Day 8

Reading: MATTHEW 26-28

Journal

After Jesus' fourth declaration on His coming suffering, death, and resurrection (26:1-5), the events began to unfold quickly beginning with Judas' betrayal (v14-16), the last supper (v17-29), predicting His disciples' desertion (v30-35), prayer at the Gethsemane garden (v36-46), His arrest (v47-56), Caiaphas' interrogation (v57-68), and Peter's denial (v69-75), all of which occurred within the Passover week.

Due to the nearness of the Passover feast, the religious court was illegally conducted in haste to condemn Jesus solely on the ground of blasphemy, because no wrong could otherwise be found despite having false witnesses taken to the stand. Under Roman law, the power of capital punishment could only be carried out by the Roman authorities, so Jesus was delivered to the governor of Judea who was then pressured to task by the incited mob. Matthew's account is the only one that recorded Judas' suicide (27:3-5).

The humiliation Jesus suffered at the hands of the Roman soldiers before His crucifixion is understandable, because they only recognized Caesar as king and no other—the idea of a messiah could never be tolerated. In the midst of jeers and frivolity from the refined religious leaders and rough rowdy solders alike, the Son of God poured out His life in love as the only Sacrifice that could satisfy Divine justice, tearing the Temple veil that separated sinful men from a holy God, while the earth beneath trembled under the awful weight of its Creator's sorrow over sin.

If Judas had understood, even in the final moment of betraying Jesus, how the Lord still called him 'Friend' (26:50), he would not have taken his own life in deep remorse. And if we understand the gravity of sin and what Christ went through to secure our ransom, we will not take sin so lightly in our lives, or carelessly neglect our walk and service to Him.

Hear the parting words and command of the resurrected Lord before His ascension to the Father's right hand to be our everlasting Advocate:

All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Ponder & Meditate

There are many who cast doubts on the veracity of Jesus' resurrection, citing the possibilities of the disciples stealing His body, that Jesus did not really die but self-resuscitated and made His way out of the tomb, or the disciples all hallucinated and imagined that Jesus had resurrected. What about you? Do you believe in the resurrection? How does that impact your life and relationship with your Savior?

The last words of a person are often very important and to be taken in all earnest seriously. Let us be faithful to the Great Commission until Jesus returns in glory. The door of service and opportunity is fast closing as we approach the eleventh hour; let us make full use of it while we still can.