 18:11). But now that the moment had come the prospect was so dreadful, so appalling that His holy nature shrank from it. And He prayed that He might not have to drink that cup, if God could find another way to accomplish His purposes for men. But it was not possible, and even with His soul in agony (Luke 22:44) Jesus accepted the will of God the Father.
He here utters a prayer that all men should learn to pray. God's way, God's will is always best, and those who best accept it will be the most blessed, even though for a time it may mean suffering and loss.⚜
40 📚And he came to the disciples, and found them asleep, and said to Peter, “What, could you not watch with me for one hour?
26:40 Verse 38. The Lord Jesus was fighting the greatest battle of His life, and, as usual, found no help from men. Compare Ps 22:11.⚜
41 📚Watch and pray, so that you do not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.
26:41 The disciples were about to enter into a time of great trial. Sleeping was not the way to prepare for it. The flesh will always fail us in time of temptation. It is like a traitor in our own bosom. For our spirits to win the battle against temptation we need these two things very much – watchfulness and prayer (Eph 6:10-11, 18).⚜
42 📚He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cup may not pass from me, unless I drink it, your will be done”.
43 📚And he came again and found them asleep, for their eyes were heavy. 44 📚And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
26:42-44 Verse 39. Three times Jesus prayed the same thing and then stopped. Compare 2 Cor 12:7-8. It is not wise for us to go on requesting God for something He denies three times.⚜
45 📚Then he came to his disciples, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking rest? Look, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 📚Get up, let us go. Look, the one who is betraying me is near”.
26:45-46 Jesus was fully prepared to face any pain or suffering that might come to Him, ready to die in the place of sinners. And this preparation was a knowledge and acceptance of God's will. So He made no attempt to escape from danger, or to satisfy the natural longing of His human nature to avoid pain and suffering and death. Knowledge and acceptance of God's will are the greatest preparation for anything anyone ever has to face. And how is God's will known? By studying His Word and by giving ourselves completely to Him as the Lord Jesus did (Rom 12:1-2; Col 3:16).⚜
The King is arrested
47 📚And while he was still speaking, suddenly Judas, one of the Twelve, came. And with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, coming from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 📚Now he who betrayed him had given them a signal, saying, “The one I kiss, he is the one. Seize him”. 49 📚And immediately he came up to Jesus, and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
26:47-49 The Jewish leaders were afraid of the people, and did not want to try to take Jesus in daylight surrounded by the crowds who eagerly heard Him. So they bribed Judas and hired mercenaries that they might capture Him in secret and at night. The mercenaries would not have known where Jesus might be, and might not have been able to recognize Him in the dark. So Judas, who knew Jesus' habits, led them and gave them a sign. No sign could have been more hypocritical, none could have shown more clearly Judas' fundamental depravity, insincerity, and amorality. “Rabbi” is a Hebrew word meaning “My teacher”. But Judas had never learned to behave like that from Jesus. In fact, it seems he learned very little of anything from Him. This is because he did not have a spiritual mind, one receptive to the truth.⚜
50 📚And Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came, put their hands on Jesus, and held him.
26:50 Notice the word “friend” (Ps 41:9). Some men hated Jesus, but He hated no one.⚜
51 📚And, suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out a hand, drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
52 📚Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place. For all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword. 53 📚Do you think that now I cannot pray to my Father and he will immediately give me more than twelve legions of angels?
26:53 A Roman legion was between three and six thousand men. All the armies of heaven would have come to the defense of Jesus if He had so prayed – not that He needed angels (John 10:17-18; 18:6).⚜
54 📚But how then would the Scriptures 📖 be fulfilled, that say it must happen like this?”
55 📚At that same time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out as against a thief with swords and clubs to take me? Daily I sat with you teaching in the temple, and you did not seize me. 56 📚But all this has happened, so that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled”. Then all the disciples deserted him, and ran away 📖.
The King before the high priest
57 📚And those who seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest 📖, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58 📚But Peter followed him, at a distance, to the courtyard of the high priest, went in and sat with the servants, to see the outcome.
26:58 It was probably fear which kept him at a distance.⚜
59 📚Now the chief priests, and elders, and the whole Council 📖, were looking for false testimony against Jesus, to put him to death, 60 📚but did not find any; even though many false witnesses came forward, they did not find any. Finally two false witnesses came forward,
26:60 This shows the perfection of Jesus' life. Even His bitter enemies could find nothing with which to accuse Him. See also Matt 27:19; Luke 23:4; John 19:6; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet 2:22.⚜
61 📚and said, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and build it in three days.’ ”
62 📚And the high priest got up and said to him, “Do you give no answer? What is this that they testify against you?”
63 📚But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest responded and said to him, “I put you under oath by the living God: Tell us whether you are the Christ 📖, the Son of God 📖”.
26:63 Isa 53:7; 1 Pet 2:23. What was going on was plain to everyone, and there was no need for Jesus to say anything. He here set an example of how we should behave when falsely accused (Matt 5:11; 1 Pet 2:21). The high priest was not looking for the truth. He thought that Jesus was a mere man, and that if He said He was the Son of God they could have grounds to accuse Him.⚜
64 📚Jesus said to him, “You have said it 📖. Moreover, I tell you that hereafter you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of authority, and coming in the clouds of heaven”.
65 📚Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What need do we have of any more witnesses? See, now you have heard his blasphemy.
26:65 The high priest knew exactly what Jesus meant. Tearing his clothes was a sign of the alarm he felt – or pretended to feel. In spite of all the evidence of Jesus' life, teachings, and miracles, he refused to believe He was more than a mere man. So in his eyes, when Jesus said He was the Son of God, He was guilty of blasphemy. See also John 5:17-18; 8:58; 10:31-33.⚜
66 📚What do you think?” They answered and said, “He is worthy of death”.
67 📚Then they spit in his face, and beat him with fists. And others slapped him,
26:67 See here the hate of fallen human nature against the holy God (John 3:19; 7:7; 15:18, 24; Rom 1:30). It is the hate of error against truth, evil against goodness, unrighteousness against justice, sin against holiness. And we should not think that by nature we are better than they (Rom 3:9, 19; Eph 2:3). Their spitting on Him fulfilled Isa 50:6.⚜
68 📚saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ. Who is the one who hit you?”
26:68 They said this after they had blindfolded Him (Mark 14:65). The people regarded Him as a prophet (Matt 21:11, 46). The leaders were mocking the idea.⚜
The King denied by Peter
69 📚Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him, saying, “You were also with Jesus of Galilee”.
70 📚But he denied it in front of them all, saying, “I don't know what you're saying”.
71 📚And when he had gone out on the porch, another servant girl saw him, and said to those who were there, “This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth”.
72 📚And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man”.
73 📚And after a while, those who were standing near by came up to him and said to Peter, “You also are certainly one of them, for your accent gives you away”.
26:73 Peter was a Galilean, and their way of speaking was different from that of people of Jerusalem.⚜
74 📚Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the man”. And immediately the rooster crowed. 75 📚And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times”. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
26:75 His own behavior cut Peter to the heart and overwhelmed him with a sense of failure and grief, which led to repentance. Compare Matt 27:3-5; 2 Cor 7:10.⚜