Matthew Chapter 26

Matthew Chapter 26

Jesus finally stops telling parables, and he tells his disciples, that the feast of Passover is in two days.  And by the way the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. 

The chief priests, scribes and elders came together at the high priest Caiaphas’ palace.  The thought might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him.  No, no, no, not on the feast day, the people will be really upset.

Jesus  was in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany.  A woman came over with an alabaster box of  expensive ointment and poured it on his head as he sat eating.  His disciples saw this and thought why did she waste that ointment?  She could have sold it and given the money to the poor.

JC asked them why they were bothering the lady she did good work for him.   The poor will always have you guys, but you won’t always have me.  She poured that fancy ointment always on me for my burial.  So whoever preaches this gospel… make sure you give her a special shout out for what she did here.  Okay Matt your work is done here.

Exit Judas Iscariot who goes to the chief priests.  He asks them, what will you give me if I deliver JC to you? They think for a minute, and tell him 30 pieces of silver.  JC is being so weird and mean I’m a little surprised Judas didn’t pay them to take him.  From that moment on Judas started looking for a moment to betray JC. 

Now the first day of Passover started, and the disciples came to JC asking where will they should plan to eat for Passover.  JC tells them to go to the city and ask them this, my master says that his time is at hand can we come over for Passover.  The disciples did just that.  When the time came he sat down with the boys.   As they ate he mentioned that one of him would betray him.  Well this was a real downer for the crowd.  They were super sad, but also a little frightened, they all asked if they would be the one to betray him.  I think they might have all had these thoughts before.  Like I said JC seams like he’s been in a dark mood lately and cranky with superpowers can be frightening.  He told them the person who dipped his hand in the bowl with me in the will betray me. The Son of man will go as is his fate but woe to the man who betrayed him.  It would have been better off if he had never been born! Judas who betrayed him answered, Master, is it I? JC answered, you have said. 

As they were eating JC took the bread and blessed it, broke it, and gave it to disciples, and told them to “Take, eat; this is my body.”  Yuck.  I don’t want to eat your body.  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to the boys saying “Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”  Which is also yucky.  When I was a kid they used to tell me that God was everywhere, even inside of us.  And when I learned about communion, I figured out that the reason god was inside of us was because we ate him!

Then JC tells them that he’s giving up the drink until he drinks it in heaven with them.  So they sang a hymn and went out to mount Olives.  JC then tells them, all of you will be offended by me tonight, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.  After I’ve risen from the dead, I will come before you in Galilee. 

Pete doubts this very much.  He won’t be offended by JC.  He could never be offend by his BFF.  JC tells him by the time the rooster crows, you’ll have denied me three times.  Peter can’t believe this.  He says he would die first.  All the disciples agreed.  The group came to a place called Gethseman and told his disciples to sit here while he goes and prays.

JC goes off with Petie and the two sons of Zebedee (Johnny and Jimmy) and got really sad.  He tells them, I’m exceeding sad, will you guys stay here will me, until I die, will you watch with me?  JC went further, and fell on his face and prayed to his father, O father, please let this cup pass away from me, not because I want to pass it away, but because you do? Oh JC.  I just want to give you a hug and tell you not to listen to your dad, we’ll find a way to let you live, to get you out of this mess. 

JC comes across Peter who fell asleep.  Oh Peter, you couldn’t watch me for even an hour?  Watch and pray that you aren’t tempted, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. He went away a second time and prayed.  Oh Father, if this cup can’t be passed away from me, I will drink it.   He came back and the boys were asleep again for their eyes were heavy.   He left them and prayed a third time with the same words. 

He came to his deciles and said to them sleep, rest.  The hour is at hand the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of the sinners. Rise, we should go.  No hold on, he just told them to sleep now they have to get up?  The one who betrayed me is here.  While he spoke Judas came walking up with a multitude of swords and staves from the chief priests and the elders.  Judas told the soldier that the one he would kiss was the one they were looking for.   He said, hail master and kissed JC.    Where did you come from? JC asked.  The soldiers took JC.

One of the disciples took out a sword, and cut off one of the soldiers ears.  JC told him to put way his sword.  Those who take the sword, die by the sword.  I could pray to my father, and he would give me twelve legions of angels.  But that wouldn’t fulfill the scriptures.  It has to be like this. Okay  hold it now, what scriptures is he talking about and how specific is this document?  Where did that come from?

In that same hour Jesus asked the multitudes, Did you bring sword and staves to take me, as you would a thief?  I sat every day with you teaching in the temple no one took me.   All of this was done so the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.  All of the disciples abandoned him and fled.  The soldier who had Jesus led him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scibes and elders were assembled.  But Peter followed him from a safe distance to the high priest’s palace , he went inside and sat with the servants to see the end.

The chief preists, elders, and the council looked for people to bear false witness against poor JC and sentenced him to death. Many false witnesses came, but they found none.  Finally they found two false witnesses. So this guy tells them that JC said that he was able to destroy God’s temple, and to build it in three days.

The high priest asked JC what he had to say about what these witnesses said about him.  But Jesus said nothing, he held his peace.  The priest earnestly asked him if he was Christ, the Son of God. 

 JC accuses the priest of saying from here on in you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Way to be clear on the issue JC.  Now the priest is pissed off.  He tears his clothes saying JC has spoken blasphemy, why do we need any more witnesses?  You heard his blasphemy.   Actually I’m not sure I did.  Unless his blasphemy is lying about what a priest said, I’m confused. Whado you think?  They answered that he is guilty of death. 

Then they spit in his face, and beat him, and hit him with the palms of their hands, asking, him to prophesize to us, Christ, who hurt you?

Peter sat in the palace when a girl came up to him saying you were with Jesus of Galilee.  Peter, no doubt confused and emotional about his BFF being sentenced to death, fearing for his own life, told her he didn’t know what she was saying.  He went out onto the porch. Another maid saw him and someone if this fellow was with JC.  Peter swore that he wasn’t.  And one more time a person asked him if he was with JC.  Peter lost it.  He started cursing and swearing that he didn’t know the man!  The rooster crowed and Pete remembered Jesus telling him that he would deny him three times before the rooster crowed.  And he went out and wept bitterly. 

Oh Peter… oh Peter…