Matthew 27- 30 Pieces of Silver

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When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. Matthew 27:1-5

The Apostles Creed states “suffered under Pontius PIlate ” Even though Pilate tried to “wash his hands” of the death of Christ, it was under his authority that he determined Jesus was to be crucified by the Romans. The religious leaders of Israel, used the Roman government to do their dirty work in killing the Messiah. Ultimately there were alot of evil hands involved in the death of Christ, but God used it to fulfill His will and deliver us from our sins

One of the main evil participants was Judas Iscariot, who we talked about in depth previously. Now that Judas fulfilled his betrayal of Christ, it was time for him to get paid the 30 pieces of silver. If you think God is not in control, this was prophesied in Zechariah 11:10-17 

12And I said unto them, If ye think good, give [me] my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty [pieces] of silver. 13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty [pieces] of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD. 

And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day.Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me. Matthew 27:6-10

So why did the Apostle Matthew refer to Jeremiah when the prophecy was actually foretold by Zechariah? Is there actually a contradiction in the Bible? No, during the first century the scriptures were divided into three sections The Law, The Prophets, and The Psalms, this was confirmed by Jesus (Luke 24:44) When Matthew was referring to Jeremiah, he was referring to The Prophets section, which Jeremiah was traditionally the first book on the scroll

Jesus said “What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your soul” (Matthew 16:26) When Judas received his 30 pieces of silver, did it bring him happiness? No, he hanged himself on a tree. As Jesus foretold “It would have been better he was never born at all” (Matthew 26:24) 

Matthew 26- The Rooster Crowed

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Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.” 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 unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:69-75

 As we read previously, the religious leaders rejected the Messiah Jesus, but now comes the rejection from his own disciples. Imagine how Jesus felt, his hand picked disciples, who spent the past 3 years with him, ran for the hills once trouble came their way. Even though everyone abandoned Jesus, Christ never abandoned us, he still went to the cross to pay for our sins, because He loves us!

As Jesus prophesied, Peter would eventually deny Christ three times before the Rooster crows, meaning before the morning. Remember Peters first response “Lord I will never fall away” He was confident in his faith, however when persecution came, Peter failed and rejected The Lord three times. I’m sure there are times in our own walk, where we let The Lord down, but remember his response to Peter, after the resurrection Christ came looking for Peter!

Think about this from Peter’s perspective, he denied Jesus and then Christ went to the cross and died. Even though Jesus told his disciples multiple times that He would rise after 3 days, they didn’t seem to comprehend or remember his words. So Peter, feeling ashamed of how he responded to Christ, thought it was all over. Peter was probably unsure of what his next steps were in his life, he left everything behind to follow Jesus and then felt like a failure in the end

But image that glorious day, when Peter heard Jesus calling for him on the shoreline (John 21) Imagine the hope and joy Peter must have felt, to hear and know Jesus never left or forsake him. Jesus asked Peter three times “Do you love me” ? Isn’t it interesting how Peter denied Christ three times , then The Lord asks him if he loves him three times, redemption?

The fact is Jesus always knew Peter loved him, but gave him a chance to redeem himself. Jesus told him to “Feed My Sheep” Christ didn’t reject Peter for his failures, Christ forgave him and used Peter to build the Church (Acts 2, Matthew 16:18) 

Remember in your failures, Jesus is standing on the shore, with open arms never leaving or forsaken you! Amen

Matthew 26- Rejection of The Messiah

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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. 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. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? Matthew 26- 57-62

The religious leaders made-up a fake trial with false charges against Jesus, so they can justify to the people , to execute him. Imagine these men, who were the spiritual leaders of Israel, who dedicated their lives to studying the Word of God, are plotting to execute the Son of God. Satan has blinded them, and the hardness of their hearts and the scales over their eyes, they are working for Satan to kill the Messiah

Of course, Jesus is sinless, therefor they needed to create fake charges, they quoted Jesus when he said “Destroy this temple in 3 days, and I’ll raise it up” (John 2:19) Of course the religious leaders had no idea what Jesus was talking about, Christ was prophesying about his death and resurrection, which ironically they are fulfilling with their wicked deeds

But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? 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 unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?  Matthew 26:63-68

So the question was asked to Jesus “Are you the Messiah, the Son of God”? Jesus answered directly “Yes and You will see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds” obviously referring to Daniel 7, the religious leaders knew exactly who Jesus was saying He is, the Son of Man in Daniel. It’s clear by their response of charging Christ is Blasphemy , they understood what he was saying they rejected the Son of God

The religious leaders had witnesses many of Jesus miracles and heard many of his teachings, they had clear evidence that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, yet they still choose to reject him, why? Because the religious leaders didn’t truly love God, they loved their religion, their money, their power, they wanted a god in their own image

The hour has come for Christ to go to the cross, at the hands of wicked men, to pay for the sins of the world, defeating death and Satan forever! Amen!

Matthew 26- Brotherhood Betrayal

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And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him 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 unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. Matthew 26:47-50

The Hour has come for the Son of Man to be betrayed and killed at the hands of sinners. Jesus foretold this would happen to his disciples multiple times, but they didn’t understand at the moment. The son of perdition, Judas, came to betray his Lord for 30 pieces of silver, what does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your soul (Matthew 16:26)

Judas betrayed The Lord with a kiss, imagine the wickedness of Judas to betray Christ , it’s obvious Judas was never Born Again, it’s obvious he has no real love or understanding of who Jesus is. Satan has entered him, and used him to do evil for the Kingdom of Darkness. However the wickedness of this world was used for our eternal victory, as Jesus Christ , the Lamb of God, paid the atonement for our sins by the wickedness of this world

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 unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou 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 scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?  Matthew 26:51-54

When they went to seize Christ, Peter actually drew his sword and slashed, struck one of the High Priests servants and cut off his ear (John 18:10) Jesus rebuked him saying “Whoever lives by the sword, will die by the sword” Was Christ rebuking self defense? No, as Jesus said “the scriptures must be fulfilled” Jesus already knew he was going to the cross, to die for the sins of the world, this was being fulfilled by the wickedness of men

As Jesus said “ Don’t you think I can pray to my Father and he will send twelve legions of Angels”?  God is always in control, Christ willingly went to the cross to be the Lamb of God. Satan believed he defeated Jesus at the cross, but Christ actually defeated Satan, Sin, and Death forevermore!

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye 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. Matthew 26:55-56

Jesus said “All this was done, that the scripture of the prophets might be fulfilled” Everything Christ endured at the hands of evil men, was for your salvation! But notice the response of the disciples “the disciples forsook him and fled”

The scriptures have been fulfilled, Christ went to the cross for our sins and defeated Satan, Sin, and Death forevermore! Amen!