MATTHEW LESSON 56

     We will begin this lesson in Matthew 26:31 "Then saith Jesus unto
them, All ye 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."

     This is an interesting Scripture. Judas was not now with them, he
had already gone to do his deceptive work. Jesus was speaking to the
remaining eleven. He told them that for a time they, too, would lose
their faith and some would sin. Jesus is the Shepherd. The Shepherd
leads His sheep. When the Shepherd is not there to lead them, the
sheep scatter. Fear would grip the disciples and cause them to flee as
we see in V-56.

     Matthew 26:32 "But after I am risen again, I will go before you
into Galilee."

     Jesus continued to promise that He would rise again. The disciples
seemed to just ignore this, or else they did not believe Him. He was even
telling them that He would come to them in Galilee.

     Matthew 26:33 "Peter answered and said unto him, Though all [men]
shall be offended because of thee, [yet] will I never be offended."

     Peter was brave at this point, because Jesus had not yet been
taken by the authorities. Pretty soon he would be put to the test. We
will see in the face of death, and a cruel death at that, if he would
still feel as brave. Peter was saying in essence, they may all run, but I
won't.

     Matthew 26:34 "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That
this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."

     Jesus again had foreknowledge of Peter and his actions when he was
frightened. He said, Peter, you will not only deny me, but it will be
tonight, and you won't deny me once, but three times.

     Matthew 26:35 "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with
thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples."

     When Jesus had spoken of the denial, Peter knew that the desire
of his heart was to stand with Jesus. He said over again, I will not
fail you; I will stand, and he had every intention of doing just that.
It would not be many hours until this would be tested.

     Matthew 26:36  "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called
Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and
pray yonder."

     When we were in Isreal in 1979 on tour, we saw a large hewn out
stone which was used for an olive press. To my amazement when I asked
the guide what this was, he said it was a Gethsemane. My heart lept
within me, because olive oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. Jesus,
while He was housed in His body here on the earth, from time to time
went aside to pray to the Father. He wanted to be alone with the
Father, so He asked the disciples to wait at the bottom of the hill.

     Matthew 26:37 "And he took with him Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy." Matthew 26:38
"Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death: tarry ye here, and watch with me."

     Jesus again, had taken Peter, James and John with Him. They were
carried closer to where He would go and pray than the others, but they
did not go all the way. Jesus was living in a body of flesh, and He
would feel pain as any other person; so this was a sorrowful time.
What He was really asking these three to do was to pray and watch with
Him. John was John the beloved. He loved Jesus so dearly.  Peter and
James had been with Jesus on so many special occasions, and they, too,
loved Jesus. These three seemed to have a special closeness with Him.

     Matthew 26:39 "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 thou [wilt]."

     Jesus was not looking forward to the pain and humiliation of the
cross. He was in the flesh and knew there would be great pain involved
in this type of death; but I believe more than the pain, He dreaded
becoming sin itself and having the Father turn His back to Him, if
even for a moment. You see, He (Jesus) would take on the sin of the
entire world, so that sin and death might be destroyed.

     Matthew 26:40 "And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them
asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one
hour?"

     This was very disappointing to Jesus. These three trusted
disciples, after Jesus had asked them to watch and wait, had gone to
sleep. Some of the writers think because they were grief stricken of
the things Jesus had told them, that they had just given up. One thing
in their favor, this was before they received the Holy Ghost and power.
The flesh part of Jesus needed their caring. What a time to let Him down.
Peter had just bragged that he never would. I do not know whether the
hour was a real hour, or just a span of time. At any rate, these three
disciples' human weakness was showing.

     Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:
the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak."

     The spirit, as we have said so many times, came from the Holy
Spirit and is strong. The flesh was provided by Mary who was human as
you and I. As God, He knew the needs of the people and was willing to
go through with this terrible death to save the world. Jesus' flesh
did not look forward to the pain and humiliation as we said before. I
believe Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane (Holy Spirit) to
strengthen His flesh.

     Matthew 26:42 "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, thy will be done."

     This second prayer of Jesus, tells me that it is ok to pray more
than once about the same thing. Jesus is our example.

     Matthew 26:43 "And he came and found them asleep again: for their
eyes were heavy." Matthew 26:44 "And he left them, and went away
again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words."

     We see here again, that Jesus returned to the Father a third
time. Jesus surely felt left alone by His earthly friends and
companions. They (Peter, James, and John) did not feel the urgency
that Jesus did, because, really, they had no idea what was about to take
place. They were exhausted after the recent activities, even though it
was not their desire to sleep, they did anyhow.

     Matthew 26:45 "Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith 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."

     Here we see that Jesus had lined up His will with the Father's
will. There was no more need for prayer. It wais settled. Jesus knew
that even though the Father did not remove the cup, He (the Father)
would be with Him to strengthen Him. When we are sure something is the
will of the Father, it is easier to bear. Jesus was fully aware of the
urgency of the hour. He knew that Judas was on his way with Roman
soldiers and people from the town to apprehend Him. He had prayed
through, and He was ready.

     Matthew 26:46 "Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that
doth betray me."

     There certainly was an interval of time between V-45 and V-46,
Jesus was awakening them. Judas and the Roman soldiers with him were
approaching. Jesus, James, John, and Peter went to the entrance of the
garden, where they left the other eight, that they might confront
Judas' group there.

     In the next lesson, we will study the betrayal.














                        Matthew 56 Questions

1.  How many of His disciples did Jesus say would be offended that
    night?
2.  When the Shepherd is smitten, what happens to the sheep?
3.  How many disciples were still with Jesus?
4.  What was Jesus really saying would happen to them?
5.  What province would Jesus go into after He had risen?
6.  What encouragement was Jesus still giving the disciples?
7.  Which disciple quickly said even if the others be offended, he
    would not?
8.  What was Jesus' answer to him?
9.  He said though I should _________  ________  ________, yet I will
    not deny the.
10. Jesus went to what garden with His eleven disciples?
11. What did He tell them to do while He prayed?
12. What is the proper name for an olive press?
13. What three disciples did Jesus take part way with Him?
14. What two things did He ask them to do?
15. Why was He sorrowful?
16, What did Jesus say in His prayer?
17. More than the pain, what did Jesus dread?
18. When He came back from the three disciples, what were they doing?
19. What did Jesus tell them to watch and pray for?
20. By Jesus praying more than once, what does this tell us?
21. When Jesus came back to the disciples the third time, what did He
    say to them?
22. Who is the Son of man betrayed into the hands of?
23. What help us bear up to problems?
24. Why did Jesus tell them to rise?
25. Who was coming with Judas after Jesus?