Matthew 26:1-16

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:1-16

Introduction

Does Anyone Know What this is?

It’s Called an Ossuary

Ossuaries are Small Wooden or Stone Boxes…

That are Used to Collect the Bones of a Deceased Person…

For Their 2nd Burial

1 Year After the First Burial…

When All the Soft-Tissue has Decomposed

They would Return to the Grave…

And Collect the Bones in an Ossuary

Then the Ossuary would Be Placed in a Cubbyhole…

In the Wall of the Tomb

This Specific Ossuary was Found Outside of Jerusalem in 1990

It Dates Back to the 1st Century AD (When Jesus Lived)

The Inscription on the Side of the Box Read:

“Joseph Son of Caiaphas”

Joseph Caiaphas was the High Priest…

Who Turned Jesus Over to the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate…

Who Sentenced Jesus to Death By Crucifixion

We have the Bones of the Greatest Jewish Authority of the 1st Century

The Man Who Plotted & Carried Out the Death of His & Our King

We’re Going to Read about that Plot this Morning

Matthew 26:1-16

Matthew 26:1–2 (NASB95)

1 When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, 2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion.”

“When Jesus had Finished All These Words”

This is Matthew’s Way of Telling Us…

That Jesus’ Teaching Discourse is Over

But this Time Matthew Added One Word

“All”

I Believe this is Matthew’s Way of Telling Us:

“This is the End of Jesus’ Last Teaching Discourse…”

“And the End of Jesus’ Ministry as a Whole”

In Matthew’s Gospel Account…

These Words Mean You’re Entering into a New Phase in Matthew’s Account

We’re Entering into the Final Phase:

The Arrest, Death, Burial, & Resurrection of Jesus

Jesus Turns to His Disciples…

And Tells Them One Last Time:

“I’m Going to Be Crucified”

But this Time He Adds One Heart-Wrenching Detail

“It’s Going to Happen in 2 Days”

This is Likely Either Tuesday or Wednesday

Jesus will Be Betrayed on Thursday…

And Will Be Crucified on Friday

Jesus is Going to Die During the Passover

That’s Not an Accident or Coincidence

It was All According to God’s Predetermined Plan

We’ll Talk More about that Next Week…

When We Look at the Institution of the Lord’s Supper

Matthew 26:3–5 (NASB95)

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; 4 and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. 5 But they were saying, “Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people.”

The Jewish Leaders are Trying to Figure Out…

How They can Kill Jesus

They Know They Can’t Do it Openly…

In Front of the Passover Crowds

So Many of Them Believe He’s the Messiah

They’ll Start a Riot

They’ve Got to Be Sneaky about this

It Might Be Best to Wait Until After the Passover…

When Most of the Jews in Jerusalem Go Back Home

But, as Jesus Already Said…

He will Be Crucified Before Passover is Over

God’s Will Always Prevails

Matthew 26:6–7 (NASB95)

6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, 7 a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table.

When was Jesus in Bethany at the Home of Simon the Leper?

John’s Account Tells Us that this was 6 Days Before the Passover

This Took Place the Day Before…

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Sunday

Why is Matthew Taking Us Back in Time?

All the Way to the Previous Saturday?

Because He Wants to Show Us…

How the Plot to Kill Jesus Fell Right in the Laps of the Jewish Leaders

It will Be an Act of Horrible Betrayal

But Before the Act of Betrayal…

Came an Act of Beautiful Devotion

What Happens at Simon’s House…

Perfectly Contrasts What Happens After

This will All Make Sense in a Few Minutes

First, Who’s Simon?

And Why are They Having Dinner with Him, a Leper?

By Law, Lepers were to Live “Outside the Camp”

They were to Live in Quarantine Away from Everyone Else

If Jesus & the Apostles are Having Dinner with Him…

That Implies that He is No Longer a Leper

He was Likely Healed By Jesus

John’s Account Tells Us that Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are There

They Also Lived in Bethany

John Tells Us that Martha is Actually Serving the Food

This May Imply that Martha Lived in Simon’s House

Some Believe this Points to Simon…

Being the Father of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

While Eating, a Woman Enters…

And Pours a Very Expensive Perfume Down Jesus’ Head

John Tells Us that the Woman is Mary

John Also Tells Us:

That She Didn’t Just Anoint His Head But Also His Feet

Then She Wiped His Feet with Her Hair

The Fragrance Filled the Entire House

The Fragrant Oil Cost Close to a Year’s Worth of Labor

To Anoint the Head of a Guest was Standard Hospitality of the Day

But to Anoint Someone with Very Expensive, Fragrant Oil…

Was Only Reserved for the Most Honored of Guests

This was a Massive Sacrifice to Make in Honor of Jesus…

But the Apostles aren’t Too Pleased with Her

Matthew 26:8–9 (NASB95)

8 But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, “Why this waste? 9 “For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”

All the Disciples (And Especially Judas, According to John)…

Were Very Upset with Her…

Even Scolding Her (According to Mark)

“Why would You Waste Such an Expensive Ointment?”

“How Many Poor People could We have Helped with that!?”

“What a Wasteful Thing You’ve Just Done!”

But Jesus Wasn’t Having Any of that!

He Puts Them in Their Place Real Quick

Matthew 26:10–13 (NASB95)

10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. 11 “For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12 “For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. 13 “Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her.”

“Leave Her Alone!”

“She Did a Good Work to Me”

What He Said Next can Be Misinterpreted if We aren’t Careful:

“You Always have the Poor with You; But You Won’t Always have Me”

Jesus isn’t Downplaying Being Generous to the Poor

He’s Quoting a Portion of a Passage in Deuteronomy that Says:

Deuteronomy 15:11 (NASB95)

11 “For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.’

The Law Says:

“There will Always Be Poor & Needy People…”

“So Always Be Generous”

Jesus isn’t Downplaying Generosity

He’s Simply Saying:

“You’ll have Ample Opportunity to Be Generous to the Poor”

“But You Only have a Few More Moments with Me”

“When She Poured this Perfume on My Body…”

“She was Preparing Me for My Burial”

Was that Her Motivation is Anointing Him?

Probably Not

She was Likely Anointing Him Out of Pure Devotion to Him

She was Anointing Him Because He’s the Anointed One

But Jesus Re-Interpreted Her Actions

“She is Anointing My Body for Burial”

“And She will Always Be Remembered for it!”

“Wherever the Gospel is Preached…”

“What She Did for Me will Be Spoken Too”

“You Call What She Just Did a Waste”

“But I’m Telling You This:”

“This Woman will Be Immortalized…”

“Because of Her Great Act of Loving Devotion to Me”

But Now Comes the Great Act of Betrayal

Matthew 26:14–16 (NASB95)

14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16 From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

The Jewish Leaders were Looking for a Sneaky Way…

To Arrest & Kill Jesus Without the Crowds…

Turning the Whole City Upside Down

Then, All Their Hopes & Dreams Come Falling Right into Their Laps:

One of His Closest Disciples Comes to Them…

Saying He’s Willing to Betray Jesus for the Right Price

They Offer 30 Silver Coins (Possibly Around 4 Months’ Wages)

The Same Amount You’d Pay to the Master of a Slave…

If Your Farm Animal Wounded/Killed Him

Judas Sold His Friend/Master/Savior/King…

For the Price of a Slave

The Climax of the Story of the History of the World…

Is Now Set in Motion

Application

One of My All-Time Favorite Preachers/Teachers…

Is Dan Winkler

A Few Years Ago He Preached a Sermon…

On the Text of Mary Anointing Jesus with Oil

He Titled it:

“Didn’t Mary Have Cheaper Perfume?”

I Want to Run with that Question for a Minute

Surely Mary had Cheaper Perfume than the One She Anointed Jesus with

Surely She had a Perfume that Didn’t Cost a Year’s Worth of Wages

Why Didn’t She Use a Cheaper Perfume?

This is Obviously a Question We weren’t Given an Answer to

But it Brings Up Some Good Things to Think About

She Believed Jesus was Worth the Great Sacrifice

She Didn’t Want to Settle for Anything Less Than Her Best

But What about Us?

Do We Give Jesus Our Best?

Or Do We Settle for Cheaper Perfumes?

Do We Believe Jesus is Worth Our Greatest Sacrifices?

Or Do We Give Him Our Leftovers?

Does He Get What’s Leftover of:

Our Love

Our Devotion

Our Time

Our Service

Our Energy

If We Truly Believe Jesus is Our Savior…

Then Doesn’t He Deserve Nothing Less than Our Best Praise?

If We Truly Believe Jesus is Our Lord/Master…

Then Doesn’t He Deserve Nothing Less than Our Best Devotion?

If We Truly Believe Jesus is Our King…

Then Doesn’t He Deserve Nothing Less than Our Total Allegiance?

But So Often, We Settle for Cheaper Perfume

And a Very Unfortunate Fact that Proved True for Mary is:

So Often in the Church…

You’re More Likely to Be Criticized When Giving Your Best…

Than When Giving Nothing at All

But Not By Jesus

Jesus Stands Up for Those Who Give Him Their Best…

And Honors/Praises/Rewards Their Efforts

And He Rebukes/Judges Those…

Who are Always Criticizing & Settling for Cheaper Perfume

If You’re Not Giving Jesus Your Best…

Start Today

Rededicate Yourself to Your Commitment as a Disciple of Jesus

If All You Ever Do is Criticize Those Who are Trying…

Then it’s Time for You to Step Up & Start Trying Yourself…

Or Leave

Jesus Doesn’t Need Moaners/Groaners…

Who Refuse to Lift a Finger for Him

Either Repent & Devote Yourself to Following Jesus

Or Stop Calling Yourself a Christian/Follower of Jesus

He Spits the Lukewarm Out of His Mouth

If You’re Trying to Give Jesus Your Best…

Keep it Up

Ignore the Criticizers

Jesus is Honored By Your Efforts…

And He’ll Defend You on the Day of Judgment

He’ll Reward You for Your Efforts/Sacrifices

He’ll Resurrect You & Give You Eternal Life in His Kingdom

In this Passage, We See 3 Groupings of People…

Preparing for Jesus’ Death:

The Jewish Leaders Plotting His Death

Mary Anointing Him for His Death

Judas Betraying Him to His Death

In this Passage, We See 3 Groupings of People…

Who are Remembered for Something:

The Jewish Leaders are Remembered for Killing Jesus

Mary is Remembered for Anointing Jesus

Judas Iscariot is Remembered for Betraying Jesus

In this Passage, We See 3 Different Categories of People

And Every Single One of Us Falls into One of These 3 Categories:

Those Who are Completely Against Jesus

Those Who Devotedly Serve Jesus

Those Who Turn Their Backs on Jesus

Which Category Do You Belong to?

Those Who Want Nothing to Do with Jesus?

Those Who are Fully Devoted to Jesus?

Or Those Who Claim to Be a Disciple of Jesus…

But haven’t Given Him Their Full Allegiance?

Are You Someone Who Looks at Jesus & Says:

“I’ll Give You My Best”

Or Someone Who Looks at the World & Says:

“What will You Give Me to Betray Jesus?”

Are You Someone Who Would Give Up Everything to have Jesus?

Or Someone Who would Give Up Jesus to have Everything?