Matthew takes us, rather quickly now, through the last two days of Jesus’ earthly life. Let’s take a look:
1) V1-16 – 1When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He said to His disciples, 2“As you know, the Passover is two days away – and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” 3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill Him. 5“But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.” 6While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, 7a 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. 8When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9“This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. 11The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me. 12When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” 14Then one of the Twelve – the one called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests 15and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand Him over.
At the conclusion of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, He reminded the disciples that in just two days, He would be arrested unto crucifixion and death. We hear no response from them at this point; perhaps they were still pondering the subject matter covered in the previous chapter, or maybe they lacked words because they simply didn’t understand how that could be possible, given the words of Jesus about Him coming in glory. In v3-5, Matthew reveals some detail that he really shouldn’t be able to know without hearing it from another source. He says that the religious leaders met with the high priest, Caiaphas (Caiaphas and Annas were father and son and likely shared the duties entailed to some degree), and “plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill Him” (v4). They had to avoid a riot, so they couldn’t do it during the approaching Passover Feast. As we know, they had a mole among the disciples in Judas Iscariot, and the following text (v6-16), which may or may not be an event that occurred previously in Jesus’ ministry, gives some insight as to the reason for Judas’ treasonous action against Jesus.
As we know, Jesus preferred to stay in Bethany, just outside the large city of Jerusalem, when He visited the region. His good friends were Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, but He also mingled with others who lived there, and on the occasion mentioned in v6-13, He was spending time with His disciples “in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper” (v6). During that time, a woman (presumably Mary, based on other gospel accounts) poured perfume on Jesus at mealtime. This might seem rather strange to us, and it may have been strange back then as well. But the perfume was essentially the woman’s dowry, and by pouring it on Jesus, she was showing that she belonged to Him, not in terms of being married in this life, but in terms of eternal devotion to His teaching and identity as the Savior and Lord of all things.
The disciples, especially Judas we learn from John’s gospel, were not just confused by the woman’s action; they were indignant! What a waste, they thought! The claim was that if she wasn’t going to save it for betrothal and her wedding, she could have sold it for a good price and given the money to the poor. And that’s true, from a purely worldly perspective. But, again, we learn from John, that Judas was keen on stealing from the disciples’ united moneybag as he saw opportunity. And if they had been entrusted with the money from this perfume sale, he would have had a share to himself, so he must have thought.
Apparently the disciples were murmuring amongst themselves in their anger, while Jesus was preoccupied. But Matthew says He was aware of their attitude towards the woman for doing what she did, which prompted Him to explain the good of her actions in light of His impending death and burial. Jesus essentially says that the poor can wait, because He is more important in this moment. The woman’s sacrifice – which was absolutely huge in that culture – might be likened to a person giving up marriage and family to exclusively serve the Lord (like nuns and monks). Or maybe for a more applicable example, consider 21st century American Christians downsizing from a $400,000 house to a $100,000 house, while giving the proceeds to the church, or selling their brand new Mercedes, giving the money to the church, and riding the bus instead, because now that they have given the money away, they can’t even afford to buy a car. It’s a real sacrifice. I don’t think many of us know what that is. But I do think we can learn from Jesus’ words, that the poor can wait. Do you feel obligated to give money to every beggar you see? While it’s good to offer genuine aid (and not just feed the habit of a beggar so they can get another bottle of whiskey), it’s important to truly care for your family (1 Timothy 5:8). And this woman was caring for the only family member she needed in Jesus. And Jesus rewards her by including her story in the gospel accounts. She is an example for us to follow.
Finally, in v14-16, we learn that Judas was not happy with Jesus and the direction His kingdom seemed to be going after this event. So he sought out the religious leaders to see what they’d pay to have Jesus handed over to them at the perfect time – a time when very little attention would be drawn to them. And the less than staggering amount is ironically staggering. It was the price of the lowest caliber slave; no person could be sold for less. And that’s ironic, because no person was ever worth more; no person was ever a higher caliber than Jesus. It’s prophetic, too, because both Zechariah 11 and numerous passages in Jeremiah (to which Matthew will refer in chapter 27) declare that this will be the price yielded for betraying the coming Savior. And Judas was willing to take it; even this small sum was of greater value to Judas than what he discerned – after witnessing Jesus’ remarks over the wasted perfume – would come to him as a result of sharing in Jesus’ ministry. How wrong he was! Do you ever make that same mistake? Repent!
2) V17-35 – 17On 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?” 18He 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.’” 19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. 20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21And while they were eating, He said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray Me.” 22They were very sad and began to say to Him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” 23Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me. 24The 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.” 25Then Judas, the one who would betray Him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” 26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” 27Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28This is My blood of the [new] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I 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.” 30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me, for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’ [Zechariah 13:7]. 32But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.” 34“I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times.” 35But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown You.” And all the other disciples said the same.
We come to Maundy Thursday, the last full day of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry. He has the disciples prepare their evening Passover meal, telling this “certain man,” who presumably owned the upper room, that “The Teacher says, ‘My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with My disciples at your house.’” It may not seem like a significant circumstance, but note the sovereign authority of Jesus. Once the disciples prepared the meal (v19), they celebrated the Passover meal together with Jesus (v20).
Reclining (v20) was the customary position for eating in that culture, as the tables were low, and rather than chairs, people sat or lay on mats. In the middle of this lengthy ritual meal, Jesus announces that one of the Twelve would betray Him (v21), and they were sad, each wondering if the enemy could be them (v22). Then Jesus declared the traitor to be “the one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me” (v23), and, of course, it was Judas Iscariot (v25).
Before moving on to the breaking of the bread, let’s review Jesus’ explanation of fulfilled prophecy in v24, when He says, “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.” Of course, Jesus’ favorite title for Himself is “the Son of Man.” And He refers to His departure as being in accord with what “is written about Him.” In other words, where the Old Testament speaks of the Messiah (Christ) being a shepherd and suffering servant who ransoms the lost sheep of God with His very own life via crucifixion in a priestly, atoning sacrifice, so it would go with Him now. But for “that man who betrays the Son of Man… it would be better for him if he had not been born.” The key to getting that is the “for him.” Certainly, for “the son of perdition,” Judas, it would have been better for him had he never been conceived, for he would have had neither to endure the pains of this life nor the everlasting punishment and eternal torture in hell that would befit him. But for the glory of God and the purpose at hand in crushing His Son for the sake of His lost sheep, it was better for God and His sheep. And that may sound harsh and cruel to us, but the reality is that Judas did what he wanted to do; he hadn’t lost his ability to choose his own course. It’s true that Satan entered him (according to John’s Gospel), and that he regretted his decision in the end, but his worldly sorrow led not to repentance, but to death – even death by suicide. Godly sorrow, the kind Peter experienced in a similar denial / betrayal, led not to death but to repentance and restoration. In all of this, even and especially in what was prophesied hundreds of years earlier, God remains good and just. And we remain sinful and unable to fully comprehend, and therefore, should humbly accept this tough truth and say, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
In other Gospel accounts, we learn that Judas left them at this point and went to do what he had in mind to do (which was also the very same thing he was predestined to do), which was to betray Jesus, but Matthew omits that part and takes us to “the Last Supper,” in which Jesus “took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the [new] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins’” (v26-28). It was an amazing picture for the disciples, even though they may not have grasped the meaning at this moment. The Holy Spirit of Jesus would enable them to remember, and since hindsight is 20/20, they would not only be able to grasp the meaning of this moment, but also be able to explain it to others who weren’t there to witness it.
It’s part of the Passover meal, which consisted of several routines of washing, reading, praying, singing, eating, and drinking. Here’s the typical order of events (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder):
- Kadeish – recital of Kiddush blessing and drinking of the first cup of wine
- Urchatz – the washing of the hands
- Karpas – dipping of the karpas in salt water
- Yachatz – breaking the middle matzo; the larger piece saved becomes the afikoman
- Maggid – retelling the Passover story, including the recital of "the four questions" and drinking of the second cup of wine
- Rachtzah – second washing of the hands
- Motzi , Matzo – blessing before eating matzo
- Maror – eating of the maror (bitter herbs)
- Koreich – eating of a sandwich made of matzo and maror
- Shulchan oreich – lit. "set table"—the serving of the holiday meal (lamb)
- Tzafun – eating of the afikoman (second half of middle matzo)
- Bareich – blessing after the meal and drinking of the third cup of wine
- Hallel – recital of the Hallel, Psalms 113-118, traditionally recited on festivals; drinking of the fourth cup of wine
- Nirtzah – say "See you in Jerusalem again!"
Each portion of the Passover Seder routine had a special significance in the Jewish tradition, and Jesus upheld that beautifully. We read, “While they were eating, He took bread, gave thanks and broke it.” This is probably around step 11 in the course above. There were three pieces of unleavened bread, arguably representing the triune Godhead; the middle piece (the Son) was broken in half during the meal. There were four cups of wine in the meal, referring to Exodus 6:6-7 and four promises of God (sanctification, plagues, redemption, and completion). And the cup Jesus lifted up here was probably the third cup in step 12, which would have been the redemption cup. And that’s when Jesus says in v29 that He “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.” It appears Jesus skipped the fourth cup of wine (signifying completion in step 13) and sang a hymn (Psalm 113-118) and headed out to the Mount of Olives (v30). It’s a beautiful picture of Passover.
As they made their way to the Mount of Olives and neared the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told His followers that they would “all fall away” this very night because of what Scripture says (Zechariah 13:7). He even hints at their reunion in Galilee after His resurrection (v32), but the disciples were fixated on not falling away, not abandoning Jesus. Though Matthew focuses on Peter’s reply specifically (v33-35), all of the disciples denied that it would happen, despite what they just witnessed from Jesus’ prediction in Judas. And even though Jesus explains quite clearly that Peter would deny that he knows Jesus three times before morning, Peter says he would die before letting that happen. I think we fellow Christians feel the same way about our devotion to Jesus, but we all fail as Peter did in our ways. Not that it is okay to fail and fall away and sin against the Lord, but it is good to be humble and constantly repentant, even if bringing low our pride through sin is God’s chosen method of transforming our character.
3) V36-56 – 36Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” 39Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” 40Then He returned to His disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you men not keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter. 41“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 42He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.” 43When He came back, He again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. 44So He left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. 45Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us go! Here comes My betrayer!” 47While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the Man; arrest Him.” 49Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested Him. 51With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” 55At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture Me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest Me. 56But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
This famous passage takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Jesus asked most of His followers to sit nearby while He retreated a few steps to pray, but He took Peter, James, and John – the inner three – with Him. They witnessed Jesus becoming “sorrowful and troubled,” and He told them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” While Jesus went a little farther away to pray privately, they were supposed to “keep watch.” Literally, that means “stay alert with vigilance,” “take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one,” or “give strict attention to, be actively cautious, be on guard.” Later, when Jesus finds them asleep, He explains that the spirit is willing but the body is weak, and commands them again to “watch and pray.” They couldn’t stay alert without something to keep their attention the first time, so prayer was meant to fill that void. But they couldn’t remain alert in that second effort either; their eyes were heavy. The third time, Jesus didn’t bother to rouse them; He simply prayed once more. And the prayer He repeatedly prayed over several hours is worth considering in detail.
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” Jesus calls on His Father in this time of sorrow and trouble. The weight of the world was on His shoulders, and He felt it. In His genuine humanity, Jesus asked for the cup of God’s wrath towards sin to be taken away from Him. But only if it was possible, and only if it was to be the Father’s will. Perhaps Jesus was contemplating the authentic physical pain He was about to endure; maybe He was prayerfully considering how to tolerate the emotion pain of ridicule and rejection; above all, He knew the spiritual reality of separation from God the Father, and that spiritual reality took its toll on His physical condition, as Luke tells us that Jesus sweated drops of blood, a condition called hematohydrosis, where stress levels cause capillaries to burst, and blood seeps through the skin’s sweat glands. This was pain like we’ll thankfully never know.
Some reject the divinity of Christ as a result of passages like this. We need not do that to understand that Jesus was fully human and fully divine – the God Man. He “did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage, rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8)! And where we read of ourselves in Hebrews 12:4, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood,” Jesus did that perfectly, resisting the sin of disobeying the Father’s will to appease His own authentic human desires for survival – and the perfect illustration is here in the Garden of Gethsemane.
When Jesus returned from His final private prayer time with the Father, where He was undoubtedly strengthened to endure the next 12 hours, the disciples were still sleeping (v45). But the time had come; Judas had brought “a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.” Judas revealed Jesus to the mob with a kiss, and Jesus called him “friend.” Jesus uses this word “friend” on two other occasions, both of which are in His parables when the “good guy” is addressing someone who has an issue with the situation. In Matthew 20:13, the business man / landowner who hired the tenants at various points throughout the day, yet paid them all the same amount, addresses as “friends” those hired hands who worked the whole day and thought their pay unfair because of what the others received. And in Matthew 22:12, the king who threw a wedding banquet addresses the man who showed up without the proper attire as friend before throwing him out into utter darkness. In neither of these cases is the word “friend” deemed friendly. In other instances where we find the English word “friend” used by Jesus, it is another Greek word that has “friendliness” attached to it. Perhaps a better translation for this passage would be “fellow.” Jesus is acknowledging Judas’ role in the grand scheme without showing Himself to be in any way at fault for the actions of the so-called “friend,” just as in the examples of the parables. The king threw out the “friend” who lacked proper attire, but that wasn’t because there was a prior issue between them; and the business man / landowner had no fault in himself for paying the grumbling workers exactly what he had promised beforehand. The fault in each case belonged to the one called “friend.”
Without naming names, Matthew tells us that Peter, as John 18:10 reveals, drew his sword [to defend Jesus] and cut off the ear of the High Priest’s servant (Malchus). But Jesus not only healed the man’s ear, as Luke 22:51 reveals, but He also explained to Peter that he must not fight in this situation (v52-56). And it was this explanation that drove the disciples away. All who live by the sword die by the sword (Revelation 13:10); some call it karma. What goes around comes around; it’s a proverb, a generality that isn’t always true but certainly is truth. If Peter fights here, his character will not become what it must in order for him to advance the gospel. Unlike Islam, Christianity doesn’t advance by slaying the infidel. Christianity advances by yielding, by turning the other cheek, by declaring silently that this world is not worthy of Christians (Hebrews 11:38). But when Jesus gave up – gave Himself up – they deserted Him. And sure, Jesus could have called 12,000 angels to fight on His behalf. “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled?” The disciples had been prepared for this moment, but they didn’t understand; they were ready to die for justice, but they weren’t ready to surrender to injustice. And Jesus addressed the crowd of His captors as well, if only to convict them of the injustice they were committing, by declaring this injustice to be in accord with Scripture, so that God could demonstrate His righteousness and be both just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Christ (Romans 3:26).
4) V57-75 – 57Those who had arrested Jesus took Him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome. 59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put Him to death. 60But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward 61and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are You not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against You?” 63But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. 67Then they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists. Others slapped Him 68and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit You?” 69Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. 70But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. 71Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.” 72He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the Man!” 73After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.” 74Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. 75Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
So the injustice continues with an illegal nighttime trial and plenty of false witnesses. With Peter watching from a distance, Jesus remained silent, per Isaiah 53:7 (Acts 8:32). He acknowledged His identity as the Christ in v64, and when He proclaimed His future reign and return, the High Priest declared Him a blasphemer, which would have been true if Jesus’ statement was a lie. But Jesus was being truthful, and therefore, the High Priest was badly mistaken. And the elders and teachers of the law, in agreement with the High Priest, made perhaps the most ironically false statement of all time, saying, “He is worthy of death” (v66). Such a statement is true for any other human ever conceived, but not for this Man – the God Man – not for Jesus. He is the only Man worthy of life, and life eternal is what He was in the processing of purchasing for all those worthy of death who would trust in His perfect provision for them.
As Jesus was mocked, ridiculed, and beaten unjustly, Peter denied even knowing Jesus, three clear times, to the point of swearing and calling down curses upon himself (v69-74). Only then did he hear the rooster and remember the prophetic words of Jesus, who turned and looked straight at Peter at that very moment (Luke 22:61). Jesus had said Peter would disown Him three times before morning just hours earlier, and Peter promised never to abandon Him. With such a failure comes severe despair, and Peter wept bitterly. We are just like Peter every time we sin against God. Let’s weep bitterly and seek forgiveness through repentance.
Bible text from
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