The 26th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew is one of the most pivotal chapters in all of scripture. Here the events of Jesus’ ministry all come together, leading to his arrest and trial before the Sanhedrin. This coming together is most vividly illustrated in the depiction of Jesus and the disciples together celebrating the Passover meal—the meal that we know as the Last Supper. In that one event Jesus brings the story of Israel forward and makes the transition from the old covenant to the new. In his words of institution, he demonstrates how his body will be the once-and-for-all sacrifice and his blood with be the mark of the new covenant. He sets the stage for the events that will unfold beginning later that evening with his arrest.
In addition to giving us a picture of how God is bringing the ministry of Christ on earth toward its appointed destiny, this week’s scripture also gives us a picture of the human reality of sin and betrayal. The stories of Judas betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and Peter denying that he even knows Jesus show us how quickly a person can fall. The fact that in both instances Jesus was aware of and predicted the events before they happened illustrates the divinity of Christ, giving us much to explore as we think about the sovereignty of God and human responsibility. We also see Jesus’ humanity in his struggle in Gethsemane as he was “overwhelmed to the point of death” and asked God to remove the cup from him: “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’” (v.39).