26:1
Jesus has just taught them aspects of the Kingdom.
Part of those teachings included that the Bridegroom (Jesus) would be delayed, and that they needed to be ready for His arrival.
Those teachings included the idea of a man traveling to a far country who be gone, but then return.
NOTE- The disciples were expecting an immediate, physical, political kingdom.
After those teaching, Jesus once again remind them that the next thing to happen will be His death.
26:2
Delivered up- KJV- betrayed- to give into the hands (of another)
After Jesus made His decision to submit to the Father’s will, He became the passive agent in this scenario.
Not passive in that he no longer was in control. He could have stepped out of it at any time.
Rather…passive in that the Father directed….Judas betrayed…He was delivered up…
He submitted His will, and was directed by both the holy will of the Father, and the wicked intentions of men.
26:3-5
These men who wanted to fulfill their desires were cowards.
They were supposed to lead the nation in worshipping God.
Instead, they worked secretly to accomplish their own desires.
NOTE- Guzik- Verse 5…
They didn’t want to put Jesus to death during the Passover feast, but they will anyway.
This is another subtle indication that (the Father) is in control of events, when they end up killing Him on the very day that they didn’t want to.
26:6-13
26:14-16
It is interesting that Judas moves into betrayal mode after an excessive display of devotion is shown towards Jesus.
There are those who say that Judas had a noble intention.
By threatening betrayal, he would force Jesus to step forward and follow through with His Messianic obligations.
The Bible offers no such defense for Judas.
He was disappointed with Jesus, and decided to sell him for 30 pieces of silver, about $25.
26:17
The Passover was that Feast which commemorated the deliverance of Israel from the domination of the Pharaoh in Egypt.
Explain Passover-
The Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorated that first Passover meal, when they were to eat their food, but as people prepared to make a hasty departure from Egypt.
Unleavened bread has no leaven, and does not rise.
It is bread that is made to eat w/o having to wait for it to rise.
Prepared and soon eaten.
Exodus 12:11 11And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’S Passover.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread lasted 7 days, but was preceded by the Actual celebration of the Passover Meal.
The Passover, and subsequent 7 days of Unleavened Bread came to be known as one great feast.
26:18, 19
Jesus was very deliberate about eating this meal with His disciples.
He was also deliberate about the reasons:
- It was commanded for all Jews to partake of this meal.
- Jesus said: My time is at hand
- His death would be the great fulfillment of the Passover sacrifice which brought deliverance
- As the innocent death of the sacrificial lamb, along with the application of it’s blood on the doorposts of the each Jewish home, brought deliverance to all who were “under the blood”…
- So, the death of Jesus would bring deliverance for all who would put their faith in Him, and be “covered by His blood”
26:20-23
The dipping of the hand in the dish spoke of sharing a common bowl of sauce of paste, in which bred would be dipped into, and then eaten.
Sharing a meal was one of the deepest forms of Jewish fellowship.
Jesus is simply saying that “a friend will betray me”.
26:24
It was the eternal plan of God to send His son to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
It was also the free will of Judas that led him to make the worst decision of mankind since the rebellion of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden.
26:25
Judas’ heart is treacherous and hypocritical in this question.
Jesus affirms that what Judas has said is correct.
26:26
A communal loaf was broken and shared.
It wasn’t truly His body.
His body was still intact at this point.
Jesus illustrated that His body would be beaten and torn, and as a sacrifice for them.
It is important to remember that though he suffered brutally, our redemption was not purchased by His suffering, but by His death and His shed blood.
26:27, 28
Once again, the cup wasn’t actually His blood, but symbolic of His blood which would be shed.
A covenant was an agreement between two parties.
Each had their part to uphold.
- Jesus’ part of the covenant was to die for man’s sins, to suffer the penalty for the sins we have committed, and to offer forgiveness to those who would receive Him and His substitutionary death.
- Our part is to believe and receive.
- To confess our guilt.
- To make Jesus our savior and Lord
- The result- remission of sins
- release from bondage or imprisonment
- forgiveness or pardon, of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty
26:29-31
Another prophecy re. the sacrifice of Jesus, and the weakness of His disciples in this moment.
Imagine being told these things by Jesus.
What an impossibility at the least…
What an insult at the most…
They never thought that this would happen.
They needed perspective on the fact that the Kingdom of God is all of God in it’s power, formation, design, etc.
They would be great in this kingdom, but as humble men, knowing failure.
Not as men who “made it happen”.
NOTE- “Who” would strike the Shepherd? The Father would.
Isaiah 53:10 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand
26:32
In a sense, what good is hope, if it is not desired or perceived as needed.
The truth of the upcoming events would take the disciples to their lowest low.
On Resurrection Sunday, it would be their highest high.
33Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
34Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
35Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.
36Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.”
37And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
38Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”
39He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
40Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
42Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, £if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”
43And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
44So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
45Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
46Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”