Matthew 26
We are in the Christ Stream as we lead up to the crucifixion of Jesus. We reading from the God’s Word Translation this week.
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Commentary by Dr. Drake Travis
Lord Jesus, may we realize that your Word and your Person and your Salvation is what you are training us to prize the most. Keep us in your care and may we live with all the assurance that David prayed with in Psalm 91 – wherever life may take us – you are there. Amen.
The plans to kill Jesus have passed the point of no return. Jesus knew it was coming within 48 hours. He tells his disciples of it again – whether they heard it this time or not… who knows. Jesus is about to have his last night of sleep. The parallel narratives are in Mark 14 and Luke 22. John follows a different order if you feel like comparing in Jn. 13 and 14. The journey of this almost last day of Jesus’ life in this state is as such: He prophesies of his death, the schemers confer on how to arrest him AND make it look like Jesus is a problem to be treated via the “final solution”, a girl with a shady past anoints Jesus’ feet in Bethany – and Jesus turns the event into a sermon for the ages, Judas planned his betrayal for pay, preparations for the Last Supper are made, Jesus informs of his betrayer and his prevenient knowledge of it, their Last Supper is served, Peter pledges his loyalty and gets updated on the coming reality of his own denial of Jesus/Peters’ relationship, Jesus and 11 of the 12 are in Gethsemane by now and Jesus prays in anguish…the Disciples keep falling asleep, Judas arrives with the armed crowd from the priests and leaders of Jerusalem and Jesus gets arrested in dramatic fashion, the Disciples scatter and Jesus goes before Caiaphas; the High Priest, the illicit trial is carried out against the Law (as they had planned it) and the abusing of Jesus begins. btw, the High Priest and his crew broke 19 of their own Jewish laws in arresting, trying and crucifying Jesus in the manner that they did it. Then again, how else are they going to condemn an innocent man to death? The chapter and reading today ends with the scene of Peter following along at a distance and denying Christ. Peter’s revelation of his unfaithfulness hits him harder than it hits anyone else.