Matthew 26 （Part 1）

In this chapter we have the culmination of Jesus' ministry and the final reaction towards it of the chief priests and elders.

In the home of Yhosef Bar Kayafa, also known as Caiaphas the Jewish high priest, the priests devised a plot to have Jesus arrested. While there scheme is being planned they decide not to arrest Jesus during the feast because of fear of the populice. This is in stark contrast to what Jesus said in verse 2. "As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." Jesus said His crucifixion would occur during the Passover, Caiapas and the other priests planned to wait until after the Passover for Jesus to be arrested. Who was in control of this situation?

Jesus was indeed arrested on the evening of the "first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread" (Passover), and was crucified the very next day. All in accordance to His plan and not that of the priests.

Verses 6-10 have Jesus was in another house, that of Simon the Leper. Here he has his feet and head anointed with perfume or scented oil from an alabaster jar by an unnammed woman. Alabaster was such a mark of expence and luxury that often the jars containing perfumes were sealed shut. To open them one would break the neck of the bottle, making it a once only perfume, the container was destroyed to get at the oils.

Now the disciples were angered by the "waste", but Jesus replies "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." His prophesey was true, her story is told, but also Jesus was making an imortant point. Often works of charity are done, rightly or wrongly, for recognition of some sort. Either from other people, for the thanks of those we are helping, or even for self gratification. This woman however pored her perfume, probably the most expensive item she owned, possibly even an inheritance or dowery, on the feet of Jesus simply for Jesus, an act of service and worship. Often the feet of a guest were washed but to be anointed by oil was reserved for special cerimonies and for dignitaries. He also not so subtly alludes to his comming crucifixion.

Verses 14-16 tell of Judas' decision to betray Jesus to Caiaphas and his fellow priests. That one of Jesus disciples would be the betrayer was fortold in Psalm 41:9:
"Even my close friend, whom I trusted,
he who shared my bread,
has lifted up his heel against me."

That 30 pieces of silver would be the price of betrayal was prophesied in Zechariah, "I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"-the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter."

The Lord’s Supper or The Last Supper which is observed as Communion follows. This is the last meal of Jesus before His arrest and crucifixion and is also where He reveals to His disciples that it is one of them, specifically Judas, who will betray Jesus.

In response to the disciples questioning "Surely not I, Lord?" Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. (Echoing again Psalm 41:9) The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." By naming Judas as the betrayer in front of all the disciples Jesus in effect forces Judas to act that very night.

The actual supper, of broken bread and wine is commonly remembered and copied as communion in churches and Christian meetings world wide. However there are vastly differing views surrounding the sacrament of communion.

The basis for the ritual of communion is that Christians are instructed by Jesus in Luke 22:19 to “do this in remembrance of me.”

The Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation or the philosophical theory of Consubstantiation attempt to interpret Jesus' words as literal when He said of the bread and wine “Take and eat; this is my body... Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

This view is opposed by the understanding that the bread and wine are wonderful symbols, and only symbols, of the broken body and poured out blood of Jesus. This view is supported by the following verse where Jesus says “I will not drink of this fruit of the vine…” clearly speaking of the wine as literal wine, no longer figuratively as blood.

The symbol of the bread to represent the body of Jesus is a very beautiful one. Especially noting the time and occasion of this meal. Passover is also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread and so the bread being broken and eaten would have been unleavened or without yeast. This is significant as leaven or yeast is often used in scripture as a symbol of sin and false teaching such as in Matthew 16:5-10.

The Bread being used as a symbol of Jesus was unleavened, which also represents His sinlessness, an important reminder when we remember His pure sacrifice for our impure lives. His sinless life exchanged for the wages of our sins，which is death.

Jesus and His disciples then walk to the Mount of Olives.