Christ’s Death Ahead
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Matthew 26:1-16 gives a preview to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. First, God’s plan was revealed—“(Jesus) said to His disciples, ‘You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up
to be crucified.’” (vv. 1-2) This was the time chosen by God for Christ to die. It was His time: He was the One to which the Passover Lamb had always referred. The true Lamb of God would now take away the sin of the world. Second, man’s plot was hatched—“The chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him.” (vv. 3-4) It’s interesting that they decided “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.” (v. 5) They wanted to wait to kill Jesus, not because they were devout and it was Passover, but because they were afraid of the crowd’s possible response. However, they couldn’t control things; God’s chosen time had arrived. The betrayer stepped forward to do his deed—“Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.” (vv. 14-15) Third, Jesus’ death was prepared—“A woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head … (Jesus said,) ‘In pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.’” (vv. 7, 12) This does not necessarily mean that Mary was aware of the significance of her act. This was an act of pure worship, her heart having been moved by God to perform a sacrificial and symbolic act. What a powerful kick-off of the events leading up to the crucifixion of our Savior and Lord! John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
