1And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
In chapters 24-25, Jesus answered the questions which the disciples had asked Him on the Mount of Olives. Now He tells them again plainly, as He did in 20:17-19, that He would be crucified. Jesus died on the day of the Passover. He was the true Passover Lamb, pictured by the lambs whose blood was put on the doorposts of the houses of the Israelites when God delivered His people from bondage in Egypt.
3Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. 5But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.
The Jewish leaders met and agreed to find a way to kill Jesus. They thought that they would not do it on the Passover, but Jesus already knew that they would.
6Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. 8But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. 13Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
We may learn more details about this account by reading it also in Mark and in John. John tells us that Jesus went to Bethany six days before the Passover. The time of the dinner was an evening before the discourse in Matthew 24-25 and before Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem riding on the colt of a donkey (John 12:12-15). By going back to that time, Matthew will tell us the circumstances that surrounded Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. John also tells us that Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his sisters Mary and Martha were present at the dinner. Mary came and poured the container of expensive ointment on Jesus’ head and on His feet and then wiped His feet with her hair.
According to John 12:4-6, Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
It was probably Judas who caused the other disciples to complain about what Mary had done. Judas said that the value of the ointment Mary had poured out on Jesus was three hundred denarii. We understand from Matthew 20:2 that a denarius was the daily wage of a worker. Three hundred denarii would be nearly a year’s salary for a person at that time. Judas claimed to be concerned about the poor who could have benefited from that money, but that was not his real concern. He had been entrusted with the common funds of the disciples, and he was stealing from those funds.
Jesus said, “Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.” He that fed the 5000 and then fed the 4000 and had raised Lazarus from the dead could also provide enough to care for the poor. Jesus was worthy of Mary’s offering and of much more.
Jesus then said, “For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.” Jesus was about to face the greatest dishonor that Israel and the Roman government combined could heap upon Him. As He faced that great dishonor, Mary declared by her gift of the ointment and by her wiping His feet with her hair that He was worthy of the highest honor that she could give. Mark tells us that Jesus said, “She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying” (Mark 14:8). No one of us could ever hope to receive any higher commendation than Jesus gave to Mary: “She hath done what she could.”
Jesus then said, “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” Today as the Gospel of Christ’s work at the cross as the Passover Lamb and His coming back to reign as King is being preached, what Mary did still stands as an example for us. Will we show Him our highest honor in a world that stands in opposition to Him and to us?
14Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15and said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 16And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
It may have been Judas’ anger at Mary’s pouring out the ointment on Jesus that triggered his going to the Jewish leaders to betray Him. They offered Judas thirty pieces of silver, and he took it. The prophet Zechariah foresaw this day when he wrote, “And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver” (Zechariah 11:12). Judas’ covetous failure to show value to the Lord Jesus stands in complete contrast with the love and devotion shown to Him by Mary.
17Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?
In Leviticus 23:5-8 we read, In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover. And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
The Passover was observed on the fourteenth day of the first month in the Jewish calendar. The feast of Unleavened Bread began the day after the Passover and lasted for seven days. Unleavened bread was also eaten in the Passover meal (Exodus 12:8). There was to be a cessation of work on the first and seventh days of the feast of Unleavened Bread, so those days were “Sabbaths,” whether or not they coincided with the weekly day of rest called the “Sabbath.”
In verse 17, Matthew referred to the entire 8-day period of Passover + Unleavened Bread as “the feast of unleavened bread.” In contrast, Luke wrote, Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover (Luke 22:1). Thus, the whole 8-day period was sometimes called “the feast of unleavened bread” and sometimes called “the Passover.”
Genesis 1:5 says, And the evening and the morning were the first day. The rest of that chapter also describes the other days in the creation week with evening first and then morning. For that reason, in Jewish reckoning, days began at evening. The Passover was to be killed in the evening in which the thirteenth day of the first month ended and the fourteenth day begana. The meat was to be eaten before the following morning (Exodus 12:10). Then, the rest of the fourteenth day was a day of preparation for the fifteenth day, when the 7-day feast of Unleavened Bread would begin. Preparation was needed because the people were to put all leaven out of their houses (Exodus 12:15). Also, there was to be a holy convocation of the people on the fifteenth and twenty-first days, and no work could be done on those days.
The disciples came to Jesus at the time of the start of the 8-day Passover-Unleavened Bread period, probably sometime on the thirteenth of the month. They asked Jesus where He wanted them to prepare for the Passover meal.
18And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 19And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. 20Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. 21And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 23And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
Jesus sent Peter and John (Luke 22:8) to Jerusalem to prepare for the Passover meal. We don’t know how the man whom the disciples contacted knew about Jesus, but we know that this man provided for the disciples a large, furnished upper room (Mark 14:15). That evening, as the disciples were eating, Jesus said, “Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” He also said, “He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.” The word “dippeth” is a past participle, meaning, “He that has dipped his hand with me in the dish.” By using this description, Jesus may have been making reference to Psalm 41:9, which says, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” In John 13:18, Jesus quoted this verse in speaking of Judas.
It seems significant that when the other eleven disciples responded to Jesus’ words, they called Him “Lord” (Greek: “Κυριε”). In contrast, Judas called Him “Master” or “Rabbi” (Greek: “Ραββι”).
In John 6:70, Jesus said concerning Judas, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” Luke 22:3 and John 13:27 tell us that Satan entered into Judas at his betrayal of Jesus. Though Judas was one of the twelve disciples, he never believed in the Lord Jesus. In Genesis 3:15, God said to the serpent, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The heel of Jesus would be bruised as He crushed the head of Satan. Perhaps that is why Satan wanted Judas to lift up his heel against Jesus. In this betrayal we understand more clearly how evil Satan is.
26And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 30And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
As the disciples were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. He said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” It is significant that Jesus did not take meat from the Passover lamb which they were eating and say, “this is my body.” By His death, Jesus fulfilled the meaning of the Passover sacrifice. The feast as prescribed by the Law, would not be kept any more. Bread is a symbol of His body.
In Luke 22:20-21, we read, Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. According to these verses, it seems that Judas also partook of the bread and cup. Jesus allowed Judas’ betrayal to run its full course.
In verse 28, Jesus said, “this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” The Greek word for “testament” or “will” is the same as the word for “covenant.” When the covenant of Law was inaugurated, Moses took the blood of burnt offerings and peace offerings and sprinkled it on the people. He said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words” (Exodus 24:8). In Jeremiah 31:31, God said, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah....” In the upper room on the Passover evening before His death, Jesus declared that His blood is the blood that would inaugurate the New Covenant. He said that His blood would be poured out. In the prophecy of Jeremiah 31, God also said, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” On Passover evening, Jesus said that it would be the pouring out of His own blood that would bring the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus also said that His blood would be “shed for many.” When Isaiah foretold the death of Christ, he wrote, So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider (Isaiah 52:15). Jesus’ blood which was poured out at the cross was effective for the salvation of many nations. The New Covenant was a covenant that God promised to make with Israel. But, by the grace of God, the other nations have also been brought into the benefits of that covenant (see Ephesians 3:1-7). Peter said that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are spiritually sprinkled with His blood (I Peter 1:2).
Jesus said, “But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.” In Luke 22:29, He said, “This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” Paul also said by revelation, For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come (I Corinthians 11:26). In churches today we frequently eat bread, which symbolizes Christ’s body broken for us, and drink fruit of the vine, which symbolizes His blood shed for the forgiveness of our sins. We do this in remembrance of Him as we wait for His return. One day He will come back, and all the promises of the New Covenant will be completely fulfilled in His kingdom. Then He will again drink of the cup with us.
When Jesus said, “this is my body” and “this is my blood,” the disciples probably remembered His words at the feeding of the five thousand. At that time He said to the Jews, “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” When His disciples questioned Him about those words, He said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:54,63). The bread and wine are only symbols. The truths Jesus spoke of are spiritual. Eternal life comes by the forgiveness of sins that His shed blood provided for all who by faith partake of His sacrifice of Himself. Eternal life does not come from partaking in a church ceremony.
31Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Zechariah 13:7 says, “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.” When Jesus made reference to this verse, He said, “I will smite the shepherd.” He recognized that it was God Himself who would smite His Son the Shepherd. Also, Jesus told the disciples in advance that all of them would fail Him in the trial that lay before them that night.
32But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 33Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. 34Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
Jesus told His disciples again that His death would not be the end. He would rise again and go to await them in Galilee. It seems that Peter scarcely heard Jesus’ words about His resurrection but focused instead on His word that the disciples would all be offended and scattered. In zeal without wisdom, Peter declared that he would never stumble in denial of Jesus. The other disciples joined Peter in misplaced confidence in their own strength.
Mark recorded that Jesus told Peter, “Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice” (Mark 14:30). Mark also gave the details. After Peter denied Jesus the first time, the cock crowed. Then, after he denied Jesus the third time, the cock crowed again (Mark 14:68,72). Each of the four Gospel writers bore separate witness about what was said and what happened. The fact that Mark reported a detail that Matthew did not is an authentication of the independence of their testimonies. In verse 33, Matthew tells us that Peter said, “yet will I never be offended,” but none of the other authors give us this detail. The Holy Spirit superintended the witness of each author.
36Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. 37And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 38Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
Perhaps Peter, James, and John overheard Jesus’ prayer, or perhaps during the forty days He was with the disciples after His resurrection He told them about His experience in Gethsemane. What was the cup of which Jesus spoke? Psalm 75:8 says, For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them. The cup is a cup which contains God’s wrath against the wicked of the earth. Peter wrote concerning Jesus, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree (I Peter 2:24). Jesus bore our sins in His body at the cross. The cup of wrath that we deserve was poured out for Him to drink.
Jesus said, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Why did He pray this? At an earlier time, He said, “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour” (John 12:27). He knew that He had come to die for our sins.
II Corinthians 5:21 says, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. The sinless Jesus was laden with our sins. It was right for Him to desire not to be defiled by having all the sins of human history placed on Him. That desire is a holy desire. It was right for Jesus to desire not to be separated from His Father as the object of His wrath. It was also right for the Father to desire that Jesus fulfill His plan to save the lost. In a moment when two right wills differed, Jesus said, “not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Hebrews 5:8 says, Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. The perfectly obedient One faced a tension between two right desires, and He submitted His right desire to the right desire of His Father. By His obedience, He bore the wrath that we deserve and became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Hebrews 5:9). Salvation became available to all by the obedience of faith.
40And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. 44And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Night had come and the disciples fell asleep while Jesus was praying. When He returned to the place where He’d left Peter, James, and John, He specifically addressed Peter: “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” Peter and the rest, who’d declared that they would not stumble because of the opposition that Jesus faced, were willing in spirit but weak in the flesh. They needed to stay awake and pray for strength to stand faithful in what lay before them.
The cup of being smitten by God for our sins could not pass away from Jesus because it was the will of His Father for Him to drink it. He submitted to the will of His Father. Jesus not only became a sin offering for us as spoken of in Leviticus 4, but He also offered Himself wholly to His Father like the whole burnt offering spoken of in Leviticus 1.
47And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
What a grievous statement of betrayal. Judas was one of the twelve disciples! And he betrayed Jesus with a kiss! With Judas was a large crowd of people with swords and wooden clubs who had come from the chief priests and elders of Israel! As John wrote, He came unto his own, and his own received him not (John 1:11).
51And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. 52Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. 53Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? 55In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. 56But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.
John tells us that the disciple who cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest was Peter. John also gives us the detail that Peter cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant (John 18:10). A part of the ceremony of installation of the high priest was that the blood of a ram be put on the tip of his right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot (Exodus 29:20). Surely this ceremony was to indicate that the high priest should have an ear that listened to the word of God and hands and feet that acted in obedience to the word of God. Peter probably intended to do more than just cut off the servant’s ear, but the result seems meaningful. The high priest who’d sent his servant to arrest Jesus did not have an ear that listened to the word of God. Luke tells us that Jesus restored the ear of the high priest’s servant after Peter cut it off (Luke 22:51). By the redemption that Jesus would accomplish at the cross, He will one day restore to Israel a hearing ear.
Jesus said to Peter, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.” What did He mean? His words are similar to the words in Revelation 13:10: He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. These words from Revelation are spoken to give patience and faith to believers who will be under severe persecution in the future. They can endure persecution in the confidence that those who mistreat them will be judged by God. Peter could put away his sword because God will bring vengeance on those that came with swords to have Jesus put to death.
Later, when speaking to Pilate, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36). Jesus did not say that it would be wrong for His servants to fight. He said that His servants do not fight to establish His kingdom because now His kingdom is not from here. In the Revelation, John described the future return of Jesus to establish His kingdom on earth: “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” John also said, “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11,14-16). Today Jesus’ disciples do not fight to establish His earthly kingdom. His kingdom is not now earthly. We wait for the establishment of His kingdom at His return.
Jesus also said to Peter, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” Jesus probably chose the number twelve because there were twelve disciples. In the place of each one of them He could have a legion of angels to fight for Him if He asked. “But,” He said, “how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” It had to be as it was so that the word and plan of God would be fulfilled. Isaiah 53:10-11 say, Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Jesus’ death was to fulfill the plan of God. He bore our iniquities at the cross so that we might be justified.
All eleven of the disciples who were with Jesus left Him and fled.
57And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. 58But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. 59Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 60but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. 67Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, 68saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?
The chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people were waiting like wolves for Jesus to be brought to them. Deuteronomy 19:16-19 says, If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; and the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. The very priests who were to bring judgment against false witnesses in Israel were themselves seeking false witnesses to testify against Jesus.
Many false witnesses came forward, but their testimonies were not consistent with each other (Mark 14:56,59). Finally, two people accused Jesus of saying, “I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.” They were probably referring to His words recorded in John 2 at His first cleansing of the temple:
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. (John 2:18-21).
Jesus did not say that He could or would destroy the temple. He said that He would raise it up if they destroyed it. He was saying that if they put Him to death, He would rise again.
When Jesus kept silent in the face of these accusations, the high priest said, “I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” This statement tells us that the high priest knew that the title “Son of God” was a rightful title of the Messiah (see Psalm 2:6-9). Jesus answered Caiaphas with the same words that He spoke to Judas when Judas asked whether it was he who would betray Him (verse 25): “Thou hast said.” Mark records that Jesus also said, “I am” (Mark 14:62).
Jesus continued His reply with the words, “nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” In these words He made clear reference to two Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah:
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Psalm 110:1)
I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14).
Certainly, the high priest knew both of these Scriptures and would have had to agree that the statement Jesus made was accurate. The high priest and the council of the Jewish leaders responded with anger because they understood that Jesus was implying that He was that Son of Man, the Messiah. Because they had already rejected Him in their hearts, they called His words blasphemy and said that He should die for blasphemy.
Luke records that the men who held Jesus blindfolded Him. Then they hit Him in the face and said, “Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?” (Luke 22:63-65).
The supposed holy council that unjustly condemned Jesus is a clear example of the words of Paul in Ephesians 2:2. Paul described Satan as the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. The unholy council that accused Jesus of blasphemy was composed of children of disobedience in whom Satan was working. But Jesus’ words from Psalm 110 and Daniel 7 declared that their attempt to destroy Him would not succeed. He will return in the clouds of heaven to reign as King, and His enemies will be made His footstool.
69Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. 75And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.
Peter went into the grounds of the house of the high priest and sat with the servants in the courtyard. His first denial was to the servant-girl who let him in the gate (John 18:17) and to all who were nearby. The second denial was to another servant-girl, a man, and the servants and officers who were present (Luke 22:58; John 18:18,25). The third denial was to a relative of the servant whose ear he’d cut off (John 18:26) and to those who were nearby.
Why did Peter go to the palace of the high priest at all? Perhaps he wanted to prove himself. But he only proved that he did not have the strength to risk his own life. Earlier, in verse 58, we read, “But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.” Peter had followed Jesus “afar off.” After the first denial, he left the courtyard and went out to the porch of the gate (Mark 14:68). After the third denial and the second crowing of the cock, Jesus turned and looked at Peter (Luke 22:61). Then he left altogether and wept bitterly.
Earlier in the evening, Jesus had said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31-32).
Peter’s faith did not fail, though he failed to be faithful in this trial. Jesus kept him. In His prayer in John 17, Jesus said, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” (John 17:12). Of the twelve disciples, only Judas was lost; Judas never really believed in the Lord Jesus (John 13:10-11).
None of us have the strength in ourselves to be faithful to the Lord. Only His Spirit can give us that strength.
aCf. Leviticus 23:32, which states concerning the Day of Atonement: It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath. The Day of Atonement was to be observed on the tenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:27). This observance began in the evening which ended the ninth day.
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.