CHAPTER 26

(A.D. 33)

THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS

¹And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, He said unto His Disciples (this concluded His public teaching, even though other discourses were given to the Disciples only [Jn. 13:31; 17:26]),

²You know that after two days is the Feast of the Passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be Crucified (the Holy Spirit revealed to Christ the fact that Judas would betray Him).

³Then assembled together the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders of the people (possibly other members of the Sanhedrin), unto the palace of the High Priest, who was called Caiaphas (these men plotted to kill Christ, as they would kill a wild beast; Caiaphas committed suicide about two years later),

⁴And consulted (the topic of their conversation was the most diabolical crime ever conceived in the hearts of wicked men) that they might take Jesus by subtilty (they couldnt do it openly, so they plotted to do it undercover), and kill Him (their actions would result in the destruction of their nation, and in such a bloody way as to defy description!).

⁵But they said, Not on the feast day (should have been translated, not during the Feast), lest there be an uproar among the people (many of the people loved Christ).

MARY OF BETHANY ANOINTS JESUS

⁶Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper (it is believed by some that Martha was the wife of Simon the leper, Lazarus and Mary being, consequently, brother-in-law and sister-in-law to Simon),

⁷There came unto Him a woman (Mary [Jn. 12:3]) having an alabaster box of very precious ointment (worth about twelve thousand dollars in 2003 money), and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat (anointing Him while He was alive, proved that she believed in His Resurrection; seemingly, she was the only one who did; there was only one anointing).

⁸But when His Disciples saw it, they had indignation (Judas originated this complaint [Jn. 12:4]), saying, To what purpose is this waste?

⁹For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor (Judas said this [Jn. 12:4] his motives were probably to steal the money [Jn. 12:6]).

¹⁰When Jesus understood it, He said unto them, Why do you trouble the woman? for she has wrought a good work upon Me (it concerned His Death at Calvary).

¹¹For you have the poor always with you; but Me you have not always (He spoke of His human body being removed from the touch and sight of men, and is even now in Heaven).

¹²For in that she has poured this ointment on My body, she did it for My burial (this was normally done after death, but Mary believed that He would rise from the dead).

¹³Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her (opponents of inspiration deny the fact of prediction; but they cannot deny the fact of this Prophecy; it was made nearly two thousand years ago, and has been fulfilled untold times).

THE BETRAYAL

¹⁴Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the Chief Priests,

¹⁵And said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver (this was the price of a slave [Ex. 21:32]; as well, it was prophesied hundreds of years before, that Jesus would be sold for thirty pieces of silver [Zech. 11:13]).

¹⁶And from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

PREPARATION FOR THE PASSOVER

¹⁷Now the first day of the Feastof Unleavened Bread (it meant the day was approaching, which was Thursday; the day the following question was asked was Tuesday) the Disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, Where will You that we prepare for You to eat the Passover? (Jesus would eat the Passover a day early. In fact, He was the Passover, with His Death fulfilling some fifteen hundred years of this ritual.)

¹⁸And He said, Go into the city (He went into Jerusalem, for He was presently at Bethany) to such a man (who the man was is not known; some think he was the father of John Mark, who wrote the Gospel of Mark), and say unto him, The Master says, My time is at hand (the statement that carries with it the meaning of the ages); I will keep the Passover at your house with My Disciples (what an honor for that family and that house).

¹⁹And the Disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the Passover (speaks of the last Passover that would ever be offered, at least that God would recognize!).

THE LAST PASSOVER

²⁰Now when the evening was come, He sat down with the twelve (it was probably about 6 p.m. Tuesday night; but by Jewish reckoning at that time, it would have been the first hour of the new day of Wednesday; their new day always started at sunset, instead of midnight as it now does for us).

²¹And as they did eat, He said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me (presents Christ giving Judas a last chance of Repentance before the final act; in fact, Christ made several such like efforts regarding Judas).

²²And they (all the Disciples) were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, Lord, is it I? (They realized the import of these words, but it seems that none, at least at this time, suspected Judas.)

²³And He answered and said, He who dips his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me (this was spoken to all the Disciples, inasmuch as all had dipped into the dish; consequently, the information was not too revealing).

²⁴The Son of Man goeth as it is written of Him (refers to all that the Prophets had said concerning this time): but woe unto that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born (proclaims the eternal consequence of Judas action, as well as all others who refuse Christ).

²⁵Then Judas, which betrayed Him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, You have said (the Lords reply was evidently so quiet that the others did not hear).

THE LORDS SUPPER INSTITUTED

²⁶And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the Disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body (this was the symbol of that which He would do, and become; He was the bread and consequently, blessed, likewise, His Body was broken at Calvary; as well, He gave the results of this action at Calvary to the world, for all who would believe [Jn. 3:16]).

²⁷And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it (the cup is meant to serve as a symbol of His shed Blood at Calvary);

²⁸For this is My Blood of the New Testament (New Covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins (His Death at Calvary would settle forever the sin debt, and for all of humanity, at least for all who will believe [Jn. 1:29]; as is obvious, the Lords Supper ever directs the Believer to the Cross).

²⁹But 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 Fathers Kingdom (refers to the coming Kingdom Age).

³⁰And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives (refers to Psalms 115 and 118).

JESUS FORETELLS PETERS DENIAL

³¹Then said Jesus unto them, All you shall be offended because of Me this night (all of them would forsake Him, but He would never forsake them): for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad (Zech. 13:7).

³²But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee (it seemed that none believed what He said).

³³Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of you, yet will I never be offended (boastful pride!).

³⁴Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto you, That this night, before the rooster crows, you shall deny Me thrice.

³⁵Peter said unto Him, Though I should die with You, yet will I not deny You. Likewise also said all the Disciples (all made boastful claims).

JESUS IN THE GARDEN

³⁶Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane (just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem, about two hundred yards from the city wall), and said unto the Disciples, Sit you here, while I go and pray yonder.

³⁷And He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee (James and John), and began to be sorrowful and very heavy (tremendous stress and pressure).

³⁸Then said He unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death (means that He, as a Man, could not have endured it but for added Angelic strength [Lk. 22:43-44]): tarry ye here, and watch with Me (He needed their presence, even though it would prove to be of little solace).

³⁹And He went a little farther (more than physical, the distance He went in agony and prayer at this time, no human being could follow), and fell on His face, and prayed (He did so repeatedly, meaning that He would fall to the ground, struggle to get up, and then fall again), saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me (this cup was threefold: bearing the sin penalty of humanity, separation from the Father, and death): nevertheless not as I will, but as You will (proclaims the Divine Will as the expression of Divine Righteousness and Love, which limits the exercise of Divine Power and, therefore, supplies the necessary check to the expectations which might otherwise arise from the belief in Omnipotence).

⁴⁰And He came unto the Disciples, and finding them asleep (portraying the fact that they did not realize the acute danger for which they were ill-prepared), and said unto Peter (evidently awaking him), What, could you not watch with Me one hour?

⁴¹Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation (a warning of the temptation that was about to come upon them the temptation to forsake Him): the spirit (spirit of man) indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (this battle can be won only by our Faith being placed exclusively in Christ and His Cross, which then gives the Holy Spirit latitude to work within our lives [Rom. 6:3-14; 8:1-2, 11]).

⁴²He 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, Your will be done (a total acquiescence to Gods Will).

⁴³And He came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy (Love is always ready to excuse weakness, for example, the lateness of the hour, and the fact that they were sleeping for sorrow [Lk. 22:45]).

⁴⁴And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words (sometimes we must pray the same words again, and again).

⁴⁵Then cometh He to His Disciples, and said unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest (may be translated, do you sleep on now, continuing to take your rest?): behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners (refers to Judas, who is even now entering the Garden with the Temple guard and others in order to arrest Christ).

⁴⁶Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand who does betray Me (the Holy Spirit had told Him exactly what was happening, and when it would happen).

THE BETRAYAL AND ARREST OF JESUS

⁴⁷And while He yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came (is given in this fashion by the Holy Spirit in order to enhance his guilt. Never in human history has so perfidious an act been carried out against One Who was so good, kind, and gracious), and with him a great multitude with swords and staves (the Temple guard, and some Roman soldiers), from the Chief Priests and Elders of the people (the Church has ever killed the Lord, in the Name of the Lord).

⁴⁸Now he who betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast (speaks of the most despicable, treacherous moment in human history).

⁴⁹And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed Him (Ps. 55:21).

⁵⁰And Jesus said unto him, Friend (said in kindness and not sarcasm), wherefore are you come? (Could be translated, do that for which you are come.)Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took Him (presents the beginning of the action of the murderous hearts of the religious leaders of Israel; they hated Christ, and would have done this much sooner, had the opportunity presented itself).

⁵¹And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the High Priests, and smote off his ear (John said this was Simon Peter; as well, the name of the servant is Malthus; incidentally, Jesus healed the mans ear, which was His last miracle before His Death).

⁵²Then said Jesus unto him (unto Peter), Put up again your sword into his place (the Magistrate to whom God gives a sword, is responsible to use it against evildoers; that is his place [Rom. 13:4]): for all they who take the sword shall perish with the sword (the sword has no place in the propagation of the Gospel).

⁵³Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of Angels? (Seventy-two thousand Angels.)

⁵⁴But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? (The word must affirms the Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures; for had they been composed by men there would have been no necessity compelling their fulfillment.)

⁵⁵In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes (believed to have been approximately six hundred men), Are you come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take Me? I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple, and you laid no hold on Me (Jesus pointing out the fact that they didnt arrest Him in the Temple, because they feared the people).

⁵⁶But all this was done (could have been translated, all this has come to pass), that the Scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled (through foreknowledge, the Holy Spirit predicted this many centuries in advance [Gen. 3:15; 49:10; Isa. 7:14; Chpt. 53; Zech. 11:12] the Scriptures were ever the foundation of all that was done, and had better be the same presently). Then all the Disciples forsook Him, and fled (fulfilled that which was written [Zech. 13:7]).

THE TRIAL

⁵⁷And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the High Priest (Matthew omits the account of Jesus being led first before Annas, the former High Priest, as recorded in Jn. 18:13, 19-24), where the Scribes and the Elders were assembled (pertains to the palace or court of the High Priest).

⁵⁸But Peter followed Him afar off (presents the Apostle turning back toward Christ from Whom he had fled at first; no doubt, he is ashamed of his actions, and now in a quandary, timidly follows the route taking Jesus to the Palace) unto the High Priests palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

⁵⁹Now the Chief Priests, and Elders, and all the council, sought false witness (they didnt care if the witness was true or false) against Jesus, to put Him to death (these were the religious leaders of Israel);

⁶⁰But found none (found none who would collaborate each other): yes, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses (these seized upon a statement made by Christ, and twisted it out of context),

⁶¹And said, This (fellow was inserted by the translators, and was not in the original Text; the accuser might have pointed a finger at Christ, referring to Him contemptuously, as This!) fellow said, I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days (this is a distortion of what He actually said; Jesus had actually said, destroy this Temple [speaking of His physical body], and in three days I will raise it up [Jn. 2:19]).

⁶²And the High Priest (Caiaphas) arose, and said unto Him, Answerest thou nothing? (Presents Christ answering His accusers not at all.) what is it which these witness against You?

⁶³But Jesus held His peace (fulfilled the Scripture, He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His Mouth [Isa. 53:7]). And the High Priest answered and said unto Him, I adjure You by the Living God, that You tell us whether You be the Christ, the Son of God.

⁶⁴Jesus said unto him, You have said (presents Christ giving a direct affirmation, with Mark saying it even clearer, I am [Mk. 14:62]): nevertheless I say unto you (would have been better translated, but moreover I say unto you), Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man (speaking of Himself) sitting on the right hand of power (actually speaks of the Great White Throne Judgment; they are now judging Him; He will then judge them), and coming in the clouds of Heaven (Second Coming).

⁶⁵Then the High Priest rent his clothes (ripped the shawl thrown across His shoulder, signifying his supposed horror of Jesus referring to Himself as the Son of God), saying, He hath spoken blasphemy (meaning He had made Himself One with God); what further need have we of witnesses? (Means they can dispense with all the liars.) behold, now you have heard His blasphemy (the entire Sanhedrin had heard His statement; but He did not blaspheme; He spoke the truth).

⁶⁶What do you think? (Was spoken by Caiaphas to the Sanhedrin, which was composed of seventy-one members, if all were present.) They answered and said, He is guilty of death (when they sentenced Him to death, they sentenced themselves as well!).

⁶⁷Then (refers in the modern vernacular to fair game) did they spit in His face (considered to be the greatest insult to a person), and buffeted Him (hit Him with their fist, probably done by the Temple guards, but was undoubtedly done as well by some members of the Sanhedran); and others smote Him with the palms of their hands (should have been translated, smote Him with rods; the Prophet had said, as many as were astonished at You; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men [Isa. 52:14]),

⁶⁸Saying, Prophesy unto us (Jesus had just done this [Vs. 64]), Thou Christ (the words were spoken contemptuously! Christ means the Anointed, and spoke of the Messiah; they were making fun of His claims, and consequently, ridiculing the Anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Him; they were doing what they had accused Him of doing blaspheming), Who is he who smote you? (Mark and Luke said they blindfolded Him [14:65; 22:64].)

PETERS DENIAL

⁶⁹Now Peter sat without in the palace (the way the Court was constructed, Peter could see Christ, and Christ could see Peter [Lk. 22:61]): and a damsel came unto him (probably referred to the lady who kept the door, which gave entrance into the court yard), saying, You also were with Jesus of Galilee (with sarcasm).

⁷⁰But he denied before them all (first denial, spoken before a number of people standing with the girl), saying, I know not what you say.

⁷¹And when he was gone out into the porch (referred to him seemingly trying to remove himself from those who had just fingered him), another maid saw him, and said unto them who were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth (as well, with sarcasm).

⁷²And again he denied with an oath (what the oath was, we do not know), I do not know the man (He claims not even to know His Name).

⁷³And after a while (represents according to Lk. 22:59, about an hour of time) came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely you also are one of them; for your speech betrays you (he was a Galilean, as were all the Disciples, with the exception of Judas).

⁷⁴Then began he to curse and to swear (not profanity, but rather to take a solemn oath such as men do in a Court of Justice, and then to call upon God to curse him if the oath was false; it was a sin of appalling magnitude and depth), saying, I know not the man (meaning that he swore by the name of God that he did not know Christ). And immediately the cock (rooster) crowed.

⁷⁵And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the rooster crows, you shall deny Me thrice (Vs. 34). And he went out, and wept bitterly (tradition says that for the rest of his life, Peter could not hear a rooster crow without falling upon his knees and weeping).