June 14, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Matthew? Here’s today’s reading:
Matthew 26 (NIV)
The Plot Against Jesus
1 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2“As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”……Continue Reading
Matthew 26
I’m confused, why did we break from Matthew into Psalms and Proverbs? Then go back, but only for one chapter?
Not too long ago in our study in Ezekiel we talked about God having emotions. Jesus is exceedingly sorrowful here. When we are anxious in anticipation of something, it is not wrong or untrusting to be gripped with fear. I am sure Peter was gripped with fear when he denied Jesus. Jesus goes to the Father and asks to “pass the cup” if possible, all the while knowing it must happen. When we are gripped with fear, we should go to the Father, ask to be spared, but if it must be, follow His will regardless of consequences. Do not deny Him out of fear.
Matthew 26
Jesus is fulfilling scripture and even telling His disciples what will happen to Himself and what the disciples reactions will be. Only God would know all this. The disciples just can`t believe that these things would happen to Jesus. They still think that Jesus who is the Christ will set up His Kingdom as KING of kings and LORD of lords right then on earth. So many when Jesus died on the cross thought that was the end. That`s why when Jesus rose from the dead; they had trouble believing it at first. One of the many proofs of the Resurrection is the Apostles; themselves for they all lived for Christ and died for Him. Not counting Judas Iscariot of course. And John died in old age but spent his life for Christ. They were eye witnesses of Jesus death and Resurrection and all the miracles that He did. Jesus came back and was with them for 40 days appearing to many more and showing more proofs. God bless.
One further note. Jesus could had stopped any of these events from happening and called down many legions of angels to prevent it. But He didn`t because of His great amazing love for all of mankind. Thank you Jesus.
Amazing that Jesus was so intune with the prophecies that he was aware that he had a responsibility to the Father to keep the word true.
Faithful and sinless is Jesus.
Matthew 26
The woman gives her best freely to Jesus with gratitude for who He was.
Judas acts out of greed and looks to benefit and betray Jesus.
The disciples struggle to stay awake and pray with Jesus in His time of desperation.
Peter denies Jesus in the face of fear.
We all want to be like the woman who freely gives her best, however, so often greed, selfishness, and fear get in our way and we do not treat Jesus as our focus. We may read a chapter like this and think we would do things differently but even without such grave circumstances surrounding us we still manage to make similar mistakes. The reality of this chapter is it could have easily been myself making such mistakes and I need to keep God first in ALL things and at ALL times and put aside my own flesh daily.
Matthew 26
All 4 gospels dedicate a good portion of their content to the last week of Jesus’ life. They/the Holy Spirit wants to make sure we know how this great and powerful Godman ends up dying, why He does and how Jesus is not only aware of His end, He practically welcomes it.. The facts are evident. The Jewish leaders were opposed to Him and sought for a means to arrest Him. Judas, one of His own betrays Him to them. In the midst of this, Jesus spends some special time getting anointed with perfume to show HIs worth compared to earthly things. He also spends special time with His apostles defining the very nature of what will happen to Him by using the elements of the passover seder. It is also there that we learn His followers will abandon Him and Peter, one of His closest, will deny Him. He also spends a powerful time alone, expressing and affirming His resolve to have done to Him what will be done to Him, but that resolve is sweater and greater because it is arrived at through struggle. Once His choice is made, the events of His end unfold. He is betrayed by a kiss, arrested and subjected to a mock trial where He is both falsely accused and has His teachings misused. But through it all Jesus still shows Himself to be great and able to handle anything thrown at Him with poise and composure and adhering to the truth of who He is.
We will be trying an integrated Old & New Testament reading plan for this time through the Bible. We did decide to start this plan a little late so we apologize for any confusion but going forward you will find the old testament books broken up by chapters in new testament books. We will still continue periodic short breaks in Psalms and Proverbs. Thanks for reading with us!