Preparing His Disciples… vs. 1-5

• 1^st – The Passover… vs. 1-2
  • Finished… vs. 1
    • Now it came to pass when Jesus had finished all these sayings!
    • The phrase FINISHED [τελέω] these saying [λόγος] – is used THREE times in Matthew:
    • After the completing the Sermon on the Mount – Matthew 7:28
    • After completing His ministry in the Galilee – Matthew 19:1
    • After completing His preparation for the cross in Judea – Matthew 26:1
    • We have come to the END of the THIRD section of the book of MATTHEW…
    • We now come into the FINAL portion – the RESURRECTION of the KING!
  • Pesach… vs. 1-2
    • [Jesus] said to His disciples: You know that after two days is the Passover!
    • Jesus told the Disciples they were TWO days from the PASSOVER…
    • PASSOVER [פֶּסַח] – 29x in NT – this is the FIRST time the word is used in NT!
    • Israel had been in captivity to Egypt – slaves for 400 years – Genesis 15:13
    • God sent Moses to deliver them from the Pharaoh – bring them out of bondage…
    • God sent TEN plagues on the Egyptians – ending with the DEATH Angel [first born]
    • Anyone could be spared – IF – they put the blood of a LAMB on their doors…
    • Then the DEATH Angel would PASS over them and they would be saved…
    • It was through the PASSOVER God brought His people out of slavery…
    • The feast of PASSOVER has been celebrated every year since [over 3000 years]
    • John 1:29– “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
    • Jesus is the PASSOVER Lamb – it is through His death sin PASSES over us…
    • We are set FREE from the bondage of sin – no longer a SLAVE to this world!
  • Crucified… vs. 2
    • The Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified!
    • For the THIRD time Jesus told His DISCIPLES – Matthew 16:21 – Matthew 20:17
    • He would be BETRAYED [αραδίδωμι] – and CRUCIFIED [σταυρόω]
    • The timeline of the PASSION week can be confusing!
    • [Sunday] the Triumphal Entry was FOUR days [10 Nisan] before the cross – Exodus 12:3
    • [Monday] THREE days [11 Nisan] before the cross Jesus returned to the Temple…
    • Where in the morning He was CONFRONTED by the Pharisees – Sadducees – and Lawyers…
    • Then at night He gave His Disciples the teaching on the END times on the Mount of Olives…
    • [Wednesday] TWO days later [13 Nisan] Jesus PREPARED for the cross – Mark 14:1
    • It is important to remember that Jews count a day from EVENING to MORNING – Genesis 1:5
    • So that NIGHT [14 Nisan] Jesus had the LAST supper on PASSOVER…
    • [Thursday] the following morning [still 14 Nisan] He was Crucified…
    • [Sunday] THREE days later [14 Nisan] – He was RESURRECTED!
• 2^nd – Jesus must die… vs. 3-5
  • The High Priest… vs. 3
    • Then the chief priests – the scribes – and the elders of the people assembled.
    • At the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas!
    • The LEADERS of Israel – CHIEF priest – SCRIBES – and ELDERS [Pharisees and Sadducees]
    • All gathered together in the courtyard [αὐλή] of the HIGH Priest CAIAPHAS [Καϊάφας]
    • The role of the HIGH priest was passed down from Aaron – Exodus 29:9
    • Yet CAIAPHAS had been appointed to the role by a Roman governor [Valerius Gratus]
    • It had become a POLITICAL position – rather than a SPIRITUAL one!
  • The Plot… vs. 4
    • [They] plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him!
    • The purpose for their MEETING – how to CAREFULLY [δόλος] capture and KILL Jesus!
    • What is NOT recorded for us in Matthew – is the RESURRECTION of Lazarus – John 11:44
    • It took place just DAYS before the PASSOVER – and ALL of Jerusalem was talking about it…
    • With up to TWO million pilgrims coming for the CELEBRATION [Josephus]
    • They realized if they did not do something – everyone would FOLLOW Jesus…
    • And the LEADERS feared the Romans would blame them for NOT stopping Him…
    • CAIAPHAS said: it is better for ONE man to die – then the NATION be destroyed – John 11:50
    • Yet the very thing CAIAPHAS wanted to do – was the PLAN of God…
    • ONE man would DIE – so that EVERYONE else could be SAVED – John 3:16
  • Not on Passover… vs. 5
    • They said: Not during the feast lest there be an uproar among the people!
    • They did NOT want to KILL Jesus during the PASSOVER…
    • Because they FEARED the people – who believed Jesus was sent from God – Luke 22:2
    • Therefore – it would be much WISER to wait until the people had gone HOME…
    • Then they could arrest Jesus QUIETLY – without making a scene!
    • But in spite of what they WANTED – Jesus WAS crucified on PASSOVER…
    • The reason is because they were NOT in control – Jesus was!
    • John 10:18 – “No one takes [my life] from Me – but I lay it down of Myself.”
    • Men make their plans – they may have nothing but EVIL intentions…
    • They will SAY what they want – and DO what they want…
    • But in the END God is in control – and He makes things happen according to His will…
    • Meaning we get to rest and trust – because we are on the WINNING side!
    • Ephesians 1:11 – “[God] works all things according to the counsel of His will.”

• 2^nd – Preparing His Burial… vs. 6-13
  • 1^st – Alabaster Box… vs. 6-7
    • In Bethany… vs. 6
      • When Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper!
      • BETHANY – house [בֵּית] of the HUMBLE [עָנִי]
      • Was a small village about THREE kilometers from Jerusalem…
      • It was ALSO the home of Mary – Martha – and Lazarus – John 11:1
      • Jesus had made it His base while in Jerusalem – Matthew 21:17
      • And was in the HOME of a man named SIMON [Σίμων]
      • We do NOT know who this was [common name] – only that he had been healed of LEPROSY!
    • Spikenard…
      • A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil.
      • She poured it on His head as He sat at the table!
      • A woman came to Jesus – we do NOT know her name…
      • She came with an ALABASTER [ἀλάβαστρον] box filled with SPIKENARD – Mark 14:3
      • SPIKENARD [νάρδος] – is a valuable perfume [India] worth a YEARS wage – Mark 14:5
      • And she POURED it on Jesus head – while He was sitting!
      • This is one of THREE similar accounts found in the New Testament…
      • FIRST – a woman [sinner] came to Jesus in the house of SIMON the Pharisee – Luke 7:37
      • SECOND – Mary [sister of Lazarus] came to Jesus in Bethany BEFORE the Triumphal Entry…
      • But she did NOT anoint His head – she poured the oil on His feet – John 12:3
      • THIRD – This unnamed woman came poured SPIKENARD on Jesus head!
  • 2^nd – Complaining… vs. 8-9
    • Judas Iscariot… vs. 8
      • When His disciples saw it – they were indignant saying: Why this waste?
      • The DISCIPLES were VERY unhappy [in pain]
      • Asking WHY was this VERY expensive perfume WASTED [ἀπώλεια]
      • When MARY had poured out her SPIKENARD just a few days earlier…
      • There was only ONE who had complained – it was JUDAS – John 12:5
      • And it seems VERY likely he was the CHIEF complainer again!
    • Not for the poor… vs. 9
      • For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor!
      • The justification was the SPIKENARD could [imperfect] have been sold of a LOT of money…
      • Then that MONEY could have been used for the POOR!
      • John 12:6 – “Not that [Judas] cared for the poor – but because he was a thief – and had the money box and he used to take what was put in it.”
      • No doubt Jesus KNEW that Judas was a THIEF – so WHY give him the MONEY box…
      • I have to think because God does NOT care about the MONEY…
      • If that is what Judas wanted – he was welcome to have it…
      • But how sad to think with Jesus in right front of him – he chose money instead!
  • 3^rd – Worshiping… vs. 10-13
    • Do not trouble… vs. 10
      • When Jesus was aware of it He said to them:
      • Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me!
      • Jesus KNEW [γινώσκω] what was in the DISCIPLES heart [NOT concern for the poor]
      • So He QUESTIONED them – WHY were they attacking [present] this woman…
      • What she had done for Him was GOOD [καλός]!
      • We know how to frame our WORDS so that what we say seems RIGHT [help the poor]
      • Yet our words often do NOT reflect our true MOTIVES…
      • We need to remember that we CANNOT fool God – He sees the heart…
      • And He will hold us accountable not just for our ACTIONS – but our MOTIVES – Hebrews 4:13
    • Anointed.. vs. 11-12
      • For you have the poor with you always – but Me you do not have always.
      • For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body she did it for My burial!
      • The POOR would always [πάντοτε] be there – Jesus would NOT be…
      • His time was coming to an END – in only 43 days He would return to HEAVEN – Acts 1:3
      • And this woman was ANOINTING His body for His BURIAL the next day!
      • In Biblical times – the Jews did NOT embalm their dead…
      • As a result – the bodies would quickly start to SMELL – John 11:39
      • This is also why the women brough SPICES on Sunday morning – Luke 24:1
    • Getting the Message…
      • This means this woman UNDERSTOOD what all the DISCIPLES had missed…
      • Jesus had come to DIE – He was heading to the CROSS…
      • WHY did she get what EVERYONE else did NOT…
      • Because she was not caught up in the desire for money [gave away a years wage]
      • She was NOT concerned about what others said [attacked by the disciples]
      • She understood that nothing was more important than Jesus!
      • What is it that we hold as the most important thing in life…
      • Are we seeking MONEY – are we looking for ACCEPTANCE…
      • If we do – then more than likely we do NOT understand what God is doing…
      • But if we CHOSE to put Jesus FIRST before anything else…
      • That is when everything becomes clear – and see what God is doing!
      • Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind – that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
    • Remembered… vs. 13
      • Assuredly I say to you – wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world.
      • What this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her!
      • AMEN [ἀμήν] – what this women did became PART of the GOSPEL [εὐαγγέλιον]
      • Because to this day – everywhere the GOSPEL is preached – she is still REMEMBERED!
      • Many people try to leave their MARK – they want their names to be remembered…
      • Yet memorials crumble – plaques fade away – donations are forgotten…
      • But not what this woman did – we still talk about TWO thousand years later!
      • The things we do for ourselves – the praise of men – are ALL forgotten…
      • It is the things we do for the Lord that last forever – Matthew 6:20

• 3^rd – Preparing His Betrayal… vs. 14-16
  • 1^st – The motive… vs. 14
    • Then one of the twelve – called Judas Iscariot – went to the chief priests!
    • One of the TWELVE [disciples] – Judas ISCARIOT…
    • ISCARIOT – meaning MAN [אִישׁ] of the CITY [קְרִיּות]
    • Went to the CHIEF priest – who were also looking for way to ARREST Jesus!
    • Perhaps Judas was frustrated by the WASTE of the SPIKENARD…
    • He saw that he could NOT profit from Jesus – so he went looking elsewhere…
    • His motive had NEVER been to know God – serve the Lord – he was after the MONEY!
    • WHAT is our MOTIVE for coming to church – WHY do we want to follow Jesus…
    • Are we only here to see what we can get from the Lord…
    • Thinking that we can PROFIT from God – what happens when we find we CANNOT…
    • The message of the Gospel of Jesus is NOT about what we can get in this life…
    • God does NOT promise us wealth in this WORLD – He promises us HEAVEN!
  • 2^nd – The price… vs. 15-16
    • Thirty pieces… vs. 15
      • [Judas] said: What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?
      • And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver!
      • Judas asked the PRIEST – what would they give him for BETRAYING [αραδίδωμι] Jesus…
      • They AGREED to give him THIRTY pieces of SILVER [ἀργύριον]
      • The PRICE that was paid for a GORED servant – Exodus 21:32
      • There is some debate over how much this was worth…
      • Depending on WHICH silver coin [Ptolemaic tetradrachms or Tyrian shekel]
      • The value would have been between 6k Pesos [$100] and 22k pesos [$380]
      • And Judas did NOT even get to keep that – he gave it back – Matthew 27:5
      • What do we think is worth more than living for Jesus…
      • TEN billion pesos – to be PRESIDENT – a famous MOVIE star…
      • Even those are nothing compared to what we would give up…
      • The best this world has to offer – ONLY last only a FEW years [then we give it back]
      • Why do we sell ourselves short – when what Jesus has in store for us is eternal!
    • The opportunity… vs. 16
      • So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him!
      • Satan would ENTER Judas – Luke 22:3
      • From then on Judas looked [imperfect] for a GOOD [εὔ] time [καιρος] to BETRAY Jesus…
      • And it would NOT take long – only a few HOURS later [Garden of Gethsemane]
      • But the BETRAYAL was NOT a surprise – Jesus knew it when He chose Judas…
      • The betrayal – down to THIRTY pieces of silver – was all prophesied!
      • Zechariah 11:12 – “They weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.”
      • WHY did Jesus keep Judas around – WHY allow him to betray Him…
      • To give him the CHANCE to change – the chance to become like the woman who gave it all!
      • If we are like Judas today – the Lord knows our hearts…
      • If we are caught up in the cares of this world – only looking for what we can get…
      • Jesus patiently WAITS hoping we will see – life is far more than fame or money…
      • He wants us to realize that what matter most is giving ALL to Him…

Because true life – eternal life – is simply knowing Jesus – John 17:3