Matthew 26-28
Beginning with Jesus' statement in 26:2 the events begin to unfold. The words, "As you know..." seem so strange because it seems that the twelve really hadn't figured it out yet, despite clear message given by the Lord. The chief priests, meanwhile, wanted Jesus out of the way quietly.
The anointing at Bethany again brings Jesus to remind the disciples of His upcoming death -- prepared for burial.
I wonder what it was that gave Judas the idea to betray Jesus. What set him off? Was it the anointing? How did he know the priests would pay? What did he want the money for? A getaway?
How did the disciples miss Jesus clearly identifying His betrayer in 26:25? What was going through Judas' mind at that point? If Satan entered into him when he left the upper room, what pushed him toward the door?
Did the disciples understand the meaning of the bread and the cup?
What hymn did they sing before dismissing?
At 26:32 Jesus has already told the twelve about His plans after the Resurrection. Did they miss this part too? Or just so overcome they didn't know what to think? Jesus has been speaking in parables for so long, they seemed to miss the obvious answers.
Noting that in 26:35 it wasn't just Peter who vowed to die defending Jesus. Most did, just not that night.
Peter, James and John came with Jesus. "The sons of Zebedee" is the phrase used. It reminds me of their mother coming to Jesus asking for prime thrones and Jesus asking them if they can drink of His cup. (20:20).
Sorrow to the point of death. Quite an emotional concept. I think I've been there, although not for the same reasons. I've felt near death from sorrow. Jesus knew death was coming. Was His sorrow for His life, for the eleven who remained, for the suffering to come, for those who still denied Him???
In 26:41, I wonder which specific temptation Jesus wanted the three to avoid. He woke them once, then let them sleep until the arresting party was spotted.
I wonder why a signal was needed. Shouldn't the guards have known which one Jesus was?
Matthew mentions Peter's swordplay and Jesus' rebuke, Jesus' acknowledgment that He could be protected by angels if He wished, and His taunting of the crowd about their swords and clubs. He also mentions that the eleven all fled just twenty or so verses after he reported that they all vowed to die protecting Him. No mention of Jesus' healing the servant.
At the Sanhedrin trial, the false witnesses can't get their story straight. Even the "credible" witnesses are answered with silence from the Master. The only thing Jesus answers is the question of His identity.
The passage of Peter's denial tells of two different women asking him, then a crowd of people identifying Peter by his Galillean accent. Peter's response gets more animated each time. The word "immediately" is found in 26:74. Peter's response and regret is also immediate.
Judas' change of heart was too late to change anything. Judas must have seen his role as more important than the priests did. His refusal to accept the money put the priests in an awkward situation. Finally they found their way out of it, only to unknowingly fulfill prophecy!
Before Pilate, Jesus answers one question -- again about His identity. This time it is the title, "King of the Jews" and not "the Christ, the Son of God." To the other charges Jesus says nothing. Pilate's way out of executing an innocent man was the prisoner release ploy. He knew the people would never ask for the notorious Barabbas over the innocent Jesus. He underestimated the chief priests. In the other Gospels we see more of the political strategy employed by the priests. Here we simply see a crowd who is easily swayed. Even the pleadings of Pilate's wife seem to do nothing for Pilate. He knows what he should do, but every attempt to do it is met with resistence. Finally he washes his hands of the whole affair and assigns responsibility for Jesus' death to the crowd of Jews, who gladly accept the guilt.
The soldiers had a little fun at Christ's expense before leading Him off to Calvary. These soldiers dealt in death. They loved their work. How little redeeming quality there had to be in their hearts. Until 27:54, there seems to be nothing there but evil, yet the earthquakes at Christ's death did seem to wake these men up.
After the soldiers had nailed up the prisoners and had gambled for Jesus' clothes, they sat down to watch the death. I never thought of these soldiers doing anything but standing and keeping watch -- military style. Instead, they sat down and watched the effects of their work.
Pictures of Golgotha have always left me with the impression that it stands alone outside of the city walls, but there were people passing by, obviously on a road. Jesus' shame was in full view of the public. Even the chief priests and elders come out to mock Jesus. I wonder why. Didn't they feel vindicated at the thought of Jesus on a cross? Did they have to come out to have the last word? Even the robbers insulted him. Well, at least one.
Three hours of darkness in the middle of the morning. If the time lines up as 9:00am to Noon, that is a bizarre time for darkness.
Jesus quotes Psalm 22 from the cross. The quote is from the beginning, but the psalm in total is a psalm of victory. Of course the bystanders completely misunderstand, thinking Jesus is calling for Elijah. Vultures, mocking the dying.
Jesus died after a "cry out." The curtain in the temple is torn top to bottom. The earth shakes. Tombs break open and dead people are revived. Not just any dead people, but dead holy people. I wish we knew more about that.
The women watched His death and watched Joseph wrap the body and place it in his new tomb. On Saturday -- the Sabbath -- the priests were still worried about Jesus and the disciples that they went back to Pilate. The stone was sealed and a squad was stationed to guard the tomb.
The angel rolled back the stone and sat on it. The guards passed out cold from fright. Yet Jesus was gone. The text makes it hard to determine if the women were there when the stone was rolled away. I would assume not, although Jesus could have left the area without the women spotting Him. He could walk through walls, after all.
The angel's instruction is to tell the disciples to go to Galilee to meet up with Jesus, just as Jesus told them would happen back in 26:2. Jesus intercepts the women on their way back, again telling them to tell the eleven to meet Him in Galilee.
The bribes to the guards are given and the cover story is invented -- the same story that the priests had feared the day before. The thought of a Roman guard sleeping on the job, then being allowed to live is laughable.
Finally at 28:16, the disciples and Jesus meet back in Galilee, as expected. Much of the detail given in the other Gospels is missing here. Matthew's focus is on the Great Commission given to the disciples. It is a two-part commission: to make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them.
The anointing at Bethany again brings Jesus to remind the disciples of His upcoming death -- prepared for burial.
I wonder what it was that gave Judas the idea to betray Jesus. What set him off? Was it the anointing? How did he know the priests would pay? What did he want the money for? A getaway?
How did the disciples miss Jesus clearly identifying His betrayer in 26:25? What was going through Judas' mind at that point? If Satan entered into him when he left the upper room, what pushed him toward the door?
Did the disciples understand the meaning of the bread and the cup?
What hymn did they sing before dismissing?
At 26:32 Jesus has already told the twelve about His plans after the Resurrection. Did they miss this part too? Or just so overcome they didn't know what to think? Jesus has been speaking in parables for so long, they seemed to miss the obvious answers.
Noting that in 26:35 it wasn't just Peter who vowed to die defending Jesus. Most did, just not that night.
Peter, James and John came with Jesus. "The sons of Zebedee" is the phrase used. It reminds me of their mother coming to Jesus asking for prime thrones and Jesus asking them if they can drink of His cup. (20:20).
Sorrow to the point of death. Quite an emotional concept. I think I've been there, although not for the same reasons. I've felt near death from sorrow. Jesus knew death was coming. Was His sorrow for His life, for the eleven who remained, for the suffering to come, for those who still denied Him???
In 26:41, I wonder which specific temptation Jesus wanted the three to avoid. He woke them once, then let them sleep until the arresting party was spotted.
I wonder why a signal was needed. Shouldn't the guards have known which one Jesus was?
Matthew mentions Peter's swordplay and Jesus' rebuke, Jesus' acknowledgment that He could be protected by angels if He wished, and His taunting of the crowd about their swords and clubs. He also mentions that the eleven all fled just twenty or so verses after he reported that they all vowed to die protecting Him. No mention of Jesus' healing the servant.
At the Sanhedrin trial, the false witnesses can't get their story straight. Even the "credible" witnesses are answered with silence from the Master. The only thing Jesus answers is the question of His identity.
The passage of Peter's denial tells of two different women asking him, then a crowd of people identifying Peter by his Galillean accent. Peter's response gets more animated each time. The word "immediately" is found in 26:74. Peter's response and regret is also immediate.
Judas' change of heart was too late to change anything. Judas must have seen his role as more important than the priests did. His refusal to accept the money put the priests in an awkward situation. Finally they found their way out of it, only to unknowingly fulfill prophecy!
Before Pilate, Jesus answers one question -- again about His identity. This time it is the title, "King of the Jews" and not "the Christ, the Son of God." To the other charges Jesus says nothing. Pilate's way out of executing an innocent man was the prisoner release ploy. He knew the people would never ask for the notorious Barabbas over the innocent Jesus. He underestimated the chief priests. In the other Gospels we see more of the political strategy employed by the priests. Here we simply see a crowd who is easily swayed. Even the pleadings of Pilate's wife seem to do nothing for Pilate. He knows what he should do, but every attempt to do it is met with resistence. Finally he washes his hands of the whole affair and assigns responsibility for Jesus' death to the crowd of Jews, who gladly accept the guilt.
The soldiers had a little fun at Christ's expense before leading Him off to Calvary. These soldiers dealt in death. They loved their work. How little redeeming quality there had to be in their hearts. Until 27:54, there seems to be nothing there but evil, yet the earthquakes at Christ's death did seem to wake these men up.
After the soldiers had nailed up the prisoners and had gambled for Jesus' clothes, they sat down to watch the death. I never thought of these soldiers doing anything but standing and keeping watch -- military style. Instead, they sat down and watched the effects of their work.
Pictures of Golgotha have always left me with the impression that it stands alone outside of the city walls, but there were people passing by, obviously on a road. Jesus' shame was in full view of the public. Even the chief priests and elders come out to mock Jesus. I wonder why. Didn't they feel vindicated at the thought of Jesus on a cross? Did they have to come out to have the last word? Even the robbers insulted him. Well, at least one.
Three hours of darkness in the middle of the morning. If the time lines up as 9:00am to Noon, that is a bizarre time for darkness.
Jesus quotes Psalm 22 from the cross. The quote is from the beginning, but the psalm in total is a psalm of victory. Of course the bystanders completely misunderstand, thinking Jesus is calling for Elijah. Vultures, mocking the dying.
Jesus died after a "cry out." The curtain in the temple is torn top to bottom. The earth shakes. Tombs break open and dead people are revived. Not just any dead people, but dead holy people. I wish we knew more about that.
The women watched His death and watched Joseph wrap the body and place it in his new tomb. On Saturday -- the Sabbath -- the priests were still worried about Jesus and the disciples that they went back to Pilate. The stone was sealed and a squad was stationed to guard the tomb.
The angel rolled back the stone and sat on it. The guards passed out cold from fright. Yet Jesus was gone. The text makes it hard to determine if the women were there when the stone was rolled away. I would assume not, although Jesus could have left the area without the women spotting Him. He could walk through walls, after all.
The angel's instruction is to tell the disciples to go to Galilee to meet up with Jesus, just as Jesus told them would happen back in 26:2. Jesus intercepts the women on their way back, again telling them to tell the eleven to meet Him in Galilee.
The bribes to the guards are given and the cover story is invented -- the same story that the priests had feared the day before. The thought of a Roman guard sleeping on the job, then being allowed to live is laughable.
Finally at 28:16, the disciples and Jesus meet back in Galilee, as expected. Much of the detail given in the other Gospels is missing here. Matthew's focus is on the Great Commission given to the disciples. It is a two-part commission: to make disciples by baptizing them and teaching them.
posted by rev-ed @ 12:02 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home