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Today we see significant events leading up to the Last Supper, where Jesus prepares His disciples for His imminent, yet prophesied DEATH, that will ultimately give them LIFE.

Passover is two days away, a major festival, thought to bring over 2 million people to Jerusalem (based on estimates by Josephus). This likely would have been on Tuesday before the Passover dinner/last supper on Thursday evening.

Since Jews don’t crucify, this must mean that Jesus will be handed over the Romans to be crucified. 

The chief priests were Sadducees who served in the Temple in Jerusalem. The elders probably refer to the other men who were part of the Sanhedrin (the ruling political body of the Jewish people). Caiaphas took over the position of high priest after his father-in-law, Annas, served in that position (AD 6-15). By the 1st century, the Romans would appoint or remove the high priest at any time, so the high priesthood was a political position trying to balance pleasing the Roman authority while holding the highest position of Jewish religious leadership. Caiaphas was appointed in A.D. 18 and held that position for 19 years (AD 18-36), longer than any other 1st century high priest. These were the same men who have earlier schemed to kill Jesus when He healed a man on the Sabbath and even called Himself, “the Lord of the Sabbath” (Mt 12:14).

These leaders were concerned about a riot among the people during the festival, since many people throughout Israel had become intrigued with Jesus - His teachings & His miracles. Jesus would enter Temple in Jerusalem to teach and later journey out of Jerusalem over the Mount of Olives to stay in Bethany (about 2 miles away).

Matthew backs up a few days in the story to 6 days before the Passover, just before Jesus enters into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This same story is told in Jn 12:1-7, where a dinner is given in honor of Jesus.

Notice the change of scenery highlighted by Matthew’s writing - from a palace in Jerusalem, full of high society leaders to Bethany - meaning “house of affliction/poor”, in a home owned by a leper, a man whom others would have formerly avoided. The context implies that Jesus has likely healed Simon, but we are not given any of those details.

Mark’s gospel notes that this perfume was worth about a year’s wages - 300 denarii (Mk 14:5). That’s A LOT of money that could have helped a lot of people! Remember when Jesus fed the 5,000 plus? Phillip thought it would have taken 200 denarii to feed all those people! So, what was in this little jar was worth 300 denarii, and could have fed thousands!

Jesus defends her & Jesus praises her. This woman is an example to the other disciples on what loving Jesus looks like - willing to give up what is costly because Jesus is more valuable to her than anything. John’s gospel notes that she poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet (and washing his feet with her hair), while Matthew focuses the pouring on His head - what would happen when a KING was anointed as a sign of God’s power & authority resting on him. Ultimately, Jesus notes that this is a precious act of anointing His body before death, to prepare Him for His coming death and burial, instead of waiting until time to bury him (when they would normally anoint the body).

Today - 2,000 years & 6,000 miles removed from when and where this took place, we are still talking about what this woman had done! Jesus considered this, not a wasteful thing, but a beautiful thing - an incredible act of love.

Remember the expensive jar of perfume that Mary poured on Jesus? Now Judas is willing to accept 1/3 of that amount (30 pieces of silver is about 4 months wages) to betray Jesus. And suddenly, we see that there is a traitor among the apostles.

• What payment would YOU receive in exchange for giving up being a disciple of Jesus? 

We are told very little about the Passover meal itself. Matthew, writing his gospel for a Jewish audience, puts the spotlight - not on a meal - but on the men. And while there is absolutely no mention of the Passover lamb they eat, the Passover Lamb IS the spotlight of this story as He is throughout all 4 Gospels. 

This betrayal is not a surprise to Jesus, He KNOWS what is coming, and it doesn’t change His plan. In fact, in plays into His plan.

He will go just as it is written about Him [in the Scriptures]. to give his life as the sacrificial lamb, who takes away the sins of the world.

Jesus doesn’t say this in a way that the other disciples overhear it. John’s gospel gives much more detail,

Jesus’ body would be broken - brutalized and beaten to a bloody pulp. As God had provided heavenly manna to fill Jewish stomachs during the exodus from Egypt, now God provided a heavenly man to fill the greatest need of their souls.

As unleavened bread without yeast symbolized purity & removal of sin from God’s people, the sinless Son of God prepares to remove the sin of God’s people in the 1st century & into our future.

• Now this bread becomes a symbol & reminder of His Body, broken for us!

Those who would later see the lifeblood of Jesus spilling from his entire body, would probably never forget the imagery in the upper room and hearing Jesus’ precious voice speak, and with tears in His eyes - saying, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

• Now this cup becomes a symbol & reminder of His Life, poured out for us! Just as the blood of thousands of unblemished animals was shed to atone for human sins, now Jesus becomes the final sacrifice that all the others had been pointing to!

In order to get to the Mount of Olives, Jesus and His disciples would have to cross the Kidron Valley, where the blood of over 250,000 sacrificial lambs flowed during Passover. Of course, all those substitutes were just shadows of the one the Paul refers to as, “Christ, our Passover Lamb.” (1 Cor 5:7), who would journey to the Mount of Olives to PRAY and WAIT for His enemies to arrest Him and ultimately sacrifice Him…for US.

FEET2FAITH

1. Recognize JESUS as your Passover Lamb who DIED to bring you out of your slavery to sin and into right relationship with GOD. -
2. Participate in the Lord’s Supper with thankfulness.
3. View your daily decisions as opportunities to BE a Disciple of Jesus instead of exchanging His authority and desires for your own authority and desires.

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

1. What stood out to you from today’s teaching - answering questions or stirring up questions for you? Consider looking back through your notes to come up with your own questions or insights.
2. Read Matthew 26:1-6. Why did the chief priests and elders plan to arrest Jesus secretly and avoid doing it during the festival)? Reflect on the contrast between the palace in Jerusalem and Simon the Leper’s home in Bethany. What does this contrast reveal about Jesus' ministry and the people He associated with?
3. Read Matthew 26:6-13. Discuss the significance of the woman anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. What does her act symbolize, and why did it shock the disciples? 
4. Read Matthew 26:14-16. Explore Judas Iscariot’s decision to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. What motivated him, and how does this compare to the value of the perfume used by the woman? What does this tell you about Judas’ commitment of Jesus versus this woman’s (Mary) commitment to Jesus?
5. Why would it be foolish to take any payment in exchange for giving up being a disciple of Jesus? Name some things that compete for 1st place in our lives and why they aren’t worth the price of exchanging moments of pleasure for eternity.
6. Read Matthew 26:26-28. How does Jesus breaking the bread and sharing the cup with His disciples foreshadow His death and its significance for believers? How can participating in the Lord’s Supper deepen our understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice and our relationship with Him, as well as our relationship with one another?
7. How can viewing our daily decisions as opportunities to be disciples of Jesus influence our choices and actions?
8. How can we pray for/care for one another this week? (Pray for one another.)