Course: Matthew
Matthew Chapter 26 Part B
But all this happened that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples abandoned Him and began to flee. The note about the disciples fleeing shows their promises earlier were empty.
The Trial Of Jesus Before the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57-68)
Jesus is now brought before the Jewish leaders for a trial.
Matt. 26:57 And the ones who arrested Jesus led Him toward Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered together.
And the ones who arrested Jesus led Him toward Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered together. It is clear that the mob had been sent by the Jewish authorities under the direction of the high priest.
Matt. 26:58 And Peter was following after Him from a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And he entered inside and sat down with the attendants to see the outcome.
And Peter was following after Him from a distance, When Peter fled he apparently did not go too far.
right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And he entered inside and sat down with the attendants to see the outcome. He followed at a distance to see the outcome.
Matt. 26:59 And the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death.
Note on a variant reading: Many manuscripts read and the elders after chief priests.
And the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so they could put Him to death. The Jewish authorities had begun to gather witnesses to make a case against Jesus. However they were not prepared for the suddenness of the trial. The goal was not justice, but rather to put Jesus to death.
Matt. 26:60 And they did not find many coming forward to testify falsely. But finally two came forward,
And they did not find many coming forward to testify falsely. But finally two came forward, They could not find the false witnesses they needed.
Matt. 26:61 saying, This one said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'
saying, This one said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.' This is a garbled understanding of Jesus prediction of His death and resurrection (see John 2:18-22). Matthew does not record this prediction.
Matt. 26:62 Then the high priest rose up and said to Him, Are you not answering anything concerning what these are accusing against You?
Then the high priest rose up and said to Him, Are you not answering anything concerning what these are accusing against You? The High Priest becomes flustered.
Matt. 26:63 And Jesus remained silent. The chief priest said to Him, I put you under oath according to the living God: You tell us if You Yourself are the Christ, the Son of God.
And Jesus remained silent. The chief priest said to Him, I put you under oath according to the living God: This question is more solemn because He puts Jesus under oath.
You tell us if You Yourself are the Christ, the Son of God. They want some sort of confessional statement from Him.
Matt. 26:64 And Jesus said to him, You have said it. Nevertheless I say to all of you: from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.
And Jesus said to him, You have said it. The answer is not evasive but affirmative.
Nevertheless I say to all of you: from now on Not merely to them personally but in a general sense.
will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Nowhere does Jesus reveal more about Himself than here. Here He refers to Daniel 7:13 and the Son of Man before the Ancient of Days.
Matt. 26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothing saying, He has blasphemed! Why yet do we have need of further witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy.
Then the high priest tore his clothing saying, He has blasphemed! Why yet do we have need of further witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy. This statement convinced them that Jesus had committed blasphemy.
Matt. 26:66 What do you think? And they answered saying, He is deserving of death.
What do you think? And they answered saying, He is deserving of death. The statement by Jesus was considered by them to be worthy of the death penalty.
Matt. 26:67 Then they spit into His face and struck Him with their fist; and others said,
Then they spit into His face and struck Him with their fist; and others said, They now begin to treat Him unlawfully.
Matt. 26:68 Prophesy to us, you Christ. Who is it who hit You?
Prophesy to us, you Christ. Who is it who hit You? They are ridiculing and beating Him while He is defenseless.
Peter Denies Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75)
Peter now denies the Lord as Jesus had predicted.
Matt. 26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard; and one of the slave girls came to him, saying, You yourself were also with Jesus of Galilee.
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard; and one of the slave girls came to him, saying, You yourself were also with Jesus of Galilee. Peter is noticed by one of the women who insists that he was with Jesus.
Matt. 26:70 And he denied before all of them saying, I do not know what you are saying.
Note on variant readings: Some manuscripts do not have the word them. One manuscript reads them but does not have all. A few manuscripts read nor do I understand after what you are saying (see the parallel in Mark 14:68).
And he denied before all of them saying, I do not know what you are saying. The first of the denials.
Matt. 26:71 Then he went to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him. She said to the ones there, This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.
Note on variant readings: A few manuscripts have the word servant girl spelled out in the text. Most manuscripts read the Greek word another. However since it is in the feminine gender here servant girl is to be understood. Many manuscripts have the word also after this man (see Luke 22:59).
Then he went to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him. She said to the ones there, This man was with Jesus of Nazareth. The accusations continue that Peter was a disciple of Jesus.
Matt. 26:72 And he denied it again with an oath: I do not know the man.
Note on a variant reading: After oath some manuscripts read saying.
And he denied it again with an oath: I do not know the man. The denials also continue, this time he takes an oath.
Matt. 26:73 And after a little while, the ones standing around came to Peter, and said, Certainly you also are one of them, for your speech is making you evident.
Note on variant readings: Some manuscripts do not have you also. See the parallel in Mark 14:70. Some manuscripts read You are a Galilean and between for and your (see Mark 14:70). Instead of making you evident a couple of manuscripts read is similar (to Jesus).
And after a little while, the ones standing around came to Peter, and said, Certainly you also are one of them, for your speech is making you evident. His accent now gives him away.
Matt. 26:74 Then he began to curse and took an oath, I do not know the man! Immediately the rooster crowed.
Then he began to curse and took an oath, I do not know the man! Immediately the rooster crowed. With great emotion, Peter continues to deny knowing Jesus.
Matt. 26:75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken, Before the rooster crows, three times you will deny Me. And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Note on a variant reading: After spoken many manuscripts have to him.
Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken, Before the rooster crows, three times you will deny Me. And he went outside and wept bitterly. Peter is remorseful for his sinful deeds and expression heartfelt repentance.
Summary to Chapter 26
The time has come for Jesus to fulfill His express purpose for coming to earth. He predicts that His death will be in the next few days—during the feast of the Passover. At the same time the religious leaders are plotting His death but they plan for a later time. Since Jesus has been running the program the entire time, His death will be on schedule, His schedule.
His impending death is anticipated in His anointing by an unnamed woman. He promises that her act will not be forgotten. The fact that Matthew tells this story and that we are reading it fulfills the prophecy of Jesus.
Jesus then sends His disciples to prepare for the Passover. He had prearranged this with an unnamed individual.
As they are eating the Last Supper, He shocks them by predicting His betrayal by one of them. All of them deny it together. When Judas asks Jesus the question whether or not it is him, Jesus lets him know that He knows.
After Judas leaves to do his evil deed Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper. The elements, the bread and the wine, are representative of His body and blood that will be poured out for the forgiveness of our sins.
They then journey to Gethsemane. Jesus asks the Father if there is any other way for the redemption of mankind to take place. Since there is not, He will willingly go to His death on our behalf.
Jesus is then betrayed by Judas with a kiss. The armed group arrests Him and bring Him before the religious leaders. They hold an illegal trial where they attempt to find false witnesses to accuse Him.
Finally, He admits under oath that He is the Messiah and that He will return on the clouds of heaven.
This was enough for the religious leaders who decided His statements were worthy of death. As Jesus was brought before the religious leaders, Peter, as Jesus predicted, denied Jesus a number of times. When Peter realizes what he has done he goes out and cries intensely
Questions for chapter 26
Question: Is there a contradiction between the accounts of the anointing at Bethany?
Matthew and Mark tell of an anointing at Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. This undated incident is placed at the end of Jesus ministry. In their accounts an unnamed woman anoints Jesus' head with the ointment of nard from an alabaster jar. The disciples who were present became indignant over what they saw was a waste. Jesus defends the unnamed woman and relates this anointing to His death and burial. In the context of His explanation, He says the poor will always be with them but He will not always be with them. He promises that the woman's act would be remembered wherever the gospel is preached.
Some have seen a contradiction between Matthew and Mark and the account in John. Before we consider the problems, we must first recognize that they have much in agreement:
In the accounts the ointment is pure nard and the reaction of the onlookers is the same (the money should have been sold and given to the poor). The writers agree that the perfume could be sold for three hundred denarii. In the three accounts Jesus defends the woman and makes a reference to His burial.
The Differences Between The Accounts
There are however differences between the two. They are as follows:
1. They Are At A Different House
In John's gospel the anointing also takes place at Bethany though John does not specify in whose home it occurs. The text says they made a dinner for Him there in which Lazarus and his sisters attended. The identify of they is not given. Some have mistakenly assumed it referred to Lazarus' family and that the dinner was at his house, but the text does not say so. Therefore there is no contradiction as to the location of this even.
2. It Was At A Different Date
John places the event before Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem while Matthew/Mark have it after. However the time indicators in the Matthew and Mark are not meant to be exact. They often order their accounts topically rather than chronologically.
3. There Are Different Details
There are a number of different details between the accounts— none of which would constitute a contradiction: Matthew and Mark do not name the woman while John says it is Mary; Mark speaks of breaking the alabaster box where John does not. These incidental details certainly do not contradict the other account.
4. There Are Different Descriptions Of The Anointing
Mark say it was Jesus' head that was anointed while John says it was Jesus' feet that was anointed. This was then followed by the wiping of His feet with the woman's hair. This has caused some to propose that there were two separate incidents. Why would anyone wipe of the perfume that had just been applied?
5. Mary Or Unnamed Woman
John's gospel names the woman while the other accounts do not.
The Evidence Says That It Is One Account
However a close examination of all the evidence shows that these are indeed one account.
1. The Amount of Nard
The amount of nard was far too much a quantity to anoint the head alone— John specifically mentions this (John 12:3). Mark's reference to the breaking of the neck of the jar implies the jar was full and all of it had to be poured out. The quantity was far too large to be poured on either the head or the feet alone.
2. It Was For Burial
In both Matthew and Mark it is reported that Jesus said the perfume was poured over His body in anticipation for His burial. This would be a very strange way of referring to His head alone!
These two points show that the perfume was applied to more than Jesus' head or his feet. Since this anointing spoke of His burial we should assume that it was lavishly applied.
3. The Emphasis Of Jesus Head
Matthew and Mark had reasons for emphasizing the nard being poured on His head. Anointing on the head is what is done to kings. John's emphasis on Jesus' feet contrasts the woman's recognition of her unworthiness with Him.
Therefore when the accounts are closely compared they are speaking of the same event with different emphases. We should therefore not resort to speaking of separate incidents or contradictions.
