STUDY 8 Prepared to Follow Through
Matthew 26:17-46
1. What do people sometimes do in order to avoid following through on difficult things?
2. Read Matthew 26:17-19 Note that the Festival of Unleavened Bread (v17) and the Passover (v19) were originally separate celebrations (see Exodus 12:1-30) but in the time of Jesus these had been merged to make one week-long festival (see Deuteronomy 16:1-8).
Whether it was by his divine power causing the man to be willing on the day, or whether Jesus had pre- arranged the host sometime before, Jesus was clearly very intent on celebrating the Passover meal with his disciples. How do each of these passages help us understand what Jesus was anticipating?
• Matthew 16:21-23
• Matthew 17:5-9
• Matthew 17:22-23
• Matthew 20:20-28
• Matthew 26:1-2
3. Read Matthew 26:20-25 Judas had already decided to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-15), and Jesus clearly knew that it was going to happen. So why do you think Jesus felt the need to draw attention to it? As they looked back on that fateful night, why might it have been important for the other disciples to recall how Jesus was so fully aware?
4. Read Matthew 26:26-30 The Passover meal commemorated the rescue of God’s people from Egypt. Israelites recalled how the Angel of Death had brought the punishment of death on the households of Egypt, but had “passed over” and spared those households of the Israelites who had put the blood of a sacrificed lamb on their door posts (Exodus 12:21-30). Here, Jesus turned the celebration of the Passover into a reflection on his death. Consider each statement he made. What significance might it have had for the followers of Jesus, looking back after his death and resurrection?
• Take and eat; this is my body (v26)
• Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (v 27-28)
• I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom (v29) 5. Think about it further. Is the way we celebrate Communion an effective reflection of these ideas? What could we do differently?
6. Read Matthew 26:31-35 Again, Jesus predicted exactly what will happen before it comes to pass, including the failure of his disciples (v31, cf Matthew 26:69-75) and his triumphant appearing in Galilee (v32, cf Matthew 28:8-10). Peter, on the other hand, was sure he knew better(v35). How might these memories of that night have been significant for the disciples after the death and resurrection of their Lord?
7. Read Matthew 26:36-38 Peter, James and John were among the very first to follow Jesus (Matthew 4:18-24). They had also been specially chosen to witness the extraordinary transfiguration of Jesus (Matthew 17:1-3). Now at the critical time of testing, Jesus specifically asks these three to “keep watch” with him in prayer.
Now Read Matthew 26:39 Jesus is committed to doing God’s will, “even to the point of death” (v38, v39, 42, 46). In the Old Testament, the ‘cup’ is an image of God’s judgement (Jeremiah 25:15, Jeremiah 49:12, Matthew 20:22). On the one hand, Jesus does not want to suffer so horribly. On the other hand Jesus does want to do God’s will, to save people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). How would you summarise the attitude of Jesus?
8. Read Matthew 26:40-46 Jesus has asked the three men to “keep watch” (v40, cf v38), which means prayerfully seeking the Lord and guarding against temptation, since the human nature (“flesh”) is weak and vulnerable to sin. Jesus specifically admonishes Peter (v40), knowing that he will be especially tempted that night (cf v70). What is the impact of this episode, showing three times over that the disciples were not able to stand with Jesus spiritually at this critical time?
9. Read again the final verses, Matthew 26:45-46 This is it. “The hour” has come. Jesus will now follow through on everything he has said he will do, allowing himself to be “delivered into the hands of sinners” (v45). Ironically, the disciples had wanted to “prepare” the Passover meal for Jesus (v17) – when in fact, it is Jesus who has prepared everything for them, and has prepared them to later understand the significance of his death.
How has this chapter helped you to appreciate:
• the character and strength of Jesus?
• the weakness and spiritual need of human nature?
• the significance of sharing in Communion as his people?