A commentary I referenced made an interesting note that this is the 5th time that Matthew signals a transition from teaching to something else by way of saying “when Jesus had finished all these sayings”. I don’t think this is significant and I doubt the other author did either, but it’s interesting.

If you look at the remaining number of chapters in Matthew and remember that Matthew is documenting to the time of Jesus’s death, things are taking a turn pretty soon here. In fact, that last round in 25 is the last time He engages in any long, deliberate teaching. While it’s all downhill from here, we as Christians remember that while they do kill Him, He gets better. Jesus wins 3 days later and then for all time. So while we should engage with the horror of the crucifixion to properly understand the nature of His sacrifice, it should be with the success of His mission in the back of our minds.

By the second verse, Jesus is heavy with the truth about coming events. He mentions the Passover and this is of significance. We’re starting with the New Testament because aside from Ecclesiastes, I think (and a lot of people think) that this is a good place for new Christians unfamiliar with the Bible to start. So we’ll assume everyone has limited familiarity with Passover. Passover was (and remains for the modern Jews) a celebration of their liberation from Egypt that they were specifically commanded by God to celebrate annually. An angel from God was sent to deliver door-to-door death on the houses of Egypt unless they had a special sign God had instructed: a door marked with the blood of a lamb. So in remembrance, the Jews would begin the celebration with the killing of a lamb. And what is one of Jesus’s titles? The lamb of God. This time, it is we, the believers who will be covered in His blood to be spared the wrath of God but, more importantly, granted access into His kingdom.

Hard cut to the priests and elders gathering into the palace of a high priest to work on their scheme. “Wait how is Matthew recording events he wasn’t present for?” Godly answer is that divine inspiration from the Holy Spirit on the uniquely empowered apostles allows him to put to ink the absolute truth. If that doesn’t satisfy you, I remind you that people are naturally inclined to gossip and nothing remains a secret for long. The goal is to kill Jesus in secret to cause minimal ruckus, so they decide not during the Passover feast. Jerusalem, as the location of the SOLE temple of God (there is but one temple though many synagogues), would be packed for this massive holiday celebration. If you execute an incredibly popular figure during this time, you have an army off angry people to contend with.

Jesus is at the house of a leper, presumably healing him. A woman comes up, who we suspect is named Mary (not His mother, but the sister of Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead), and pours oil on His head. This seems odd to us, but this process (anointing) was done with honored or holy men to set them apart and recognize them; though this was typically done with whatever common oil you had around. She uses an extremely expensive and scented oil and practically dumps the whole thing on Him. If we consider that Jesus raised her brother from the dead, we can see why she’d be very over the top with her expression of love and appreciation. In John’s telling, he’ll point out that the whole house was fogged with the smell. Judas Iscariot pipes up asking why the waste when selling the perfume could generate money for the poor? This would be noble reasoning if not for John 12:6 indicating that Judas was in charge of the group’s money and regularly skimmed off the top. Really dude?

Jesus tells them to cut it out. They will always have poor to tend to but they will not always have Jesus. Anointing the head of the Son of God in your home is a once in human history opportunity to honor God and moreover, they should take the time to enjoy the presence of God in their midst while they still have Him. Without realizing it either, Mary has helped prepare His body for burial, as the anointing was part of that custom as well. Not only does Jesus approve her actions as being a beautiful thing, He tells everyone “write that down” to be proclaimed alongside the rest of the gospel.

Judas is off to go write his name across history for exactly the opposite reason by meeting with the chief priests. What pushes a man to do this? My guess is that he was still holding on to “Christ is supposed to overthrow the world and Jews rule as kings” traditional belief and now that Jesus is nonstop talking about the end, it’s become clear that is not happening and he wants out while he can still get back in the good graces of the elite before he looks like a fool for putting his trust in a dead man. He asks how much to betray Jesus and they give him 30 pieces of silver. This is NOT a significant sum of money to the Jews, not even to Judas. Exodus prescribes this as the price to pay someone if your ox kills their slave. This leaves the reader inclined to believe that if he was willing to take a low price, some degree of resentment was involved, possibly for the reason I suggested. Again, my speculation is not canon, just something to consider. How many of us betray Jesus for a hit of dopamine by getting into arguments or looking at porn? Hardly a huge sum for what you’re really doing. Anyway, so much for waiting until after Passover. Judas has come so we’re doing it now and Judas is scouting out an opportunity.

The disciples ask Jesus what the Passover plans are (participation is NOT optional) and Jesus says to find a mysterious man and give a cryptic phrase about the Teacher’s time being at hand and having need of his house. This is just what rolling with Jesus is like and I’m jealous I didn’t get to. Ah well, that’s what the next life is for, right? They go to the upper room of this house to prepare for the Passover in what we refer to as The Last Supper. If you’re picturing a long table for 12 with everyone standing at it, you’re likely wrong. The custom in this part of the world was to sit on cushions/couches stationed in a U-shaped pattern around a low table and reclining on their left side. If you’re disheartened and looking to sell your original da Vinci ‘The Last Supper’ painting as a result, I’ll give you a crisp $20 bill for it. As they’re eating, Jesus drops the bomb that one of them will betray him. At the time of the event, this is shocking news to everyone hearing it. Here something interesting happens in that they check themselves. Were I in this position, I would be angry and seeking a name and I suspect other readers would expect that as well. Instead, the disciples mourn, hoping they aren’t the one to fall away. They fear the sin in their own hearts before looking to find an external threat. Unsure if this may have been a cultural difference or not, but I like to think they’ve grown a lot in Jesus’s company and this is a sign of spiritual maturity. We should (and have been told to) all look to our own potential faults rather than peer around corners for potential threats. You know, spiritually at least. This doesn’t override your immediate need to stay alive and the Bible rarely if ever suggests otherwise. Don’t get confused.

“He who dipped his bread in the dish with me will betray me”. …….That’s literally everyone at the table though, that doesn’t help. Mostly that doesn’t ease the rising sense of dread and guilt among the apostles. Their anxiety is soaring and He just gave a cryptic non-answer. How frustrating. However, John will recount that Jesus handed a piece of bread directly to Judas. John apparently had his eye on Judas for a while to catch some subtle issues with him. Jesus says it will be better for the betrayer to have never been born, reminding us that hell exists and is worse than mere nonexistence. Judas, presumably trying to blend in because I can’t think of another reason to do this, asks if it’s him. Important distinction, everyone else is calling him, depending on your translation (ESV for me), “lord” or “master”. Judas hits him with “rabbi” or “teacher”. Normally, this is fine, but in the context of everything else and especially the word choice of the other apostles, this stands out.

Creating a sacrament that would persist from now until His return, Jesus takes some bread, breaks it, and tells the disciples “eat this, it’s my body”. Then He has them drink wine, which is His blood of the covenant, poured out for the forgiveness of sin. This here is the new covenant for the new Israel, a formal promise between God and all who would have faith in Jesus, rather than any one group of people (Jews). They sing a traditional Passover hymn and head up to the Mount of Olives.

That’s it? That’s the gravity Matthew places on the Lord’s Supper and a brand new covenant? Yes, well we remember that Matthew’s focus on writing is different than the other apostles. Others will go into greater detail and so will we when the time comes.

Jesus tells them that once He is betrayed, the disciples will all fall away as a flock of sheep scatters. But He tells them that even after they all turn tail to save themselves, He will meet them in Galilee once He has risen. Lovable Peter says what we all might say as he often does. Even if everyone else falls away, I would NEVER do that! I love your confidence Peter, but no. Jesus tells Him that this VERY NIGHT Peter will deny he even KNOWS Jesus 3 times. Peter’s confidence won’t even hold up 24 hours. The insinuation of weakness and cowardice would’ve landed on Peter like a knife in the stomach. Peter holds his ground saying he would DIE before he denied Jesus and the other disciples join in. Oh?

So Jesus goes to a place called Gethsemane and brings 3 of His disciples, Peter, James, and John, with Him to keep people away while He prayed. Here it says Jesus became sorrowful and troubled. Jesus FEELS things. He’s not some divine machine, He’s fully God, yes, but fully human. No one wants a miserable torture, even to fulfil the greatest mission. He confides this truth in His disciples. Being sad or troubled is not a sinful rejection of God’s love or gifts. Jesus felt sad. Disregard a Christian who says you can’t be sad.

Jesus goes a little further and falls on His face in prayer, asking the cup of judgement to be passed from Him. Oh uh… is this hesitation or trying to get out of it? Chrysostom suggests that He’s not trying to get out of it, but praying honestly. No one wants to be nailed to a cross and to pretend otherwise, to suggest we’re thrilled to go do that, is not human. Jesus corrects the human instinct with a perfect obedience saying “not as I will, but as you will”. Christ modeled honesty and surrender in one sentence. A modern example would be like “this really sucks and if you have another way to do this, that would be great but still… your will not mine”. Which I’ve prayed lol.

Jesus has poured His heart out to the Father with the human realization that the next stages are going to be an enormous task to bear and returns to the disciples who are standing loyal guard and also joined in solemn prayer for their Lord and close friend after He confessed, seemingly for the first time, that He even experiences human emotional turmoil at all. ….Is what I’d like to say, but all 3 passed out. It’s late and everyone is extremely stressed, so it’s not unreasonable, but Jesus asks “Really? Not even an hour?” –Very brief detour here. Please contemplate being in a state of sincere prayer for an hour. Time your next prayer session and see how you average. Now remember that Jesus’s life is a model for us, including how we pray–. We’re going to try this again. He acknowledges that their hear is in it even if their body can’t keep up, but to pray for success and to not fall to temptation. Prayer is an excellent tool against temptations like lust (not so much sure about sleep) because even if you take away the spiritual aspect (don’t) you’re left with a basic psychological grounding technique to settle your brain and redirect bloodflow. So if you doubt prayer, give it a shot for biological and practical reasons first and see if the spirit doesn’t nudge you as you do so.

Jesus goes back and again says if there’s any kind of backup plan, He’s down for it, but knowing full well there’s not, He again submits to the will of the Father. He came to this earth knowing it was the only way but His natural human emotions are agonized. I think the death would be cheapened if it were any other way. You think you have it bad? Jesus was crucified. “Yeah well He’s God, He was probably stone cold the whole time”. This chapter disproves that. He felt as we fell. He knows the human experience and that’s how we can relate to Him. He comes back and the disciples are sleeping again. He doesn’t bother rebuking them and goes back to pray a third time. He comes back to wake them, telling them they can get some shut-eye later, the betrayal is complete and the mob has come to arrest Him. Suddenly the urgency for prayer and His discomfort is explained: His time is up.

Judas approaches with armed Romans having sold His whereabouts to the chief priests and elders who are also in tow. Judas had worked it out that he would give a sign to the authorities so that the correct one was identified. While Jesus was a popular figure, not all the Roman officers had seen Him, it was nighttime, and people generally dressed the same. The priests weren’t going to chance letting Jesus scurry away because they got the wrong guy. Judas approaches Jesus with a warm greeting and a kiss on the cheek. So not only has he betrayed Jesus, he’s using symbols of love and loyalty to do it. Jesus doesn’t play along. “Do what you came to do, friend.” ….Man… Sometimes you read this and you’re like “Poor Jesus… He didn’t do anything wrong and all these people are so awful to Him all the time and He’s never crappy back.”

They go arrest Jesus but one of his disciples draws his sword and takes the ear of one of the servants of the high priest. You already know which disciple it is. It’s Peter. This is a peak Peter moment. He was told that he couldn’t live up to his promise to never deny Jesus and he makes a solid effort to demonstrate otherwise here. Some think he was aiming for Judas and nailed this other guy because while a lot of people carried swords, he was no swordsman.

Jesus rebukes him, tells him to put the sword away. He needs no earthly protection from the completion of God’s mission and He’s especially not here to send the message that He IS the rebel leader people are accusing Him of being. He will hand His life over willingly, not because He was outmanned and captured. If Jesus wanted physical protection, He’d have a small army of angels on the spot, not one fisherman. Also Peter has a mission of his own and being arrested by the Romans isn’t going to help. Jesus is going because He needs to.

But this situation is still ridiculous and He’s going to let them know it. A huge number of people have come to arrest him. Didn’t they see Him teaching in the temple every day if they wanted Him so bad? Here they are in the dead of night, are they after a burglar? Everything about this is fishy and while He knows and has taught His apostles, He’s planting that seed in the minds of others. This is about Him threatening the power of the rabbis. The false teachers in love with power.

Jesus is brought before the high priest Caiaphas, who had been appointed by Romans, and an assembly of all the high priests and elders. Peter, being one of the coolest dudes ever, has been tailing these people and follows up to the courtyard to eavesdrop. John’s account will go into detail, but basically John knows a guy who knows a girl to let Peter sneak in. This is an enormously bad idea because Peter needs to be alive to a. Be the first Pope or b. Spread the gospel with the other disciples.

The Sanhedrin is present. This is a high priest and 70 men made of priests, teachers of the law, and elders. Only some of them are required to be there to reach a decision, so at this late hour it’s likely not all of them were reachable, but this is kind of the model of Church discipline where you have a trial of sorts to work out a need for excommunication. Except this can issue a death sentence. Problem here is they’re looking for bad testimonies because they’ve already made a judgement and are working back from there. They get witnesses to come forward but they can’t coordinate lies on short notice and Jesus has given them nothing to work with, so nothing is terribly convincing.

Two come forward to misquote Jesus as having said “I can destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in 3 days”. Two witnesses are enough to verify an accusation and this would count as blasphemy to move forward. The temple, as John makes clear, is Jesus’s own body. The high priest demands Jesus explain Himself. Jesus doesn’t answer. Caiaphas asks directly if He is the Christ and the Son of God. “You have said so” should be understood as “what you have said is so”. It might sound evasive to a first reading (or many) but part of what Jesus is communicating is that by asking the question, you reveal the answer. Judas asks if he’s the betrayer, and Jesus gives him the same answer. Are you the Christ? Jesus would not be here to ask that of Him if He wasn’t. You know He is, you just don’t want to accept it. He triples down to tell them they better get used to seeing Him because He’s going to be at the right hand of God.

Caiaphas is satisfied and dramatically tears his clothes (as was the custom at the time) in grief. He got what he wanted but so did Jesus. Calling Himself God has earned His blasphemy charge and death penalty. This however means that Israel, in a very formal and official capacity, has just scorned God to His face, rejected Him, and sentenced Him to die. This is not going to help the people of Israel one bit. Spitting, punching, and slapping ensue. The torment of Christ has begun in earnest. They mock Him, asking Him to use His power to determine who it was in the crowd who hit Him. Obviously He could, but that’s not the role of the lamb.

Peter is in immediate danger. They’ve got his teacher with enough to put Him to death and there’s room for guilt by association here. A servant girl identifies him as being with Jesus but pleads ignorance. “Uh…. who me? Don’t know what you’re talking about”. Peter knows it’s time to get out but she identifies him to another group of people. Now he denies it with an oath claiming he’s not just NOT a follower, he doesn’t even know the guy! Swearing the false oath, also being something Jesus explicitly condemned not that long ago, is not helping matters. Problem is, Peter has a Galilean accent that stands out here in Jerusalem and Jesus was known for being from there as well. A bystander calls him on it and Peter is losing it. He stands a very serious chance of being captured and killed so he calls a curse on himself and swears he’s never heard of this “Jesus” fella. Immediately a rooster crows. Peter recalls Jesus predicting this exact outcome. Peter could’ve made good on his promise to never deny Him and to die before betraying the Christ and, for all his pride and faith in himself, he failed. Lesson there for us. Still, it’s for the best that he did. Peter had more important work to do than getting murdered by Romans. He breaks away from the crowd and cries it out. Peter had a big bold heart, but I think this broke his pride and for the better. We’re brought low to be built up stronger.