Reading from Matthew

I'll be reading this morning from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 26.

Matthew 26 · chapter mention

When Jesus had finished saying all these things,

!

While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the leper,

a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume,

which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.

Why this waste?

They asked.

This perfume could have been sold at a high price in the money given to the poor.

Aware of this, Jesus said to them,

Why are you bothering this woman?

She has done a beautiful thing to me.

The poor you will always have with you,

but you will not always have me.

When she poured this perfume on my body,

she did it to prepare me for burial.

Truly, I tell you,

wherever this Gospel is preached throughout the world,

what she has done will also be told in memory of her.

Then one of the twelve,

the one called Judas Iscariot,

went to the chief priests and asked,

What are you willing to give me

if I deliver him over to you?

So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.

From then on,

Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the festival of unleavened bread,

the disciples came to Jesus and asked,

Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?

He replied,

Go into the city,

a certain man,

to a certain man,

and tell him,

The teacher says,

My appointed time is near.

I'm going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.

So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

When evening came,

Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve.

And while they were eating, he said,

Truly, I tell you,

one of you will betray me.

They were very sad

and began to say to him,

one after the other,

Surely you don't mean me, Lord.

Jesus replied,

The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me

will betray me.

The Son of Man will go,

just as it has been written about him.

But woe to that man

who betrays the Son of Man.

It would be better for him

if he had not been born.

Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said,

Surely you don't mean me, Rabbi.

Jesus answered,

You have said it.

While they were eating,

Jesus took bread.

And when he had given thanks,

he broke it and gave it to his disciples,

saying,

Take and eat.

This is my body.

Then he took a cup,

and when he had given thanks,

he gave it to them,

saying,

Drink from it,

all of you.

This is my blood

of the covenant,

which is poured out for many

for the forgiveness of sins.

I tell you,

I will not drink from this fruit of the vine

from now on

until that day

when I drink it new with you

in my Father's kingdom.

When they had sung a hymn,

they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus told them,

This very night

you will all

fall away

on account of me.

For it is written,

I will strike the shepherd

and the sheep of the flock

will be scattered.

But after I have risen,

I will go ahead of you

into Galilee.

Peter replied,

Even if all fall away

on account of you,

I never will.

Truly, I tell you,

Jesus answered,

This very night

before the rooster crows,

you will disown me

three times.

But Peter declared,

Even if I have to die with you,

I will never disown you.

And all the other disciples

said the same.

Then Jesus went with his disciples

to a place called Gethsemane.

And he said to them,

Sit here

while I go over there

and pray.

He took Peter

and the two sons of Zebedee

along with him,

and he began

to be sorrowful

and troubled.

Then he said to them,

My soul is overwhelmed.

With sorrow

to the point of death.

Stay here

and keep watch with me.

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.

Then he returned

to his disciples

and found them sleeping.

Couldn't you men

keep watch with me

for one hour,

he asked Peter.

Watch

and pray

so that you will not

fall into temptation.

The spirit

is willing,

but the flesh

is weak.

He went away

a second time

and prayed,

My father,

if it is not

possible for this cup

to be taken away

unless I drink it,

may your will

be done.

When he came back

again,

he again found them

sleeping because

their eyes were heavy.

So he left them

and went away

once more

and prayed the third time

saying the same thing.

Then he returned

to the disciples

and said to them,

Are you still sleeping

and resting?

Look,

the hour has come

and the Son of Man

is delivered

into the hands

of sinners.

Rise,

let us go.

Here comes

my betrayer.

While he was still

speaking,

Judas,

one of the twelve

arrived.

With him was

a large crowd

armed with swords

and clubs

sent from the chief priests

and the elders

of the people.

Now the betrayer

had arranged a signal

with them.

The one I kiss

is the man.

Arrest him.

Going at once

to Jesus,

Judas said,

Greetings,

Rabbi,

and kissed him.

Jesus replied,

Do what you came

for,

friend.

Then the men

stepped forward,

seized Jesus,

and arrested him.

With that,

one of Jesus'

companions

reached for his sword,

drew it,

and struck

the servant

of the high priest,

cutting off his ear.

Put your sword

back in its place,

Jesus said to him.

For all who draw

the sword

will die

by the sword.

Do you think

I cannot call

on my father

and he will at once

put at my disposal

more than twelve

legions

of angels?

But how then

would the scriptures

be fulfilled

that say

it must happen

in this way?

In that hour

Jesus said

to the crowd,

Am I leading

a rebellion

that you have

come out

with swords

and clubs

to capture me?

Every day

I sat in the

temple courts

teaching

and you did

not arrest me.

But this

has all taken

place

that the writings

of the prophets

might be fulfilled.

Then all the

disciples

deserted him

and fled.

Those who had

arrested Jesus

took him to

Caiaphas,

the high priest,

where the teachers

of the law

and the elders

had assembled.

But Peter

followed him

at a distance,

right up to the

courtyard of the

high priest.

He entered

and sat down

with the guards

to see the

outcome.

The chief

priests

and the whole

Sanhedrin

were looking

for false

evidence

against Jesus

so that they

could put him

to death.

But they did

not find any,

though many

false witnesses

came forward.

Finally,

two came forward

and declared,

This fellow

said,

I am able

to destroy

the temple

of God

and rebuild

it in three

days.

Then the

high priest

stood up

and said

to Jesus,

Are you

not going

to answer?

What is

this testimony

that these

men are

bringing

against you?

But Jesus

remained

silent.

The high

priest said

to him,

I charge

you under

oath by

the living

God.

Tell us

if you

are the

Messiah,

the Son

of God.

you have

said it,

Jesus replied.

But I

say to

all of

you,

from now

on you

will see

the Son

of Man

sitting at

the right

hand of

the Mighty

One and

coming on

the clouds

of heaven.

Then the

high priest

tore his

clothes and

said,

He has

spoken

blasphemy.

Why do we

need any

more witnesses?

Look,

now you

have heard

the blasphemy.

What do

you think?

He is

worthy of

death,

they answered.

Then they

spit in

his face

and struck

him with

their fists.

Others

slapped him

and said,

Prophesy

to us,

Messiah,

who hit

you?

Now Peter

was sitting

out in

the courtyard

and a

servant

girl came

to him.

You

also were

with

Jesus

of

Galilee,

she said.

But he

denied it

before them

all.

I don't

know what

you're

talking

about,

he said.

Then he

went out

to the

gateway

where another

servant

girl saw

him and

said to

the people

there,

This

fellow

was with

Jesus

of

Nazareth.

He

denied it

again

with an

oath.

I don't

know the

man.

man.

After a

little while,

those standing

there went

up to

Peter and

said,

Surely you

are one

of them.

Your

accent

gives you

away.

Then he

began to

call down

curses and

he swore to

them,

I don't

know the

man.

Immediately a

rooster

crowed.

Then Peter

remembered the

word Jesus

had spoken.

Before the

rooster crows,

you will

disown me

three times.

And he

went outside

and wept

bitterly.

Early in

the morning,

all the

chief priests

and the

elders of

the people

made their

plans how

to have

Jesus

executed.

So they

bound him,

led him

away,

and handed

him over

to Pilate,

the governor.

When Judas,

who had

betrayed him,

saw that

Jesus was

condemned,

he was

seized

with remorse

and returned

the thirty

pieces of

silver to

the chief

priests and

the elders.

I have

sinned,

he said,

for I have

betrayed

innocent blood.

What is

that to us?

They replied.

That's your

responsibility.

So Judas

threw the

money into

the temple

and left.

Then he

went away

and hanged

himself.

The chief

priest picked

up the coins

and said,

it's

against

the law

to put

this

into

the

treasury

since

it's

blood

money.

So they

decided to

use the

money to

buy the

potter's

field as

a burial

place for

foreigners.

That's why

it has been

called the

field of

blood to

this day.

Then what

was spoken

by Jeremiah

the prophet

was fulfilled.

They took

the thirty

pieces of

silver,

the price

set on

him by

the people

of Israel,

and they

used them to

buy the

potter's

field as

the Lord

commanded

me.

Meanwhile,

Jesus stood

before the

governor,

and the

governor asked

him,

are you

the king

of the

Jews?

You have

said it,

Jesus replied.

When he

was accused

by the

chief priests

and the

elders,

he gave

no answer.

Then Pilate

asked him,

don't you

hear the

testimony

they're

bringing

against

you?

But

Jesus

made no

reply,

not even

to a

single

charge,

to the

great

amazement

of the

governor.

Now it

was the

governor's

custom at

the festival

to release

a prisoner

chosen by

the crowd.

At that

time,

they had a

well-known

prisoner whose

name was

Jesus

Barabbas.

So when

the crowd

had gathered,

Pilate

asked them,

which one

do you

want me to

release to

you?

Jesus

Barabbas?

Or

Jesus

who is

called

the

Messiah?

For he

knew it

was out

of self-interest

that they

had handed

Jesus over

to him.

While

Pilate was

sitting on

the judge's

seat,

his wife

sent him

this message,

don't have

anything to

do with

that innocent

man,

for I

have suffered

a great

deal today

in a

dream

because of

him.

But the

chief priests

and the

elders

persuaded the

crowd

to ask

for

Barabbas

and to

have

Jesus

executed.

Which

of the

two

do you

want me

to

release

to

you?

asked

the

governor.

Barabbas,

they

answered.

What

shall I

do then

with

Jesus

who

is

called

the

Messiah?

Pilate

asked.

They

all

answered,

crucify

him.

Why?

What

crime

has he

committed?

asked

Pilate.

But they

shouted

all the

louder,

crucify

him.

When

Pilate

saw that

he was

getting

nowhere,

but that

instead

an uproar

was starting,

he took

water and

washed his

hands in

front of

the crowd.

I am

innocent

of this

man's

blood,

he said.

It is

your

responsibility.

All the

people

answered,

his

blood is

on us

and on

our

children.

Then he

released

Barabbas

to them,

but he

had Jesus

flogged

and handed

him over

to be

crucified.

Then the

governor's

soldiers took

Jesus into

the praetorium

and gathered

the whole

company of

soldiers around

him.

They stripped

him and

put a

scarlet

robe on

him and

then twisted

together a

crown of

thorns and

set it on

his head.

They put a

staff in

his right

hand.

They knelt

in front of

him and

mocked him.

Hail,

king of

the Jews,

they said.

They spit

on him and

took the

staff and

struck him

on the

head.

Again,

and again.

After they

had mocked

him,

they took

off the

robe and

put his

own clothes

on him.

Then they

led him

away to

crucify him.

As they

were going

out, they

met a

man from

Cyrene

named

Simon,

and they

forced him

to carry

the cross.

They came

to a place

called

Golgotha,

which means

the place

of the

skull.

There

they

offered

Jesus

wine to

drink,

mixed with

gall.

But after

tasting it,

he refused

to drink

it.

When they

had crucified

him,

they divided

up his

clothes by

casting

lots.

And

sitting down,

they kept

watch over

him there.

Above

his head,

they placed

the written

charge against

him.

This is

Jesus,

the king

of the

Jews.

Two

rebels

were

crucified

with him,

one on

his right

and one

on his

left.

Those

who passed

by hurled

insults at

him,

shaking

their heads

and saying,

you who

are going

to destroy

the temple

and build

it in

three days,

save

yourself.

Come

down from

the cross

if you

are the

son of

God.

In the

same way

the chief

priests

the teachers

of the

law

and the

elders

mocked

him.

He

saved

others,

they said,

but he

can't

save

himself.

He is

the king

of Israel.

Let him

come down

now from

the cross

and we

will believe

in him.

He

trusts

in God.

Let

God

rescue

him

now

if he

wants

him.

For

he said,

I am

the son

of God.

In

the same

way the

rebels

who were

crucified

with him

also

heaped

insults

on him.

From

noon

until

three in

the

afternoon

darkness

came over

all the

land.

About

three in

the

afternoon

Jesus

cried out

in a

loud

voice,

Eli,

Eli,

Lema

sabachthani,

which

means,

my

God,

my

God,

why

have

you

forsaken

me?

When

some

of those

standing

there

heard

this,

they

said,

he's

calling

Elijah.

Immediately

one of

them ran

and got

a sponge.

He

filled

it with

wine

vinegar,

put it

on a

staff,

and

offered

it to

Jesus

to

drink.

the

rest

said,

now

leave him

alone,

let's

see if

Elijah

comes

to

save

him.

And

when

Jesus

had

cried

out

again

in a

loud

voice,

he

gave

up

his

spirit.

At

that

moment,

the

curtain

of the

temple

was

torn

in

two

from

top

to

bottom.

The

earth

shook,

the

rocks

split,

and

the

tombs

broke

open.

The

bodies

of

many

holy

people

who

had

died

were

raised

to

life.

They

came out

of the

tombs

after

Jesus'

resurrection

and went

into the

holy city

and appeared

to many

people.

When

the

centurion

and those

with him

who were

guarding

Jesus

saw the

earthquake

and all

that had

happened,

they were

terrified

and exclaimed,

surely

he was

the

son of

God.

Many

women were

there

watching

from a

distance.

They

had

followed

Jesus

from

Galilee

to

care

for

his

needs.

Among

them

were

Mary

Magdalene,

Mary

the mother

of

James

and

Joseph,

and the

mother

of

Zebedee's

sons.

As

evening

approached,

there came

a rich

man from

Arimathea

named

Joseph,

who had

himself

become a

disciple

of

Jesus.

Going

to

Pilate,

he asked

for

Jesus'

body,

and

Pilate

ordered

that it

be given

to him.

Joseph

took the

body,

wrapped it

in a

clean

linen

cloth,

and placed

it in

his own

new

tomb that

he had

cut out

of the

rock.

He rolled

a big

stone in

front of

the entrance

to the

tomb and

went away.

Mary Magdalene

and the other

Mary were

sitting there

opposite the

tomb.

The next

day,

the one

after

preparation

day,

the chief

priests

and the

Pharisees

went to

Pilate.

Sir,

they said,

we remember

that while

he was still

alive,

that deceiver

said,

after three

days,

I will

rise again.

So give

the order

for the

tomb to

be made

secure

until the

third

day.

Otherwise,

his disciples

may come

and steal

the body

and tell

the people

that he's

been raised

from the

dead.

This last

deception

will be

worse than

the first.

Take a

guard,

Pilate

answered.

Go,

make the

tomb

as secure

as you

know how.

So they

went and

made the

tomb

secure

by putting

a seal

on the

stone

and

posting

the

guard.

God