EXTREMES OF LOVE AND BETRAYAL

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

Matthew 26:1-16
Lesson #64

EXTREMES OF LOVE AND BETRAYAL

• Memory verse: Ecclesiastes 7:12
• Read Mat 26:1-5
  • Joseph Caiaphas, the high priest
    • In the Old Testament, the office of the high priest was hereditary and for life. However, when the Romans controlled Israel, they would get rid of any high priest they did not like, and those who would not cooperate with the Roman authorities. Between 37 BC and 67 AD, there were at least 28 high priests. Caiaphas was high priest from 18 AD to 36 AD, overlapping, for a time, the high priest Annas. (Luk 3:2)
    • The high priest must keep peace in Israel or he would lose his job. This was the concern in verse 5. The Passover was an especially dangerous time because Jerusalem was crowded with people (about 2.75 million people) that came to celebrate the Passover.
    • The Jewish leaders did not want to arrest and kill Jesus during the Passover holiday. However, that is exactly what happened because God had other plans and Judas provided the opportunity.
    • It was necessary for the fulfillment of prophecy that Jesus die on Passover.
  • The plot thickens:
    • The priests were conspiring as to how to arrest and kill Jesus. But they also thought to kill Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. (Joh 12:10-11)
    • Evidently Lazarus was witnessing about Jesus and causing many people to convert from Judaism.
• Read Mat 26:6-13 The anointing of the King for burial
  • The three accounts of the same story
  • Read Joh 12:1-8 (Mar 14:3-9)
    • Mark’s story is very similar to Matthew’s, but John tells us the name of the woman.
    • She is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.
      • John tells us she anointed his feet while Matthew says she anointed his head. Both were practiced and she probably did both.
      • The location: Bethany, just east of Jerusalem where Jesus had been spending Passover week. It occurs in the house of Simon, the leper. Probably Jesus had healed him of leprosy at one time.
  • The perfume:
    • Lazarus’ family was a wealthy family. Mary used the most expensive thing she had to anoint Jesus.
    • Jewish women were fond of perfume and often carried a small alabaster vial around their necks.
    • The value of the perfume was about 300 Denarii (Joh 12:5) which was about the value of a year’s wage of a working man, or the cost to feed a crowd of about 5,000 men.
  • The significance of the anointing:
    • When a person died, it was customary to anoint the body with expensive perfumes and spices before the burial.
    • However, the timing of the crucifixion and then the Passover Sabbath did not permit time enough to accomplish the anointing before Jesus was buried.
      • Therefore, the women came to the tomb the morning after the Sabbath (Mar 16:2) to anoint Him, but He had already resurrected from the dead.
      • Therefore, this anointing before the crucifixion in Mat 26 was the only opportunity, and Jesus knew it. (Mat 26:12)
    • This anointing demonstrates extravagant love to us who love the Lord.
      • Love never calculates before it gives.
      • Love never thinks how little it can give so as to appear worthwhile.
      • Love’s highest desire is to give the very best.
      • When love has given everything, it still thinks its gift is too little.
    • This anointing demonstrates the urgency of the opportunity.
      • When the Holy Spirit reveals an opportunity, we must be ready to take advantage of it immediately. We may never get another chance.
      • The fragrance of a deed may last forever. (Mat 26:13)
  • The criticism of the anointing: (Mat 26:8-9)
    • No matter how spirit-directed the deed may be, no matter how much love went into the deed, no matter how much it cost you to do it, there will always be some who misunderstand, criticize, and complain about it.
    • John tells us in his story that it was Judas who objected to the costliness of the anointing. (Joh 12:4-5) Why?
• Read Mat 26:14-16
  • Judas Iscariot
    • Judas was a very common name at the time. In fact, one of Jesus’ half brothers had the same name. Because of Judas Iscariot’s betrayal, the half brother of Jesus was called Jude to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot.
    • Iscariot = a Greek word meaning a man from Kerioth.
      • Kerioth was a small town where Judas was born. It’s in the south near Jerusalem.
      • All the rest of the disciples were from Galilee making Judas the outcast of the group.
    • We do not know how, when, or where Judas first heard about Jesus nor when he first met Him. He was always mentioned last in the list of the disciples.
      • Judas’ character and position in the group:
      • He evidently had patriotic and political ideas and ambitions about the Messiah and the coming kingdom.
      • Possibly he joined Jesus because of his expectations of a political kingdom in which he would have a high position.
    • He had a talent for business administration, bargaining, and finances.
      • Several wealthy women supported Jesus and his disciples. (Luk 8:3)
      • Judas was given the job of treasurer of the group to administer these finances.
      • However, Judas stole money from the treasury. (Joh 12:6)
    • The rest of the disciples trusted Judas until the day of betrayal and evidently did not know he was a thief.
      • Judas was one of the 12 who was empowered by Jesus to preach the gospel, heal the sick and cast out devils (Mar 3:14-19).
      • He must have had some redeeming qualities. Like the others, through training and teaching he might have become a productive apostle.
    • The relationship between Judas and Jesus:
      • Some questions cannot be answered for sure:
      • Why did Jesus pick Judas if he knew he would betray him?
      • How much of a choice did Judas have when all the prophecies spoke the details of the betrayal?
      • Was Judas ever truly saved?
    • The answers to these questions have long been debated and are entwined in the doctrines of free will, predestination, foreknowledge, and the origin of evil.
  • Judas’ betrayal:
    • Judas was a very astute, visionary person. He had heard Jesus predict his death several times in the past week.
    • He watched his dreams of a new political kingdom fade away. He either felt betrayed or disillusioned.
    • Perhaps he felt Jesus would rally and fight the authorities to establish a political kingdom if He was pressured into it.
  • The 30 pieces of silver
    • This amount was a small sum, about one month’s wage.
    • This amount was to fulfill a prophecy in Zec 11:12.
    • Judas returned it to the religious authorities when he realized what he had done.
  • Judas was indwelt by Satan during the last supper. (Joh 13:27) Jesus called him “son of perdition“.
• Application:
  • This lesson in Matthew is a contrast between extravagant love and destructive betrayal.
  • We all fall somewhere between these two extremes at some time or another in our lives.
  • At times we love Him so much we promise to give Him everything.
  • At other times we betray Him when things don’t go the way we want.

Homework

Matthew 26:17-29

• Application of Mat 26:1-16
  • Write about a time in your life when you acted more like Mary.
  • Write about a time in your life when you acted more like Judas.
  • Ask God to forgive you for the times you acted more like Judas.
  • In prayer determine to be more like Mary. Always repent of sin to receive the forgiveness of Christ. (Judas did not do this.)
• Preparation for Mat 26:17-29
• For each of the following scriptures, find some details that explain how this event affects your life.
  • Read Mat 26:17-29
  • Read Mar 14:12-25
  • Read Luk 22:7-30
  • Read 1Cor 11:23-26
    • How does this passage relate the church communion to the crucifixion?
• Memory verse: Matthew 26:28