Matthew 26

Two day warning verse 1- 2

And it came to pass – when Jesus had finished all these sayings

HE said to HIS disciples

You know that after two days is the feast of the Passover

and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified

Religious leaders plotting verse 3- 5

Then assembled together the chief priests- the scribes

elders of the people to the palace of the high priest

who was call Caiaphas

and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety

and kill HIM

BUT they said – Not on the feast day

lest there be an uproar among the people

Woman anoints Jesus for burial verse 6- 13

Now when Jesus was in Bethany

in the house of Simon the leper

There came to him a woman having an alabaster box of very

precious ointment – and poured it on HIS head

as HE sat at meat

BUT when HIS disciples saw it – they had indignation

saying

To what purpose is this waste?

FOR this ointment might have been sold for much

and given to the poor

WHEN Jesus understood it – HE said unto them

Why trouble you the woman?

FOR she has wrought a good work upon me

FOR you have the poor always with you

BUT ME you have not always

FOR in that she has poured this ointment on MY body

she did it for MY burial

VERILY I say unto you

Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached

in the whole world

THERE shall also this – that this woman has done

be told for a memorial of her

Judas asked religious leaders for money verse 14- 16

Then one of the twelve – called Judas Iscariot

went to the chief priests

AND said unto them – What will you give me

and I will deliver HIM unto you?

AND they covenanted with him

for thirty pieces of silver

AND from that time he sought opportunity to betray HIM

Disciples prepare Passover location verse 17- 19

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread

the disciples came to Jesus

saying unto HIM

Where will YOU that we prepare for YOU

to eat the Passover?

AND HE said

Go into the city to such a man

and say unto him

The Master says – MY time is at hand

I will keep the Passover at your house

with MY disciples

AND the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them

AND they made ready the Passover

Jesus tells of betrayal verse 20- 21

Now when the even was come – HE sat down with the twelve

AND as they did eat HE said

Verily I say to you – that one of you shall betray ME

Each asks if it is him verse 22

AND they were exceeding sorrowful

and began every one of them to say unto HIM

Lord – is it I?

Jesus gives clue to person verse 23- 24

AND HE answered and said

He that dips his hand with ME in the dish

the same shall betray ME

The Son of man goes as it is written of HIM

BUT WOE unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed

It had been good for that man if he had not been born

Judas asks if he was the one verse 25

THEN Judas – which betrayed HIM – answered said

Master- is it I?

HE said unto him

You have said

Eating of the Passover with future implications verse 26- 29

AND as they were eating – Jesus took bread – and blessed it

and brake it and gave it to the disciples – and said

Take eat – this is MY body

AND HE took the cup – and gave thanks – and gave it to them

saying

Drink you all of it

FOR this is MY blood of the NEW TESTAMENT

which is shed for many for the remission of sins

BUT I say to you

I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine

until that day when I drink it new with you in

MY Father’s kingdom

Disciples sang a hymn verse 30

And when they had sung an hymn

they went out into the mount of Olives

Jesus predicts denial of Peter verse 31- 35

THEN said Jesus to them

All you shall be offended because of ME this night

FOR it is written

I will smite the shepherd

and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad

BUT after I am RISEN again

I will go before you into Galilee

Peter answered and said unto HIM

Though all men shall be offended because of YOU

YET will I never be offended

Jesus said to him – Verily I say to you

That this night – before the cock crow

you shalt deny ME thrice

Peter said unto HIM

Though I should die with YOU

yet will I not deny YOU

Likewise also said all the disciples

Jesus in Gethsemane verse 36- 46

THEN come Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane

and said unto the disciples – Sit you here

while I go and pray yonder

AND HE took with HIM Peter and the two sons of Zebedee

and began to be sorrowful and very heavy

THEN said HE unto them

MY soul is exceeding sorrowful – even unto death

tarry you here – and WATCH with ME

AND HE went a little farther – and fell on HIS face and PRAYED

Saying

O MY Father – if it be possible – let this cup pass from ME

nevertheless – not as I will but as YOU will

AND HE comes unto the disciples – and finds them asleep

and said unto Peter

What – could you not WATCH with ME one hour?

WATCH and PRAY – that you enter not into temptation

the spirit indeed is willing – but the flesh is weak

HE went away again the SECOND time – and PRAYED – saying

O MY Father – IF this cup may not pass away from ME

EXCEPT I drink it – YOUR will be done

AND HE came and found them asleep again

FOR their eyes were heavy

AND HE left them – and went away again

and PRAYED the third time

saying the SAME WORDS

THEN come HE to HIS disciples – and said unto them

Sleep on now – and take your rest

BEHOLD – the hour is at hand

and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of SINNERS

Rise – let us be going – BEHOLD – he is at hand that does betray ME

Betrayal of Jesus verse 47- 50

And while HE yet spoke – lo – Judas – one of the twelve – came

and with a great multitude with swords and staves

FROM the chief priests and elders of the people

NOW he that betrayed HIM gave them a sign – saying

Whomsoever I shall kiss – that same is HE

hold HIM fast

AND forthwith he came to Jesus – and said

Hail – Master – and kissed HIM

AND Jesus said to him

Friend – wherefore are you come?

THEN came they – and laid hands Jesus – and took HIM

Jesus tells Peter to put away the sword verse 51- 54

AND BEHOLD – one of them which were with Jesus

stretched out his hand and drew his sword

and struck a servant of the high priest’s

and smote off his ear

THEN said Jesus to him

Put up again your sword in his place

FOR all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword

Think you that I cannot now PRAY to MY Father

and HE shall presently give ME

more than twelve legions of angels?

BUT how then shall the Scripture be fulfilled

that thus it must be?

Jesus speaks to captures verse 55- 56

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes

Are you come out as against a thief with swords

and staves for to take ME?

I sat DAILY with you teaching in the temple

and you laid no hold on ME

BUT all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets

might be fulfilled

THEN all the disciples forsook HIM and fled

Home of Caiaphas verse 57- 58

And they that had laid hold on Jesus

led him away to Caiaphas the high priest

where the scribes and the elders were assembled

BUT Peter followed HIM afar off unto the high priest’s palace

and went in – and sat with the servants – to see the end

False witnesses found verse 59- 61

NOW the chief priests – and elders and all the council

sought false witness against Jesus – to put HIM to death

BUT found none – yea – though many false witnesses came

YET found they none

At the last came two false witnesses

and said

This fellow said – I am able to destroy the temple of God

and to build it in three days

High Priest questions Jesus verse 62- 63

AND the high priest arose and said unto HIM

Answer YOU nothing?

What is it which these witness against YOU?

BUT Jesus held HIS peace

AND the high priest answered and said unto HIM

I adjure YOU by the living God

that YOU tell us whether YOU be the Christ

the Son of God

Jesus tells of future coming verse 64

Jesus said unto him

You have said – nevertheless

I say to you

Hereafter shall you see the Son of man

sitting on the right hand of power

and coming in the clouds of heaven

High Priest accuses Jesus of blaspheme verse 65- 68

THEN the high priest rent his clothes

saying

HE has spoken blasphemy

What further need have we of witnesses?

BEHOLD – now you have heard HIS blasphemy

What think you?

They answered and said

HE is guilty of death

THEN did they spit in HIS face – and buffeted HIM

and others smote HIM with the palms of their hands

saying

Prophesy to us – YOU Christ

Who is he that smote YOU?

Peter denies Jesus verse 69- 74

Now Peter sat without in the palace

and a damsel came unto him – saying

You also were with Jesus of Galilee

BUT he denied before them all saying

I know not what you say

And when he was gone out into the porch

another maid saw him

and said unto them that were there

This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth

AND again he denied with an oath

I do not know the man

And after a while came to him they that stood by

and said to Peter

Surely you also are one of them

for your speech betrays you

THEN began he to curse and to swear – saying

I know not the man

AND immediately the cock crew

Peter remembers Jesus words verse 75

AND Peter remembered the word of Jesus

which said unto him

Before the cock crow – you shalt deny ME thrice

AND he went out – and wept bitterly

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 2 You know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. (3860 “betrayed” [paradidomi] means give over, deliver, hand over to authority, give up, or to surrender)

DEVOTION: Jesus never left HIS disciples wondering what was going to happen next. HE told them what was going to happen to HIM when HE went to Jerusalem.

HE told them that HE was going to die. HE told them that HE was going to rise from the dead on the third day. HE had illustrated it by giving them the example of Jonah in the great fish. Jonah was three days in the fish until he repented and accepted the LORD’S mission to Nineveh.

The word was used eight times by the LORD. They were in Jerusalem. It was going to happen soon and HE wanted them to be prepared. It was going to happen before the feast of Passover.

This is another significant reference to the Old Testament when the blood of a lamb was put on the doorpost before the angel of death came into Egypt. When the angel of death arrived at the house and saw the blood of the lamb on the doorpost he passed over the house. The firstborn child in that house was not killed.

Jesus as the Son of man was going to die for the sins of the world. HE was going to be given over by one of the twelve men that HE picked to be a disciple. HE knew what was happening before it did. HE knew it was Judas who was going to deliver HIM over to the religious leaders who wanted to kill HIM.

All these actions were predicted by the prophets thousands of years before they happened. The Holy Spirit watched over the writing of the Bible to make sure that every detail was accurate. Even the amount of money Judas was going to receive from the religious leaders and what they would do with it after he tried to return it.

CHALLENGE: Look at the details of the prophecies of the Old Testament and New Testament and realize that every one of them is going to be true. The Word of God studied will never return void.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

: 11 For you have the poor always with you, but ME you have not always. (4434 “poor” [ptochos] means a person with few or no possessions, pitiful, inferior, needy, begging, powerless, or destitute.)

DEVOTION: Waste is quite the topic in many circles. We have a lot of government waste at present and our debt keeps getting bigger. People think that there can be cuts but no one wants them in their field. Everyone wants all they can get and no one wants to sacrifice.

Here we find that a woman brings a container of perfume worth a lot of money and she pours it on HIS head to anoint HIM before HIS death. The disciples looked at it as a waste of something worth a lot of money that could be used to help the poor they see on the streets every day.

Jesus makes a statement that we don’t seem to understand. HE states that the poor will always be with us. There will never be a time that someone will be poor. Some are poor because they are lazy. Some are poor because they have not been given the intelligence to be able to handle a job that can support them. Some are poor because they have the intelligence but no job opportunity. There are excuses and reasons why some people are poor.

Jesus is not saying that we are not to help the poor because HE says just the opposite in other places. It is just this one time just before HIS death that HE received honor in preparation for HIS burial.

Once HE is gone they have a responsibility to do all they can for the poor. The members of the first church in Jerusalem sold all that they had to make sure all the new members of the church were fed. They had a special group called deacons to make sure that widows were taken care of in the church.

CHALLENGE: We are to care for the poor. We are to care more about Jesus.

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: 15 And said to them, What will you give me, and I will deliver HIM to you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. (2476 “covenanted” [histemi] means to enumerate a sum of money, maintain, establish, pay, to cause to stand, or remain firmly.)

DEVOTION: Have you ever betrayed a friend? How about a relative? Here we have one of the disciples who was with Jesus for three years coming to the religious leaders to see what he can get for betraying Jesus.

Judas was the treasurer for the disciples. He seemed to have money on his mind most of the time. It is thought that he thought that Jesus was going to be king and he would be the treasurer of the nation.

However, Jesus informed HIS disciples many times that HE was going to be killed by the religious leaders. That hindered Judas’ plan to be rich. So he thought he would earn some money in the meantime by turning Jesus over to the religious leaders to be killed.

Once he did his betrayal he had second thought but it was too late. The religious leaders were not going to give Jesus back. He gave the money back and hung himself because he realized what he did was wrong and thought that he could never be forgiven for his sin.

That was true of him but not of us. Jesus says that all sin can be forgiven except that of not becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit leads people into a relationship with Jesus. Everyone will be given an opportunity in their life to say yes or no to Jesus.

CHALLENGE: They will have no excuse when they stand before the LORD to be judged.

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. (2653 “curse” [anathematize] means to invoke a curse. 3630 “swear” [omnuo] means to threaten, to affirm with an oath, to invoke, swear by.)

DEVOTION: The final week was full of activity. The disciples asked Jesus about celebrating the Passover. HE told them to set it up in a room that would be given for that purpose. While celebrating HE introduced the LORD’S Supper. It was a time of worship with the disciples.

After the supper they sang a song and left for the garden of Gethsemane. On the way to the garden, he told of how the disciples would run away from HIM. Peter who is guilty of having foot in mouth disease said he would never deny the LORD. Jesus told him that he would deny HIM three times before the cock crow.

Jesus then led three of the disciples with HIM away from the other disciples. HE went to prayer and they went to sleep. This happened three times and then the LORD told that the people were coming to take HIM to be killed.

Judas came with a group of individuals from the high priest. They were there to arrest Jesus. Peter cut off the ear of one of the servants. Jesus healed it and told him that the LORD could send twelve legions of angels for HIS protection if HE asked.

Now we come to the part where Peter is in the courtyard getting warm. He is confronted three times about his relationship with Jesus. The first time he said “I don’t know what you are talking about.” The second time said “I don’t know the man.”

Finally, he was confronted a third time and he began to use language he shouldn’t have and say something like “on my mother grave’ or something worse, that he didn’t know Jesus.

Right then the cock crewed. Peter remembered what the LORD had said. He remembered that all the disciples said they wouldn’t run away or deny HIM. He had said that he “would never be offended” regarding knowing Jesus as HIS friend. He used the word “never.” This is not the end of the story but this chapter leaves it there. It leaves it with one of the key three disciples denying the LORD three times. The other one is there in the courtyard. The third one is nowhere to be found.

Peter was one of the three who went with Jesus on many special occasions. He was close to Jesus. He walked on the water to Jesus. He opened his mouth too often. He had said that he would not deny Jesus. Here we have the occasion when he did deny Jesus. He went back to his old ways of lying about his relationship with Christ. He said he never knew him. He said it so that he used language that was not right for a disciple to use.

We sometimes think that we would never deny the LORD. We look down on Peter and think that he wasn’t a good follower. We think that we are better followers than him. We look at other Christians and see them sinning and think they are just like Peter.

We sometimes find that some Christians go back to their old ways of using language that is not right to use. Some never stop using language that is not right to use.

What is the point? We are all capable of denying the LORD. Each day we have a choice to make regarding our actions. Our actions tell others who we are serving. Our actions tell others what we are really like. Sometimes in a self-righteous time, we can say that we are not as bad as others. That does not matter. What matters is what does Jesus think? Is HE going to look down on us and remind us that the cock crowed?

It is our prayer that those who receive these devotions will not use language that would not give glory to the LORD. It is our prayer that we would not deny the LORD in front of others. There might come a time in our life when we will be confronted by someone or a group what wants us to deny the LORD. What will we do? Is there evidence that we are followers of the LORD in our daily life? Are we watching our language? Should we be watching our language? Remember that every idle word is recorded in heaven. What are they recording now?

Remember the rest of the story which will be told in the Gospel of John. Praise the LORD! HE doesn’t give up on us.

CHALLENGE: When confronted about your walk with the LORD, tell them YES, I am a follower of Jesus Christ. Would you like to be one too???

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Christ’s blessing of bread verse 26

Christ’s giving thanks verse 27

Christ goes to pray verse 36

Christ’s prayer to the Father verse 39- 44

Christ’s prayer for angels possible verse 53

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

Feast of the Passover verse 2, 17, 18

Chief priests verse 3

High priest verse 3

Feast of unleavened bread verse 17

Sang a hymn verse 30

Temple verse 55

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

Gospel verse 13

As it is written verse 24

New Testament verse 28

For it is written verse 31

Scripture fulfilled verse 54

Scriptures of the prophets verse 56

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

Father’s kingdom verse 29

Father – Jesus prayer to verse 39, 42

Father could send angels verse 53

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

Jesus verse 1, 6, 10, 17, 19, 26, 31, 34, 36, 49- 50- 56, 57, 59, 63- 64, 71, 75

Betrayed verse 2

Crucified verse 2

Anointing of Jesus verse 7

Burial verse 12

Master verse 18, 25, 49

Lord verse 22

Shepherd verse 31

Risen verse 32

Began to be sorrowful and very heavy verse 37

Prayed to Father verse 39- 44

Daily teaching in Temple verse 55

Christ verse 63, 68

Son of God verse 63

Sitting at the right hand of power verse 64

Coming in the clouds of heaven verse 64

Jesus of Galilee verse 69

Jesus of Nazareth verse 71

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Temple of God verse 61

Living God verse 63

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Twelve legions of good angels available verse 53

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Betrayed verse 2, 16, 21, 23, 24, 45, 46, 48

Subtlety verse 4

Kill verse 4

Indignation verse 8

Thirty pieces of silver verse 15

Sins verse 28

Offended verse 33

Denial verse 34, 72, 73, 75

Temptation verse 41

Sinners verse 45

Thief verse 55

False witness verse 59, 60, 61

Blasphemy verse 65

Spit on Jesus verse 67

Buffeted Jesus verse 67

Smote Jesus verse 67, 68

Curse verse 74

Swear verse 74

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Giving to the poor verse 9, 11

Good work verse 10

Preach the gospel verse 13

Give thanks verse 27

Remission of sins verse 28

Sing a hymn verse 30

Sheep verse 31

Pray verse 36, 39, 42, 44, 53

Watch verse 38, 40, 41

Doing will of God verse 39

Teaching verse 55

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Chief priests verse 3, 14, 47, 59

Scribes verse 3, 57

Elders of the people verse 3, 47, 57, 59

High priest : Caiaphas verse 3, 51, 57, 62, 63, 65

Bethany verse 6

Simon the leper verse 6

Mount of Olives verse 30

Galilee verse 32

Gethsemane verse 36

Hands of sinners verse 45

Friend = Judas verse 50

High Priest’s palace verse 58

Council verse 59, 66

Church (New Testament people of God)

Disciples verse 1, 8, 17- 30, 35, 36, 56

Judas Iscariot verse 14, 25, 47

Peter verse 33, 35, 37, 58, 69, 71- 75

Two sons of Zebedee verse 37

Asked three disciples verse 38, 40, 45

Last Things (Future Events)

Coming in the clouds of heaven verse 64

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QUOTES regarding passage

2476 ἵστημι [histemi /his·tay·mee/] v. A prolonged form of a primary stao (stah·o, of the same meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); TDNT 7:638; TDNTA 1082; GK 2705; 158 occurrences; AV translates as “stand” 116 times, “set” 11 times, “establish” five times, “stand still” four times, “stand by” three times, translated miscellaneously 17 times, and “vr stand” twice. 1 to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set. 1a to bid to stand by, [set up]. 1a1 in the presence of others, in the midst, before judges, before members of the Sanhedrin;. 1a2 to place. 1b to make firm, fix establish. 1b1 to cause a person or a thing to keep his or its place. 1b2 to stand, be kept intact (of family, a kingdom), to escape in safety. 1b3 to establish a thing, cause it to stand. 1b31 to uphold or sustain the authority or force of anything. 1c to set or place in a balance. 1c1 to weigh: money to one (because in very early times before the introduction of coinage, the metals used to be weighed). 2 to stand. 2a to stand by or near. 2a1 to stop, stand still, to stand immovable, stand firm. 2a1a of the foundation of a building. 2b to stand. 2b1 continue safe and sound, stand unharmed, to stand ready or prepared. 2b2 to be of a steadfast mind. 2b3 of quality, one who does not hesitate, does not waiver. (Strong, J. (1995). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.)

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73–75 A little more time elapses (v. 73). Luke says about an hour later (22:59). In any age accent in speaking varies with geography (e.g., Judg 12:5–6), and Peter’s speech shows him to be a Galilean (cf. Hoehner, Herod Antipas, pp. 61–64). That one of those present at Peter’s denial said that his accent proved him to be a disciple of Jesus shows how much Jesus’ ministry had been in Galilee and how relatively few of his disciples were from Judea. Having lied twice Peter finds himself forced to lie again, this time with more oaths (Mt 26:74). Immediately the rooster crows, a bitter reminder (v. 75) of Jesus’ words (v. 34). He who thought he could stand has fallen terribly (cf. 1 Cor 10:12). Luke tells us that Jesus looked at Peter—perhaps through a window or as he was being led across the courtyard. If we cannot credit the legend that after this Peter never heard a cock crow without weeping, we may justifiably assume that Peter’s bitter tears led to his being “poorer in spirit” (Mt 5:3) the remainder of his days than he had ever been before.

Matthew does not mention Peter again. (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 558). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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Then began he to curse and to swear (τοτε ἠρξατο καταθεματιζειν και ὀμνυειν [tote ērxato katathematizein kai omnuein]). He repeated his denial with the addition of profanity to prove that he was telling the truth instead of the lie that they all knew. His repeated denials gave him away still more, for he could not pronounce the Judean gutterals. He called down on himself (καταθεματιζειν [katathematizein]) imprecations in his desperate irritation and loss of self-control at his exposure. The cock crew (ἀλεκτων ἐφωνησεν [alektōn ephōnēsen]). No article in the Greek, just “a cock crew” at that juncture, “straightway” (εὐθυς [euthus]). But it startled Peter. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Mt 26:74). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)

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26:69–75 (Mark 14:66–72; Luke 22:55–62; John 18:17–18, 25–27). While Jesus was undergoing His trial before the Sanhedrin, Peter was also undergoing a testing. He had followed the Lord and gained entrance into the house of the high priest (John 18:15–16). As he sat in the courtyard (cf. Matt. 26:58) awaiting the outcome of the trial, he had three opportunities to speak up for his Lord. All three times he denied he ever knew the Accused or was in any way ever connected with Him. The first denial occurred when a servant girl said in front of the others that he was one of those who had been with Jesus (v. 69). Another girl at the gate of the courtyard more directly pointed Peter out as one who had indeed been with Jesus (v. 71). Finally a number of those present came and accused Peter of being one who had been with Jesus for his Galilean accent gave him away (v. 73). With the third accusation, Peter began to call down curses on himself and he swore (v. 74). The calling of curses on himself was a legal way of seeking to affirm one’s innocence; if the calamities did not follow, he would be assumed innocent (cf. Job 31).

As he publicly denied his Lord the third time, immediately a rooster crowed. That triggered in his thinking the words of the Lord, Before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times (cf. Matt. 26:34). Peter knew immediately he had failed the Lord. Though he had affirmed that he would never forsake the Lord, he had publicly denied the One he loved. Filled with remorse, he left the courtyard and wept bitterly. His tears were tears of true repentance for having forsaken and denied the Lord. (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 86). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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Peter’s denial of Christ was the climax of a series of failures. When the Lord first warned Peter that he would be tested by Satan, Peter affirmed his faith and his ability to remain true to the Lord. In pride, Peter argued with the Word of God! He even dared to compare himself to the other disciples and affirmed that, though they might fall, he would remain true.

The fact that Peter was standing by the enemy’s fire, warming himself, indicates how defeated he was. The denial was even more humiliating because two of the interrogators were servant girls. The third challenge came from a man, one of the bystanders; but Peter failed again. This man was a relative of Malchus, the man Peter had wounded (John 18:26). So Peter’s impulsive deed caught up with him even after Jesus had repaired the damage.

Mark’s account of this event indicates that the cock would crow twice (Mark 14:30). After the third denial, the cock crowed for the second time (Mark 14:72). This means that the first cock-crowing was a warning to Peter, and he should have left the scene immediately. The third denial and the second cock-crow climaxed the test, and Peter had failed.

The crowing of the cock reminded Peter of the word of Jesus. Had Peter remembered and obeyed the word, he would never have denied his Lord. It was at that time that Jesus turned and looked at Peter (Luke 22:61), and that look of love broke the apostle’s heart. Peter went out and wept bitterly.

After His resurrection, Jesus met privately with Peter and restored him to his discipleship (Mark 16:7; 1 Cor. 15:5). Jesus also restored him publicly (John 21:15–19). Peter learned some important lessons during that difficult experience. He learned to pay attention to the Word, to watch and pray, and to put no confidence in his own strength. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 99–100). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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It is instructive to compare Peter and Jesus. As Jesus confessed his divine, messianic identity before the supreme leader of Israel, Peter denied any knowledge of Jesus before a servant-girl (cf. 10:32–33; 1 Tim 6:13). Peter was immediately grief-stricken over his sin, but so was Judas (27:3). Therefore, it is also instructive to compare Peter and Judas. Judas betrayed the Lord, just as Jesus predicted. Afterwards he felt remorse, was rebuffed by the religious leaders, and committed suicide (27:1–10). Peter also denied the Lord, just as Jesus predicted. Afterwards he felt remorse, was restored by Jesus, and resumed his role as the leader of the disciples (26:32; 28:10, 18–20). How can such opposite results come from such similar actions? In the case of Peter, human weakness led to momentary failure, but the pattern of Peter’s life was one of discipleship. In all fairness to Peter, evidently he was the only disciple to follow Jesus to the High Priest’s courtyard (yet see John 18:15). Granted, he failed miserably there, but the others did not go at all. On the other hand, Judas’ remorse was not accompanied by deeds befitting true repentance.

In Matthew, Peter is first among the disciples of Jesus. He is singled out throughout the narrative as the representative disciple. He often speaks for the group (Turner 1989). His miserable failure in denying Jesus is a strong warning to all disciples. If Peter—of all people—could fall so low, so could anyone else. But if Peter—of all people—could be restored after falling so low, so could anyone else. All followers of Jesus should be horrified by Peter’s denials and thrilled by his restoration. (Turner, D., & Bock, D. L. (2005). Cornerstone biblical commentary, Vol 11: Matthew and Mark (pp. 350–351). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)

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A maid servant, who had been eyeing him, came boldly up to Peter and charged him with having been in the company of Jesus of Galilee. Taken unawares, he did not have the courage to confess that it was indeed true. On the contrary, he denied before them all, insisting that he knew nothing of what was being said.

Going out into the porch, he was challenged by another maid who exclaimed, “This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.” With an oath Peter again denied all knowledge of the Man who was enduring such suffering inside the palace. Later a man spoke up and said, “Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee.” Peter’s Galilean brogue branded him before them all as a man from the north country. Excited and thoroughly frightened, Peter lost all control of himself and began to curse and to swear, again taking an oath that he knew not the Man. He did not even call Him by name. To what depths can even a child of God sink when he is out of communion with his Master and is under the domination of the flesh!

Even as the poor backslidden disciple spoke he was startled to hear a cock crow. The words which Jesus had spoken came back to him. Realizing something of his terrible failure, he left the company assembled there and went out into the darkness, weeping bitterly. Those were grateful tears, for they told of the work of restoration begun in his soul. “Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of” (2 Corinthians 7:10), and this was the beginning of true contrition which was to result in full restoration of soul, after Jesus rose from the dead.

There is a difference between apostasy and backsliding. Judas was an apostate. He had never known the reality of the new birth. Though chosen as an apostle he was a devil (John 6:70, 71). For him there was no recovery. But in Peter we see a typical backslider. He was a real child of God who failed through self-confidence and lack of prayerfulness; but was afterwards restored and became a faithful witness for Christ. Apostasy is giving up truth that one formerly professed to believe. Backsliding is spiritual declension from an experience once enjoyed. The difference is immense. To see this distinction clearly will save from much confusion of thought. (Ironside, H. A. (1948). Expository notes on the Gospel of Matthew. (pp. 369–370). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)

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Ver. 74. Then began he to curse, and to swear, &c.] He swore before, and now he began to curse; not Christ, as Saul compelled some to blaspheme him, who professed him, and as the Jews formerly cursed Christ, and his followers, in their synagogues: for Peter’s crime was bad enough, it need not be made worse than it was: he could never call Jesus accursed; in so doing he would have sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost; but he cursed himself; he began to imprecate himself, as the Arabic version renders it; he made dreadful imprecations and wishes; wished that all the miseries and calamities he could think of might fall upon him, if he was one of the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, or knew any thing of him: saying, I know not the man; if I do, God do so to me, or more also: let vengeance light upon me; may I be the most miserable creature in the world, if I know any thing of him; and immediately the cock crew: as he was swearing and cursing in this manner; as soon as ever the words were out of his mouth, and he had in this sad and solemn manner three times denied that he knew Christ, or was ever with him, or a disciple of his. It is forbid, by a Jewish canon, to keep cocks at Jerusalem; it runs thus: “they do not bring up cocks in Jerusalem, because of the holy things, neither do the priests in all the land of Israel, because of the purifications.” Whether this canon was then in being, or how it was dispensed with, or whether there was any particular providence in the cock being here now, and so nigh the high-priest’s palace, is not certain; but one there was: nor can the Jews deny that there were cocks at Jerusalem; for they themselves speak of a cock, שנסקל בירושליﬦ^d, that was stoned at Jerusalem. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 348). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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FROM MY READING:

Leading a Roman colon (two hundred or six hundred soldiers) as well as temple officers from the chief priests, along with Pharisees, Judas and these men came with lanterns and weapons. They thought Jesus would run and they would have to look for Him and fight to apprehend Him. ….. Jesus rebuked Peter, reminding him that He could summon His Father and have twelve legions of angels (72,000) at His disposal. (April 23)

The trial was entirely illegal: (1) They questioned Jesus (John 18:19). (2) They struck Him (John 18:22; Matt. 26:67). (3) The trial was at night. (4) They called false witnesses. (April 24, Living The New Testament by Paul Enns)

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Family Worship by Donald S. Whitney

Parents should teach the things of God to their children at every opportunity, as the verse says, and they should do so with their children, individually and collectively. But both in biblical times and today, the best time for parents to teach the things of God to their children on a consistent basis when all their children are present would be during a time of family worship. (p. 19)

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Historian Philip Schaff says that Chrysostom “urged that every house should be church, and every head of a family a spiritual shepherd, remembering the account he must give even for his children. (p. 30)

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In the next century, both the Presbyterians and the Baptists considered family worship so important that they included statements about it in their confessions of faith. (p. 31)

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J. W. Alexander

But in his concluding chapter he says bluntly, “Laying aside all flattering words, I may say plainly that I regard the neglect of family worship as springing from lukewarmness and worldliness in religions.

…..

I once taught a class of 115 seminary students, in which I asked, “How many of you grew up in homes where family worship was practiced?” Only seven raised their hands. Then I asked, “How many have visited in homes where you have seen family worship taking place?” No one raised a hand. In a conservative, Bible-believing seminary which attracts some of the most devoted, gospel-zealous Christians on the planet, people preparing to be pastors and missionaries, only one out of sixteen students in a class on spirituality had any familiarity whatsoever with family worship. (p. 37)

So we can agree with Alexander that “the neglect of family worship [springs] from lukewarmness and worldliness in religion” if people have never heard of it. But, in reading this book, now you have. (p. 38)

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The Radical Pursuit of REST by John Koessler

The church is driven by the bottom line just as much as a company whose lifeblood is sales revenue. (p. 19)

Today’s church leaders have been shaped by the corporate world where productivity is the summum bonum of the organization. (p. 19)

But apparently his unlimited power is of little help unless we learn how to apply the right mix of Scripture, faith, prayer, and sanctified elbow grease. (p. 21)

Congregants are told that they must round the bases from mere attendance to full involvement. (p. 21)

It goes without saying that in all of this real Christians keep the family a top priority. And the time they spend in God’s Word should be measured in hours rather than minutes. (p. 21)

In its ordinary and healthy form, work serves as a means to an end. But in its narcotic and distorted form, work turns into a distraction and eventually becomes an end in itself. (p.25)

Activity alone, even when it is spiritually directed, is not identical with virtue. (p. 27)

When effort itself becomes a virtue, we no longer take up the cross in order to identify with Christ or even to mortify the flesh but we carry the cross for its own sake. (p. 27)

Such thinking is hard for us to accept. Josef Pieper explains why: “The inmost significance of the exaggerated value which is set upon hard work appears to be this: man seems to mistrust everything that is effortless; he can only enjoy, with a good conscience, what he has acquired with toil and trouble; he refuses to have anything as a gift. (p. 28)

What Jesus says might be translated something like “I will rest you” or “I will refresh you.” This rest is as relational as it is experiential. We come to Christ and he refreshes us. We do not come to Christ, receive our rest and then go our way. By offering us rest, Christ offer himself. (p. 32)

When does the church’s desire to motivate and mobilize its member become exploitation? What can it do to guard against this? (p. 33)

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TOZERSPEAKS (volume two) by A. W. Tozer

When man fell through sin, he began to think of himself as having a soul instead of being one. It makes a lot of difference whether a mane believes that he is a body having a soul or a soul having a body! (p. 511)

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Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe

Most people connect wisdom with the education of the mind and the heart. Education is learning, but wisdom is applying learning and experiencing learning, but wisdom is applying learning and experiencing success.

Knowing facts from the Bible isn’t the same as receiving the deeper truths that reveal God’s wisdom.

But happiness isn’t something we seek, it’s a byproduct of doing the will of God. If we walk with the Lord and obey him, the Spirit will give us a joyful heart, and “the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh. 8:10). (p. 126)

God is not glorified by critical, sulky, and complaining Christians. He is glorified by believers who accept his will and find in it the healing joy of his grace.

How do we begin? We begin by taking our eyes off of ourselves and our circumstances and fixing them by faith on Jesus (Heb. 12: 1-2). We stop sulking and complaining and start devoting time to meditating on the Scriptures and letting God’s promises saturate us with “medicine.” (p. 127)

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All men stand under the same divine condemnation and all must find justification before God in the same way; by faith in Christ, Lord of all and the Saviour of all who put their trust in Him. All who are “in Christ” henceforth can recognize no distinctions based on race or color and no limitations arising out of human pride or prejudice, whether in the fellowship of those who have come to faith in Christ or in the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ to men everywhere. (p. 4)

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While not all who hear the Gospel will respond to it,, our responsibility is to see that every one is given the opportunity to decide for Christ in our time. (p. 6)

(Evangelicals At The Brink of Crisis by Carl F.H. Henry)

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Corinthians 13
Love is the greatest virtue that all Christians should exhibit.
INSIGHT

Throughout the Bible, love is clearly considered the supreme virtue. Both Jesus and Paul teach that the greatest Christian virtue is love. However, it is not always easy to measure love, especially because our society has such a distorted concept of what love is. Many people think that love is simply an emotion. We may think that if we don’t feel “warm and fuzzy,” we don’t love. While emotions certainly may be attached to biblical love, love is primarily an act of the will. And God commands us to love. If you exhibit the qualities listed in today’s chapter, you are loving regardless of your emotions.

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THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

But ye have an unction from the Holy One. 1 John 2:20
What is it that enables us to stand and to remain and to avoid the seduction of false teaching that would separate us from God and Christ and eventually lead to our condemnation? Well, John says here that it is all due to the work of the Holy Spirit. Christians are who they are because of the Holy Spirit. Christians, he says, are those who have received an unction or anointing—that is his way of describing the Holy Spirit. It is because of Him that they are able to discern and understand and avoid the subtle dangers that threaten them within the realm even of the Christian Church itself. John says in verses 20-21, “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.” Then he adds in verse 27, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you.”
John’s words “unction” or “anointing” are just a very graphic way of describing the influence and the effect of the Holy Spirit upon the believer. It is the wording of the Old Testament where we are frequently told that prophets, priests, and kings, when they were inducted as it were, were anointed with oil; that was the mechanism, the ceremonial, that was used to set them apart for their office. Samuel anointed first Saul and then David as king. The same anointing was given to the priests and prophets, and the results of that pouring of the oil upon them was that in that way they were regarded as consecrated; they had become anointed ones who were now enabled to do their duty.
A Thought to Ponder: John’s words “unction” or “anointing” are just a very graphic way of describing the influence and the effect of the Holy Spirit upon the believer.
(From Walking with God, pp. 118-119, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Lo, I Come
“Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:7)
These marvelous words (in Hebrews 10:5-7) are an interpretive quotation from Psalm 40:6-8, which in turn was being cited prophetically as the testimony of the eternal Son of God as He prepared to leave heaven and “the bosom of the Father” (note John 1:18) to descend to Earth to become also “the Son of man,” with no “where to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20).
He first took up residence on Earth in the womb of Mary, then in a manger, then a house in Bethlehem, then somewhere in Egypt until the death of King Herod, who had tried to kill Him, then in the home of his foster father in a despised village, eventually on a cross on which His enemies would impale Him, and finally for three days in a borrowed tomb.
And all this, amazingly, was to do the will of His Father in heaven, which He fully understood would include the terrible death of the cross. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again” (John 10:17).
We can never comprehend such love—only believe it and receive it. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Now we can testify with Paul “the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God [His faith, not ours!], who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
But anyone who ignores that love should note this sobering truth: “He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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