Southern Christian University

Matthew, Mark, Luke & John

Class Session 11

James A. Turner

We begin tonight with the parable of the talents as recorded in Matthew chapter twenty‑five. I believe we said we would begin with verse fourteen. According to this parable, there was a man that was going into another country, and he called his servants, and delivered unto them his goods according to their ability to use. To one he gave five talents; to another two talents, and to another one talent; according to their ability to use them. And the five‑talent man took his talents and used them and so did the two‑talent man, but the one‑talent man took his talent and digged in the earth and hid his Lord's money. Verse nineteen, "After a long time the Lord of those servants cometh, and maketh a reckoning with them. And he that received the five talents came and brought the other five talents, saying, Lord, thou delivereth unto me five talents: Lo, I have gained the other five talents. His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant: Thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. And he also that received the two talents came and said, Lord, thou delivereth unto me two talents: Lo, I have gained other two talents. And his Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. And he also that had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou hast not shadowed: I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: And lo, thou hast thine own. But his Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that thou reap where I sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers, and then at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have an abundance: But from him that hath not even that which he hath shall be taken away. And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."

Note that the one‑talent man is not condemned because he had only one talent. The Lord had given to him, according to his ability to use, going back to verse fifteen, he is not called a wicked servant because he had only one talent. If he had used that one talent like the five‑talent man used his and like the two used his the Lord would have been well pleased. He just expected him to be able to gain only one talent with the one talent, and he would have been just as pleasing to his master as the others were. First this fellow did not have a good attitude. He reasoned that the Lord is a hard master. There are people today that do not have the right attitude toward God, and if a man does not have a good attitude toward God, he is surely not going to serve him well. Remember how in Hebrews 11:6, the writer says, For without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. A person has got to have a good attitude toward God, that God is a kind and benevolent God and that everything that he has instructed us to do is for our benefit. And whether we understand it or not, we should recognize that God knows, and we ought to go ahead and do as we have been instructed. Do you remember that that was what Paul was talking to the Philippian brethren about when he told them to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” as given in Philippians two, and I think that is around verse twelve. "And to do all things without murmuring and complaining: That ye may be as harmless children of God, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." And so Christians are in the world, in a wicked world. Every generation looks like it has been a wicked generation, but Christians can give light in those crooked generations for those who are ready to turn from the way of darkness and get in the way of right and light and follow the Lord. But this man has got a bad attitude. He said, I knew that thou art a hard man. And that is the way that many look on God today, that he is a hard God. But remember Jesus said in that great invitation, Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, for I am meek and lowly in heart. And ye shall rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Those people who think that God is a hard master, the longer they live with that stubborn and rebellious attitude toward him, the more that they will become a slave of all of those wrong things that they are doing. The way with them is stated in one passage, the way of the transgressor is hard. So those who go down the broad way, thinking they are going the easy way, well, it does not take much effort to go that way. But it is surely not going to be the easy way in the long‑term of things, but that way is going to be the hard way. "Secondly this man was afraid." And sometimes you find members of the church that are afraid. They are afraid to say that they will give so much to this cause or the other cause. They are afraid they cannot come through. Well, they could at least state a condition, if I am blessed as well as I am being blessed now, I will give so much. Sometimes there are those who just say we are a small church and we are poor people, and we cannot do this and we cannot do the other, and that is not a very good attitude. "I was afraid, and went away and hid thy talent in the earth: Lo, thou hast thine own. But the Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant."

So any person who does not use the talents that the Lord has given him in a good and right way, that servant is a wicked servant. And whether that pertains to the five‑talent man or the two‑talent man or a one‑talent man, if he does not use the ability that the Lord has given him and serve the Lord well with that ability, and just digs and hides his talent, then that man is going to become a slothful and wicked servant before the Lord. "But his Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not and gathered where I did not scatter: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the bankers and then at my coming I should have received back mine own with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents." Now, note the principle. "For every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have an abundance. But from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away." According to verse twenty‑nine, if a person uses properly the abilities the Lord has given him, his abilities will be increased. Those who do not use those natural abilities in the process of time will gradually lose them. I think some of us have witnessed that, and it is not always those high IQ persons that succeed in doing a lot of good things. Sometimes it is just those ordinary fellows who put fort a lot of effort to use their abilities that come through in a better way than some of those who we thought were geniuses. What made the difference? One put forth real consistent effort and the other did not. Christian people are to put forth good effort to use their talents in respect to the affairs of this life in making a living and surely in respect to serving the Lord at the same time. But that principle as stated there in verse twenty‑nine holds. It is God given, and it is not going to be changed, and all of us will do well to keep it in mind. The more that we put forth effort to learn to do, then the more we can do, and we need to be busy putting forth that effort from day unto day. As stated in regard to students, sometimes it is that ordinary fellow that stays in there and does his work consistently, and that accounts for the success of a lot of the preachers that we know. They are men who consistently study and put forth real effort to be able to present the word of God with a straight course. Those men end up doing a fine job in their teaching and preaching. And notice verse thirty that that one‑talent man who buried his talent is not only called a lazy and wicked servant, but look at verse thirty. "And cast ye out the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness: And there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." We have read that statement a number of times already in studying the gospel accounts which means that eternal place of outer darkness and that eternal hell as described in the scriptures. Why do you suppose the Lord let it turn on the one‑talent man? It may be because those with little ability may have the tendency to say I cannot do like others, so I will sit down and not try to do and if they sit down and do not try to do, then their abilities become less all the time. But that one‑talent man that gets out and uses that one talent, his talents will be multiplied. The parable teaches that a man's abilities can be increased. The computer for all of us is a little bigger than we sometimes think.

Beginning with verse thirty‑one, we have a reference where Jesus tells what is going to happen when he comes in the second advent. And we will be reading in the next chapter about when Jesus was before the Sanhedrin he told them that they would see him “sitting on the right hand of God and coming in the clouds of heaven.” And so we can join that with this reference here, “But when the Son of man shall come in his glory.” Well, remember he did not come in his glory when he came the first time, when he was born in Bethlehem. They had gone there to enroll for taxation, and Mary gave birth to Jesus, and evidently they were not even in a room because it says, “they wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,” a feeding trough for animals. But when he comes in his second advent, he is coming in his glory and all of his angels are coming with him. Are mortal men going to be among those angels who are going to come with the Lord when he comes in his second advent? I believe that question answers itself. "But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all the nations: And he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth sheep from the goats: And he will set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left."

So there will be a great separation when the Lord comes. How long do you think it will take for him to make that separation? Well, remember judgment day is spoken of as a day. And do you remember our reading from the sixth chapter of John a few weeks ago and how in that sixth chapter Jesus talked about raising up the righteous in the last day. So all are going to be judged in a short period of time when they stand before the Lord in judgment. Verse thirty‑one surely agrees with the reference in II Thessalonians 1:6 where Paul affirms, “ that it is a righteous thing with God to recompense affliction to them that afflict you.” Then he says, “and to you that are afflicted rest with us, at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he comes to be marveled at in his saints.” The Bible absolutely does not teach that there will be two different bodily resurrections. All are going to be raised at the same time, as we have already talked about from John 5:28‑29. The hour cometh when all that are in the grave shall hear his voice and shall come forth. They that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation. All are going to be judged at the same time, the righteous and the unrighteous. There is a great day coming as we sing in one song. And, again, call attention to Acts 17:30‑31 where Paul is speaking to those idolatrous people at Athens, he said, Those days of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commanded all men everywhere to repent in that he hath appointed a day. Not a month, or a week, but a day. He hath appointed a day in which he shall judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he has given assurance unto all men in that he has raised him from the dead. So the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the crowning miracle of all miracles. By that resurrection we have the assurance that all are going to be raised. And going back to the days of the prophet Daniel, the Holy Spirit said through him, “they that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2) Daniel 12:2 teaches essentially the same thing as Jesus taught there in John 5:28‑29.

I am somewhat amazed about verse thirty‑two, that the Lord is going to separate them one from another. “as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats.” Have you considered how much alike sheep and goats are? Does it not look like that they would interbreed? But you see how it still holds that sheep are sheep and goats are goats. And sheep are represented here as the righteous and the devil's servants as the goats. "And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me. I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? Or thirst, and gave thee drink? And when saw we a stranger, and took thee in, or naked, and clothed thee? And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of the least of these brethren, ye did it unto me." So, again, Christian people are to be a compassionate people. They are to be ready to assist and help those who are in need, and when they do they are doing it unto the Lord. The righteous wanted to know when the Lord was in those situations and they did those things to him. But notice the response that Jesus gave. "Inasmuch as ye did it unto the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me."

Verse forty-one. " Then he shall say unto them on the left hand." To the devil goats. "Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels." So the Lord has already prepared for the righteous and the unrighteous, he has prepared a place for the devil and his angels. And do you remember that both Jude and Peter in II Peter chapter two, that both of them speak about the angels that sinned? I am going to try to find from II Peter first. II Peter 2:4, "For if God spared not the angels when they sinned, but cast them down to hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." So there were angels that sinned and were cast down, and committed to pits of darkness to be reserved unto that judgment day that we are reading about in Matthew twenty‑five.

Let us turn next to Jude. Jude makes a similar statement, if I remember correctly. Maybe I am not remembering correctly. It is here. Verse six, "And the angels that kept not their own principality, but left their proper habitation, he hath kept in everlasting bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the great day." Do you remember from the sixth chapter of I Corinthians what Paul told the Corinthian brethren? Some of them were having lawsuits against each other, and that before unbelievers, and he shamed them for it. And he said, know ye not that you should judge the world and judge the angels. Are you not able to judge the smallest matters in the church? That puts judging angels along with judging the world. Well, why? The angels are free moral agents. God made them free moral agents, as taught by these verses very plainly. Here they did not keep their proper habitation. Evidently, Satan tried to exalt himself against God as set forth in the Revelation and was cast down. And the angels that “kept not their own principality” ‑‑ and I think this ties into the qualification of elders, as given in I Timothy 3:6, “not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil” And so it looks like Satan was filled with pride and tried to exalt himself against God, and he was cast down and those like angels with him were cast down and reserved unto judgment of the great day.

Back to 25:41, "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was hungry, and ye did not give me to eat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger; and ye took me not in: Naked, and ye clothed me not: Sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of these least, ye did it not unto me. And these shall go away into eternal punishment: But the righteous into eternal life." There are some in our society today that want to say no to there being such a thing as eternal punishment. They would reason that God is so good and so kind and so loving that there is just no way that he could condemn men to a devil's hell. Well, if that be the case, then eternal life is not eternal for the righteous, for the same verse that says that for the wicked, it will be eternal punishment, says for the righteous eternal life. I do not have mind enough to really contemplate eternity, but all of us can understand well enough that we ought not want to go to that terrible place of eternal punishment. And all of us should want and strive to go to that place of eternal life, that dwelling place not made with hands that the patriarchs wanted to go to. As stated in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, “God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.” If hell was just a matter of punishment for a short period of time, then that would not be so bad, but it is spoken of as “eternal destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (II Thessalonians 1:7-9). And here it is spoken of as eternal punishment.

Chapter Twenty-six

We are ready now to study about Jesus keeping the Passover with the apostles, and instituting the Lord's Supper. I hope you were able to receive the outlines that my wife sent you by e-mail. I am not sure whether she ever sent the last one or not, but the first one I know she sent it, The Sayings Of Jesus From The Cross. And the other one was The Six Trials Of Jesus. I think maybe she sent it, but I am not sure on that one. If she has not, maybe I will get around to thinking to remind her to send it to you. I would like to know whether or not you received the outlines. For sometime our computer was not receiving Email. We did receive Emails today. And my wife does not know why she was not able to receive Emails a day or two ago. Some were returned.

I guess the first thing we ought to do is to call attention, to the fact that Jesus kept that last Passover supper with his apostles before the actual time to keep that supper. I think from just reading from Matthew, Mark, and Luke we would think that he kept the supper at the regular time that they were to keep the Passover. It is the gospel of John that shows that they kept it before the regular time. John wrote a long time after the other three writers, and it looks like one of the things especially that he did was to make clear some things that are not made so clear, or are not recorded by the other three writers. John 18:28 reads, "Then led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium of judgment: And it was early; and they themselves entered not into the Praetorium, that they might not be defiled; but might eat the Passover." Jesus had already kept the supper with his apostles, and it had taken a little time for the Sanhedrin Court to go through a form of making out like they had tried him and found him guilty of blasphemy by his saying that he was the Son of God. Then they carried him early in the morning to Pilate, but they did not go into the Praetorian. I reckon they counted it would be sinful if they even entered into that place where there would be a Gentile governor and Gentiles in it. They themselves entered not into the Praetorian that they might not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

Remember also that they had taken counsel together, the chief priests and the elders had been planning to kill him for a long time, but they had decided that they would not do it during the Passover, lest it cause an uprising of the people. But when the hour came for Jesus to die, he died. And that time was the time when they were ready to start killing the Passover lambs, according to the instruction given in Exodus chapter twelve, when God instituted that first Passover supper. According to Exodus 12:6 they were to kill the lambs at even and the footnote in my American Standard Version says that the word even in the Hebrew means “between the two evenings”! Jesus died at 3 p.m. which was probably the beginning of the time that the congregation was to start killing the lambs for the Passover Supper.

Matthew 26:1, "And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples. Ye know that after two days the Passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified." Jesus had already told them on the way to Jerusalem, he took them aside and told them that in Jerusalem he would be tried of the chief priests and the elders and they would condemn and they would deliver him to the Gentiles and they would scourge him and crucify him. So Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen and told the disciples on several occasions about the things that would happen to him. So verse two again, "Ye know that after two days the Passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified. Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas." The Sanhedrin, the highest court of the Jews, comes together to take counsel as to what they are going to do with him. They are under Roman authority, and Annas, the high priest that we will be reading about in John, had put to death a person that the Roman government thought should not have been put to death, and they took the power of the death penalty away from the Jewish people. They did not have the right of the death penalty according to the Roman law. " And they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him." Now, notice verse five. "But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people." You remember how Jesus continued to talk about his time had not come, speaking of the time for him to die. But when that time came, he died, and God had planned that so that the time would be at the time they would be killing the Passover lambs to keep the Passover supper. And that Passover lamb, as you have seen from the outline, prefigured Christ, the Lamb of God dying upon the cross, and so he died at the very time the congregation would begin the killing of the lambs. "But they said not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people. Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, as he sat at meat. And when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose was this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. But Jesus perceiving it, said unto them. Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which this woman hath done, shall be spoken of a memorial for her." Now, we have the parallels about this. And John's parallel reads a little differently from the other gospel writers. Please turn to John the twelfth chapter, and we will read John's account. It will help us to have a better understanding of these others. "Jesus therefore six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raised from the dead." And that is recorded in chapter eleven of John. And John is the only one that records about the raising of Lazarus from the dead. "So they made him a supper there; and Martha served: But Lazarus was one of them that sat at meat with him. Mary therefore took a pound of ointment of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair: And the house was filled with the odor of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples that should betray him, saith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor. This he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag, took away what was put therein. Jesus therefore said, Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying. For the poor ye have always with you; but me ye have not always.." We will turn back and read from Matthew when our next period begins. (A brief was recess taken.)

Reading from Matthew twenty‑six beginning with verse six, "Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. When the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?" Now from John's account, we learned that Judas Iscariot was the first one that brought that complaint. He was not concerned about the poor, but he was a thief and he carried the bag and he took whatever was put in the bag. Do you think we can learn a lesson from this? I believe that we should. Quite frequently today, there will be somebody suggesting or doing a good work and some fellow who is really not excited about doing what they need to be doing will bring some criticism. And do you know that in nearly every case there will be others that will join in the criticism! Do you remember how that Barnabas and the others were carried away with the dissimulation of Peter when he would no longer keep company with the Gentiles, as given in the second chapter of the book of Galatians? We need to be on guard against wrong peer pressure. There are some brethren who bring criticism because they do not want the good work to take place. There are some in the church who do not want to see good works performed, and especially if they think that they are going to be called on to have a part in it or if they will be looked on in an unfavorable way if they do not have a part in it. A good lesson that we need to learn from this, Jesus came to her defense, and if we see that a person is bringing an unfounded criticism against a person who is doing that which is right and good, we need to defend that person. "Jesus said, Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always."

Do you remember the great society of President Johnson's Administration, how that according to some of the statements made by that administration they were going to see to it and wipe it out and that there would be no poor family in the land. Well, they forgot about the statement made here by Jesus, for you “have the poor always with you, but me you have not always.” Does not that still hold true? If you should take everything in the world and divide it up equally per person, I bet before the day was over some person would be poor. Others would have increased their wealth in a great measure, but others would have squandered it before the day was over. "She poured the ointment upon my body. She did it to prepare it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Where soever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also, which this woman hath done, shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." Now, this anointing of Jesus is by Mary the sister of Martha and brother of Lazarus, and please do not confuse it with the woman that anointed Jesus at a Pharisee’s house as given in Luke 7:36-50. It is an entirely different occasion, so do not try to confuse this Mary with her.

Matthew 26:14, "Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you?" See, Jesus defended what Mary had done. And then Judas goes to the chief priests and asks them what they will give him if he will deliver him to them. "And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver.." He evidently wanted cash. "They weighed it unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them. Now on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee to eat the Passover? And he said, Go into a city to such a man, and say unto him." I believe Mark and Luke both may say that you will see a man bearing a pitcher of water, but we will turn and read after awhile. "And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The teacher saith, My time is at hand; I shall keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus appointed them; and they made ready for the passover. Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat."

Now, do you remember from Exodus chapter twelve that the Passover feast that God instituted was instituted before the event that it was to commemorate? They were to kill the lamb and apply the blood of the lamb to the lentils and the doorposts of their houses, Exodus 12:7, and then verse thirteen God says, When I see the blood, speaking of the blood of the lamb, applied to the lentils and to the doorposts of their houses, I will pass over you. Do you remember that God smote the firstborn of man and beast and all the houses of the Egyptians at midnight. And there came the cry for them to immediately leave the land of Egypt, and they left in haste (Exodus 12:29-34).

Matthew 26:22, "And as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say, unto him, everyone, is it I, Lord? And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish." So Jesus identifies the one. "The same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth even as it is written of him: But woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! Good were it for that man if he had not been born. And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, is it I, Rabbi? He said unto him, Thou hast said. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the covenant." Do you remember from Hebrews 9:16-26 how that the writer talks about the first covenant was dedicated with animal blood, and it was necessary for the New Testament covenant to be dedicated with better things. It was dedicated by the blood of Christ. "For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins." The King James says for remission of sins. I think I have already emphasized this already, but be sure that you have good understanding of Matthew twenty‑six and twenty‑eight.

If for remission of sins means because of as some preachers tell their audiences then Jesus died, because their sins had already been forgiven. Young’s Analytic Concordance gives Eis as the Greek word for for in Acts 2:38, Matthew 26:28 and Mark 1:4 and Luke 3:1 and that the meaning is “with a view to”, and of course the meaning in each reference is with a view to receiving remission of sins. It was necessary for Jesus to die on the cross for his law to go into effect, and remember that reference in Hebrews 9:16-26. Matthew 26:29, "But I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." So the Lord's Supper was to be in the Lord's kingdom. And the kingdom was fully established on that first Pentecost, after the ascension of Christ, which always came on the first day of the week (Leviticus 23:15-22; Deuteronomy 16:12). Christ arose from the dead on the first day of the week (Mark 16:9), and he met with the apostles on the evening of that first day (John 20:19-23). The Holy Spirit was outpoured on the apostles on Pentecost which was the first day of the week (Acts 2:1-17) and Peter preached the first gospel sermon on that first day of the week (Acts 2:22-42), and about three thousand souls were added on that day (Acts 2:22-41). Jesus met with his apostles on the evening of that first day of the week when he was raised from the dead, and again when Thomas was not present on the evening of that second first day of the week. It is the day that Christ has made for us by his death and resurrection (Psalm 118:22-23) It is the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10) the day that he has commanded Christians to assemble to worship (I Corinthians 16: 1-2; 11:33; Acts20 :7; Hebrews 10:23-31). Let us be very faithful in doing so, and do according to the words of Psalms 118:23, “Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

But coming back to Matthew 26:28, “This is the blood of the Covenant which is poured out for many for remission of sins.” The Greek word is E‑I‑S, the same as used in Acts 2:38. and the other reference, but please keep in mind that there are thousands of people that from childhood on up, they have been taught that the Greek word for means because of, and they think that they absolutely are right in saying that people are to be baptized because they have already been saved. Well, it is the same Greek word as used here. If that be the case, then Christ died in vain. The Greek language is a very complicated language. Young's Analytical Concordance, gives more than forty Greek words that we use the English word for for. I do not have enough intelligence to become an authority on the Greek language even if my salvation depended on it. Some who have had only a few courses in Greek over a period of just a few years are ready to make decisions contrary to the better versions of the Bible. Such is dangerous! I immediately get skeptical, and I believe that you ought to too.

Matthew 26:30, "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives." Please let me state to you plainly, but kindly that every reference in the New Testament that speaks about the kind of music that we are to have in, Christian worship it is singing Matthew 26:30; Acts 16:25; I Corinthians 14:15; Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12; James 5:13; Revelation 5:8-9, 15:2-3). How can finite and mortal man know how to worship, an all wise and eternal God, who created the heavens and the earth and all things in, except by his instruction? God has never left man to grope in darkness about how he is to worship (Genesis 4:3-8; I John 3:12; Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17). God’s wrath is kindled when his people do something in worship that he has not commanded them to do (Leviticus 10:1-7; II Chronicles 26:14-21; II John 8-9).

Please check in a good encyclopedia and find out when instruments of music were first used in “so called” Christian worship. It was centuries after they were used during the days of that Pope in about the eighth century before they were used in the denominational churches of today, and a number of their outstanding leaders spoke out against the use of them in worship. As late as eighteen hundreds, Adam Clark, a great scholar and leader in the Methodist Church, spoke out against them in his comments on Amos 6:5. Actually he thought that the use of them was wrong. But the use of the instrument finally became very popular, and think of all the instruments that are used today. My uncle Chelcie Fikes, who was a Baptist preacher, would have spoken out against the guitars, drums, and all of those instruments that are being used today, but one departure from the Lord’s instructions nearly always, if not always leads to more. Brethren, we have some very dangerous things taking place in some of the churches of Christ.. There is no authority whatever with using a mechanical instrument of music today in worship. God has not authorized a mechanical instrument to be used in New Testament worship. Now, they did use mechanical instruments of music in the Old Testament religion, but they also had animal sacrifices under the Old Testament religion. Would it be right to kill a bull and pour out its blood around an altar and then burn it as a sacrifice on that altar instead of the Lord’s Supper on the Lord's Day? To ask the question is but to answer it! Verse thirty‑one, "Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye. (the apostles) shall be offended in me this night: For it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the shall be scattered." And that reference is from Zechariah 13:7. So there are just so many things that had been prophesied about Christ that had been prophesied by the Old Testament prophets. And do you see how Paul in his preaching in the synagogues of the Jews could take the Old Testament scriptures and show that Christ is the fulfillment of those scriptures, reason with them from the scriptures. So Zechariah, the Holy Spirit through him, said that Christ the chief shepherd would be smitten and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But notice, "After I am raised up I will go before you into Galilee."

And it must be that meeting that Paul speaks of in I Corinthians 15:5 is when Christ met with five hundred brethren at once during that forty day period, and Paul said that the most of them were still living when he wrote I Corinthians. Matthew 26:33, "But Peter answered and said unto him, If all shall be offended in thee, I will never be offended." And when we get to Mark's account, Mark's account shows that when Jesus told Peter that Peter got mad, that he was moved with indignation, I believe it says. So Peter was as sincere as he could be on that occasion. He did not intend to deny the Lord. But I think we all know what happened, and he denied the Lord three times. "Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter saith unto him, Even if I must die with thee, yet I will not deny thee." Now, we remember about Peter, but notice that the other apostles said the same thin, "Likewise said all of the disciples." And they all, when they came to take Jesus, turned and fled. "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee." Of course, they were James and John.

Remember why these disciples are frequently spoken of as the inner circle disciples, they were with him when Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead. They were with him when he was transfigured, and they are with him here in the garden when he goes further into the garden to pray. He prays three times that if it was the Father's will that the cup might pass, that he might not have to suffer that terrible death upon the cross of Calvary. "Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: Abide ye here, and watch with me." And we have a good song based on that. It is a good song to sing at the time of the Lord's Supper, but I do not remember the title of it. "And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could not ye watch with me one hour?" Now, why Peter? Peter had gotten mad when he told him that he would deny him. "What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." And that is a statement that all of us need to remember. We need to keep before us that we are in a body of clay and we all are weak. Would it not be right to say that we are somewhat prone to sin, but let us remember that the Lord has made a way of escape for us (I Corinthians 10:13). But even with that, the flesh is still very weak. Remember how in the sixth chapter of Galatians, Paul told that, “if any man be overtaken in a fault, ye who are spiritual restore such a one, and the spirit of gentleness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. Bearing ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

Matthew 26:42, "Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came again and found them sleeping: For their eyes were heavy. And he left them again, and went away, and prayed a third time, saying again the same words. Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hand of sinners. Arise and let us be going: Behold, he is at hand that betrayeth me. 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 the elders of the people." Now, remember they coveted together, and Judas is going to point Jesus out to them. They have a great multitude coming after them, and they are from the chief priests and the elders. "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 kiss, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, take him." Do you remember that reference when you read from one of the epistles of Paul where he said, “salute one another with a whole kiss?” Remember that a kiss can be everything but holy. We have the Old Testament case about Joab, the captain of David’s army how he was pretending to be Amasa’s friend and was in the process of kissing him when he thrust his sword through in cold blood murder( II Samuel 20:8-10; I King 2:5-7). "And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him. Friend, do that which thou art come? Then they came, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them that were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword." And that one was Peter. He had said that he was ready to die with him, but the Lord told him to put up his sword, that he that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword. "And behold, one of them that were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear." His name was Malchus, according to John's account. "Then saith Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Are thinkest thou that I cannot beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of angels? How then should the scripture be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" I believe I have read that a legion is three thousand, right? And twelve times three thousand is thirty‑six thousand angels. That would surely be enough angels. Note the question that Jesus asked, “How then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" A number of Old Testament references that said that Christ was going to die as a sin offering. And the primary one that I usually think of is Isaiah fifty‑three, because it details so many things about the death of Christ. A number of the Psalms talk about Christ and his death. And so Jesus recognized that the scriptures must be fulfilled. He had to die on the cross to fulfill all those Old Testament scriptures. Remember how he had said in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew five, I believe verses seventeen and eighteen, think not that I come to destroy the law of the prophets, I am come not to destroy but to fulfill. Jesus kept every provision of the Old Testament law perfectly, and when he died on the cross, he took it out of the way, as stated in Colossians 2:14, nailing it to his cross.

Matthew 26:55, "In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves who seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took me not. But all this has come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled. And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together." Notice that Matthew does not say anything about him being carried to Annas first, but John gives us that instruction. "But Peter followed him afar off unto the court of the high priest." And John tells about how that he was known to the high priest and went on in, but Peter stayed outside in the court and warmed himself at the enemies fire. "And entered in and sat with the officers. But Peter followed him afar off unto the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and the whole counsel, sought witnesses against Jesus, that they might put him to death; and they found it not: Though many false witnesses came." One of the writers says that they sought false witnesses, which, of course, is contrary to the rules of the court. "But afterward came two, and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." Jesus did not make any such statement. When they were seeking for a sign, he said destroy this temple, talking about the temple of his body, and he would raise it in three days. But he never said anything about destroying that great temple in Jerusalem of destroying it and rebuilding it in three days. "And the high priest stood and said unto him, answerest thou nothing. What is it which these witness against thee, but Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said." You said that I am the Son of God. And it looks like to me that he makes that statement several times, and he means by that statement, yes, I am. And the following part of the verse shows that to be the case. "Nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." You remember when Christ ascended, as given in Acts 1:10‑11, that he ascended in the clouds and angels were standing by in white apparel, and said to the apostles, why look ye up into the heavens, this same Jesus that has ascended shall so return in like manner. So Jesus ascendeth in a cloud, and he is going to return in a cloud. "Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his garment, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy." They counted it blasphemy, because he said I am the Son of God. "What further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is worthy of death." Now, notice what this court did. Boy, that is some court, is it not? "Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and some smote him with the palms of their hand, saying, prophecy unto us, thou Christ, Who is it that struck thee? Now Peter was sitting without in the court: And a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath, I know not the man. And after a little while they that stood by, came and said to Peter, of a truth thou art one of them: For thy speech maketh thee known. Then began he to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And straightway the cock crowed. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly." Well, do all of you know enough about chickens to know that the roosters crow before daylight? A little time before daylight the roosters start crowing. And Jesus had told him that before the cock crow, you will deny me thrice.

Let us turn now and read from Mark's account beginning with chapter fourteen. "Thereafter two days was the feast of the Passover, and of the unleavened bread: And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety and kill him. But they said, Not during the feast, lest there shall be a tumult of the people." So as recorded by Matthew, and Mark, they didn't plan to kill him during the feast. "And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper." And surely this is talking about the same thing that we read about from the twelfth chapter of John. "And while he was in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of pure nard, very costly; and she brake the box, and poured it over his head. There were some that had indignation." See, there is a little difference between Mark and Matthew. From Matthew it looked like all of them joined in, but Mark says that some had indignation. But it does not say anything about anybody defending Mary except Jesus himself. "But there were some that had indignation among themselves, saying, To what purpose hath this waste of the ointment been made?" And some people can really talk about wasting the Lord's money. Usually they are of those kind that are ready to keep the Lord's money in their own pockets and waste it! "For this ointment might have been sold for above three hundred shillings, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. But Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me.”

Mark 14:7, “For ye have the poor always with you." I believe this may be mentioned by all of them. Ye have the poor always with you. Mark it down the poor will be with us! "And whensoever ye will, ye can do them good: But me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: She hath anointed my body beforehand for the burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever the gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also was this woman hath done shall be spoken for a memorial for her. And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money." And you remember he wanted money. He wanted the money for that ointment, and he was going to take the money that the ointment would sell for. "He sought how he might conveniently deliver him unto them. And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples, said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and make ready that thou mayest eat the Passover? And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go unto the city." And here is one of them where it says you will see a man bearing a pitcher of water. "There shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: Follow him. And wheresoever he shall enter, say to the Master of the house." Those directions would not be hard to follow. When you go into the city, and you see a man bearing a pitcher of water, just follow him. And when you get to the house where he is going, say to the Master of the house, the Teacher saith, Where is my guestchamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? And he will himself show you a large upper room furnished and ready: And there make ready for us." And so a room had been prepared evidently by this person for Jesus to keep that Passover with his disciples. "And the disciples went forth and came into the city, and found, as had been said unto them, and they made ready the Passover. And when it was evening, he cometh with the twelve. And as they sat and were eating, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you shall betray me. Even he that eateth with me. And they began to be sorrowful, and say unto him, one by one, Is it I? And he said unto them, It is one of the twelve, he that dippeth with me in the dish." So Mark also specifies that Jesus identified Judas Iscariot as the one that betrayed him.

Mark 14:21, "For the Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: But woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! Good were it for that man if he had not been born. And as they were eating, he took bread, and when he blessed, he brake it, and gave it to them, and said, Take ye, this my body. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them: And they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Verily I say unto you, I shall no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." So not long again until the kingdom of God would be established. "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto the mount of Olives. And Jesus said unto them, All ye shall be offended for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered abroad. Howbeit after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee." Mark's account is very much like Matthew's account, but he does tell a few things different. He does tell about when you see a man bearing a pitcher of water, follow him. He does make some distinction there that not all of the apostles that entered into the criticism against Mary. But there were some, verse four, that had indignation. "When they sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives." Well, we read that. Verse twenty‑nine, "But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I." And remember the statement Jesus made to Peter, the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. Peter did not know how weak he was. "And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That thou today, even this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake exceeding vehemently." I got the word wrong awhile ago, "Exceeding vehemently." Boy, he was really stirred up. The Lord made him mad when he told him that before the cock crows twice you will deny me thrice. Peter was sincere. "If I must die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner also said they all." And Matthew stated that too, and they all fled too. "And they came to a place which was called Gethsemane: And he saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly amazed, and sore troubled. And he saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death: abide ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; remove this cup from me: Howbeit, not what I will, but what thou wilt. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And again he came and found them sleeping, (for their eyes were very heavy,) and they knew not what to answer him." I am inclined to sympathize with those apostles in the sense that a man can get so sleepy that he tries to stay awake, but it seems to be almost impossible. And I guess you have had some experience with that. And that is the reason some of us go to sleep when we are driving, we get so sleepy. "And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, take your rest: It is enough, the hour is come; behold the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us be going; behold, he that betrayeth me is at hand. And straightway, while he had spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders." And that would be the Sanhedrin court. The court was having him killed. "Now he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And when he was come, straightway he came to him and saith, Rabbi; and kissed him. And they laid hands on him, and took him. But a certain one of them that stood by drew his sword, and smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his ear. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against as a robber, with swords and staves to seize me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: But this was done that the scripture might be fulfilled. And they all left him, and fled. And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about him over his naked body; and they laid hold on him: But he left the linen cloth, and fled." Now, Mark is the only one that records what is in verses 51 and 52 there. Who do you suppose that young man was? "A certain young man followed with him, having a linen cloth cast about him over his naked body; and they laid hold on him: But he left the linen cloth, and fled naked." That does not sound very complimentary, does it? (A brief was recess taken.)

We were reading from Mark chapter fourteen verses fifty‑one and fifty‑two. And I may have gotten cut off before I completed what I wanted to say there. Mark must be talking about himself, since he is the only writer that records such a statement. It does not look very complimentary, but would he not want to let us know that it is on his mind. He got out of that linen cloth and ran and fled naked in verse fifty‑two. Cannot we appreciate him even more, the fact that he would record that, how that he was so afraid himself. "And they led Jesus away to the high priest: And there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders of the scribes. And Peter had followed him afar off even within into the court of the high priest. And he was sitting with the officers, and warming himself in the light of the fire." Do you remember Paul's statement in I Corinthians15:33, that evil companionship, corrupt good morals. You cannot spend a lot of time in the devil's camp and do what the Lord wants you to do. There were times when Jesus associated with publicans and sinners, and as long as it is in such a situation that we are influencing them for good, that is fine. But if it is the other way around, then we are likely to become very weak, and that happened in respect to Peter. If he had gone on in like John did, he might not have denied the Lord like he did.

Mark 14:55, "Now the chief priests and the whole counsel sought witnesses against Jesus." Now, notice that they sought for false witnesses to testify against him. They were determined to condemn him to death. That had been their goal for a long time. "Now the chief priests and the whole counsel sought witnesses against Jesus, put him to death; and found it not. For many bear false witnesses against him." I do not believe this is mentioned by Matthew. "And their witnesses agreed not together." And, of course, the witnesses, were to agree. If they did not agree, the person on trial was not to be judged guilty. "And there stood up certain, and bear false witness against him, saying, we heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands." And as I mentioned reading Matthew, Jesus had made no such statement. "And not even so did their witnesses agree together." And so they could not condemn him on the basis of any of the witnesses. "And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witnesses against thee?" Jesus knew they were going to kill him, and I think in the same way that Stephen knew that that court later was going to kill him. And he did not offer a defense, but he convicted that court. "But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am." So that is different from Matthew. Matthew said, “thou hast said,” but Mark said that Jesus said, “I am”, but both statements mean the same thing. "And Jesus said, And ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power." And that would be the right hand of God. "And coming with the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What further need have we of witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: What think ye? And they all condemned him to be worthy of death. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophecy: And the servants did receive him with blows of their hands. And as Peter was beneath in the court, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: And seeing Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and saith, Thou also wast with the Nazarene, even Jesus. But he denied, saying, I neither know, nor understand what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crowed." "And the maid saw him, and began again to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. But he again denied it. And after a little while again, they that stood by said to Peter, Of the truth art one of them: For thou art a Galilean, but he began to curse and to swear, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And straightway the second time the cock crowed. And Peter called to mind the word how that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crowed twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept." And Matthew said, “he went out and wept bitterly,” but both statements are true. Matthew’s is better for our understanding. We know that from Matthew’s that his weeping was truly genuine repentance. He wept bitterly because he knew what Jesus had told him had been fulfilled.

The Court came together in the morning, early in the morning. Now, they had condemned him to death during the night, but they come together again in the morning. Why? Chandler in his two books entitled, The Trials Of Jesus gives information about the Sanhedrin, that it was a rule of the Court that the Court was not to try a death penalty case at night. The members of that Court had violated the rule. They had met during the night and condemned him to death on the charge that he had committed blasphemy when he said he was the son of God.(Mathew 26:63-68; Mark 14:17; 14:61-65). It looks like the Court met again early in the morning to give what that wicked Court had done the appearance of legality. Now, let us turn to Luke's account and read his parallel. Luke chapter twenty‑two beginning with verse one, "Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover." The Passover came and then they were to not have any leavened bread in their houses (Exodus 12:14-15; Leviticus 23:4-8) . So it is called the feast of the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread. Exodus 12:11, 12:29-34 shows that they carried out their bread that night soon after midnight while it was unleavened. The cry came for them to leave immediately, and they went out with their bread unleavened. "And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people. And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the numbered twelve." And Satan is always ready to enter into any person who is willing for him to enter. You remember how Peter says, Be watchful, be vigilant, for your adversary, the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, whom resist steadfast in the faith (I Peter 5:8). A child of God can resist Satan, and Jesus did. If we follow him, then we will resist him, and James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” He will turn from us like he did Jesus. Luke 22:2, "And he went away, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver him unto them. And they were glad, and coveted to give him money. And he consented, and sought opportunity to deliver him unto them in the absence of the multitude. Then the day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and make ready for us the Passover, that ye may eat." So he sent Peter and John. "And say said unto him, Where wilt thou that we make ready? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall meet you a man there, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where unto he goeth, and ye shall say unto the master of the house, The Teacher saith unto thee, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished: There make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: And they made ready the Passover. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I shall not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Now, that is a different statement from what we read from the other. "For I shall not eat it until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

It would be fulfilled, he would die, he would be the Passover lamb, and so he institutes the Lord's Supper, and it would be in the kingdom of God. The Passover Supper was instated before the event that it was to commemorate and Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper before the event that it was to commemorate. "And he received a cup. And when he had given thanks, he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I shall not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." And that is like the others. "And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: This do in remembrance of me. And the cup in like manner after the supper saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. For the Son of man indeed goeth as it hath been determined. But woe unto that man, through whom he is betrayed! And they began to question among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there arose also a contention among them which of them was accounted to be the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles have a Lordship over them; and they that have authority over them are called benefactors." Let us come down to verse thirty‑nine. "And he came out, and went as his custom was, into the mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. nd he was parted from them about a stone's cast, and he kneeled down, and prayed, saying Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him."

I believe Luke is the only one that tells that, that there appeared unto him an angel strengthening him. "And being in agony he prayed earnestly: and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground. And Luke is the only one that tells that. And when he rose up from his prayer, he came unto the disciples, and found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, lest ye enter not into temptation." I want to make a comment on verse forty‑four. I remember a statement made by my late brother‑in‑law, Doris Brooks. He was in World War II and was in a tank division, and they got the word that the division that he was in was to move up to the front lines, that the other tanks had been knocked out. And, of course, he knew the great danger of that. And he said that sweat broke out on me in big thick welts. He was to some degree in the situation that Jesus was in here. Jesus was in great agony. He was in a fleshly body (John 1:14) and he would have to suffer on that cross like any other man. “And being in agony, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground. And when he rose up from his prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and said unto them, Why sleep ye? Rise and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." I believe that is a statement that is different from either of the others, found them sleeping for sorrow. Is that one of the ways that the human body helps us to meet great tragedies? I think so. He had told them about what was going to happen to him. Their sorrow may have caused them to be so sleepy. "While he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and he drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. And Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of God with a case?" I do not believe either one made that statement, betrayest thou the Son of God with a kiss. "And when they that were about him saw what would follow, they said Lord, shall we smite with the sword? And a certain one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and struck off his right ear." And so Luke says it was his right ear. You remember that he is a physician (Colossians 4:14), and he gets ever thing about the body straight. "And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye them thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. And Jesus said unto the chief priests and the captains of the temple, and the elders that were come against him, Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves? When I was with you in the temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against me; but this is your hour, and the power of darkness."

Do you remember John twelve and verse thirty‑one ‑‑ Well, we will read it. I cannot call it to mind right now. But, anyway, the devil's hour was when they put our Lord to death but he came forth from the tomb, with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2) for he abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (II Timothy 1:10) "This is your hour, and the power of darkness. And they seized him, and led him away, and brought him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the court, and had sat down together, Peter sat in the midst of them." So he is in the midst of the enemies' camp. "And a certain maid seeing him as he sat in the light of the fire, looking steadfastly upon him, said, This man also was with him. But he denied saying, Woman, I know him not. And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou also art one of them. But Peter said, Man, I am not. And after the space of about one hour, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this man also was with him: but Peter saith, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crowed." Is Luke the only one that records this? "And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord and how he said unto him, Before the cock crowe, this day thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out and wept bitterly." So those tears were real tears of repentance. The Lord looked at him. "And the men that held Jesus mocked him and beat him, and they blindfolded him, and asked him saying, Prophecy, who is it that struck thee? And many other things spake they against him reviling him, and as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people were gathered together, both chief priests and scribes, and they led him away from their counsel, saying, If thou art the Christ? Tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you ye will not believe: And if I ask you, ye will not answer. But from henceforth shall the Son of man be seated at the right hand of the power of God. And they said, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am and they said, What further need have we of witnesses? For we ourselves have heard from his own mouth." And they carried him then to Pilate.

Now let us try to find some of the parallels now in John. We read about the first few verses of John chapter twelve. Let us pick up with verse nine. "The common people therefore of the Jews learned that he was there." At the house where they prepared the feast for him, which is described by Matthew and Mark as Simon the leper's house. Do you guess that Jesus had healed the leprosy of Simon? The common people therefore of the Jews learned that he was there: And they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus, also, whom he had raised from the dead." When Jesus said to that stinking, decaying Lazarus, come forth, he came forth. "But the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus also to death; because by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus." So they are so determined that the way of Jesus is not going to be established,

and they were ready to even kill Lazarus. "On the morrow a great multitude that had come to the feast when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches and palm trees." Let us come down to verse nineteen. "The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Behold how we prevail nothing? Lo, the world has gone after him. And there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast: These therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus. Philip cometh and telleth Andrew. Andrew cometh and Philip and they tell Jesus. And Jesus answered hem, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man shall be glorified." And remember that the Lord had promised to glorify him again (John 12:28). "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone: But if it die, it beareth much fruit. He that loveth his life loseth it: And he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be." That surely is a good statement. My servants who are going to be with me. Sometimes in some of our smaller churches of only a few members, and some of them are missing for no proper reason, it tends to be discouraging, but we remember the words of Jesus, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the mist of them” and we need to remember this statement, “ where I am there shall also my servant be.” The first day of the week is the Lord’s day (Revelation 1:10). Jesus by his death and resurrection made this day (Psalms 118:22-23) as a day of worship for all Christians (Hebrews 10:18-36; I Corinthians 16:1-2, 11:33; Acts 20:7). All Christians are to assemble for worship on this day, and if they willfully do not assemble with the saints, they are trodding “under foot the son of God, and counting the blood of the covenant an unholy thing and doing despite to the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:28-29).” Please consider what a fearful thing it is for members not to assemble for worship on the Lord ’s Day. Not only should we assemble on every first day, but we “should rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:23) be glad that Jesus died to make atonement for us and to make this day a day of worship for us. "If any man serve him will the Father honor. Now is my soul troubled; and what shall thy say?" And this is different from the others. "Father, save me from this hour: But for this cause came I unto this hour." Jesus came to die that cruel death on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for sin, just like the Holy Spirit had said through Isaiah the prophet he would. "Father, glorify thy name there came therefore a voice out of heaven, saying, I have both glorified it." Do you remember when he was baptized of John the Baptist, the voice came from heaven then, and again when he was transfigured, he had glorified it twice. "And will glorify it again. The multitude therefore that stood by and heard it said that it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus answered and said, This voice has not come for my sake, but for your sakes. Now is the judgment of this world: Now shall the prince of the world be cast out." That is what I was trying to think of awhile ago. Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out, meaning that by his death he would bring to nought as stated in Hebrews 2:14 the power of the devil. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth." And this makes the third time that John records that Jesus talked about being lifted up on the cross. Remember the first one was John 3:14, “as Moses lifted up the serpent unto the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9), even so must the Son of man be lifted up.” And then John the eighth chapter, “when ye have lifted up the Son of man, then ye shall be that I am he.” And now this one. "Now is the judgment of this world: Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself." And we know by verse thirty‑three then, all three of those, he is talking about his death upon Calvary. "But this he said, signifying by what manner of death he would die. And the multitude therefore answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: And how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man? And Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light among you. Walk while ye have the light, let darkness overtake you not." Going back to the eighth chapter of John. Jesus says, I am the light of the world. And he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life,” and Jesus says, “walk while ye have the light." And it is talking about while I am here with you. "Believe on the light, that ye may be sons of light. These things spake Jesus, and he departed, and hid himself from them but though he had done so many signs before them, yet they believed not on him: That the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? And to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? For this cause they could not believe, for that Isaiah saith again, he hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should turn, and I should heal them." For many centuries the Jews had closed their eyes and ears from God’s instruction, and the time came when God was ready for them to be hardened. "These things saith Isaiah, because he saw his glory, and he spake of him. Nevertheless even of the rulers. And that would be those that were upper class leaders among them, and that included nearly all the members of the Sanhedrin, with but a few exceptions like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. "Nevertheless even of the rulers many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the glory that is of men more than the glory that is of God."

That is surely a good reference that you need to think of when you are talking to a person that has the idea that all it takes for an alien sinner is for him to believe on Christ or recognize that he is the Christ on the basis of the facts which show that he is the Christ. Many, as stated here in John, believed on him, but they did not confess him. Is the Lord going to save any person that will not confess him? The Bible teaches that he will not. Why did the rulers refuse to confess him? They did not want to be put out of the synagogue. They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. The Pharisees would have put them out of the synagogue. And they loved the praise and glory that is of men more than the praise and glory that is of God. "And Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me. And he that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me." Jesus was God in the flesh. Remember John begins his gospel book, In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the word was God, And so he that beholdeth me beholdeth him that sent me. In the beginning of the first chapter of Hebrews, the writer says that Christ is effulgence of his glory and the very image of his person. Jesus was a divine person in a fleshly body. And remember how that even in the book of Matthew that Jesus refers to himself thirty times as the Son of man.

John 12:46, "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me may not abide in the darkness. And if any man hear my sayings, and keep them, I judge him not: For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Do you remember from Revelation 20:12 that the books were open? And surely men of the Old Testament period will be judged by the word of the Old Testament, and those under the New Testament law by the word of the New Testament "For I spake not from myself, but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life: And the things therefore which I speak, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak." And we have already read from the first part of chapter thirteen, which is parallel to the others about the feast in Simon's house. Let us pick up with verse thirty‑one of chapter thirteen. "When therefore, he was gone out, Jesus saith , Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. And God shall glorify him in himself, and straightway shall he glorify him. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: And as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say unto you.”

John 13:34, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another." John has been described as the apostle of love, and he surely emphasizes the importance of love, and here he records that the Lord said a new commandment, give I unto you that ye love one another, even as I loved you. Jesus is the only one that hath loved in that way. And he said, by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another. And a church that shows great love toward all the members of the church, that church will grow in strength. Such love is the true badge of discipleship. Verse thirty‑five holds true, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." Do you remember that John is the only one that records that long discourse that Jesus gave the twelve apostles before he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, John chapters thirteen through sixteen, and then chapter seventeen is that prayer that Jesus prayed in which he asked God to glorify him again and asked that his disciples be united as he and the father were one that the world might believe.

Chapter Eighteen

Now, we pick up with John chapter eighteen. "When Jesus had spoken these things, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden, into which he entered himself." And John is the only one that mentions about the brook of Kidron. "And Judas, also, who betrayed him, knew the place: For Jesus oft times resorted thither with his disciples." I believe that is peculiar to John. "Judas then having received the band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons." Now, I do not believe any of the other ones mention lanterns, did they? "Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon him, went forth, and saith unto them, Whom seek ye?" And John is the only one that records that. I think I am thinking correctly. "They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him was standing with them. When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground." Do you remember when they had sent officers of the temple to take Jesus? And they came back and did not take him, and the officers said,” never a man so spake (John 7:44-45).” Strange things happen when people came into the presence of Jesus. And here his enemies are coming into his presence to take him, but when he said unto them, “I am he.” They went backward and fell to the ground. "Again therefore he asked them, whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I told you I am he: If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way. (the apostles) that the word might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of those who thou hast given me I lost not one. Simon Peter." John is the only one that tells us that it was Simon Peter that drew the sword and cut off the high priest's ear, Machus' ear.

John 18:10, "Simon Peter therefore having a sword drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servant's name was Malchus. Jesus therefore said unto Peter, Put up the sword into the sheath. The cup which the Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? So the band and the chief captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus, and bound him. And led him to Annas first; if he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year." Now, neither one of the other three mention their carrying Jesus to Annas first. But the fact that John records it, he could not be an inspired writer without telling the truth. But neither one of those three said that they carried him first to Caiaphas. They just said they carried him to Caiaphas. And John said they carried him to Annas first. Annas was the father in law to Caiaphas. "For he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year." According to the Old Testament law, it looks like that a high priest was to serve and as long as he was able to officially as a high priest. But the Roman government had put Annas out of office and had made, according to one account that I read, several of his sons to serve then as high priest. And now the son in law, Caiaphas, is serving as high priest, by the will of the the Roman government. But this indicates that the Jewish people still accounted Annas as the rightful high priest? And so they carried him to Annas first. "Now Caiaphas was he that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. (Christ). and Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple." Who is that other disciple? The apostle John. John speaks of himself in the second person, but John 21:20-24 show that John was talking about himself. "Now that disciple was known unto the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest. But Peter was standing at the door without. So the other disciple, who was known unto the high priest, went out and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. The maid therefore that kept the door saith unto Peter, Art thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith unto him, I am not now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals; and it was cold: And they were warming themselves. And Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his teaching. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret, spake I nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them: Behold, these know the things which I saith. And when he hath said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answereth thou, of the high priest. Jesus answered him, if I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: But if well, why smitest thou me?"

Now, when Jesus said turn the other cheek, compare that with this. Jesus said, if I have spoken evil, you testify against me. Bear witness of the evil. But if well, why do you do such a thing? "Why smitest thou me? Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest." What would Annas sending Jesus bound to Caiaphas signify to Caiaphas and the rest of the court? Would not that mean that I think this man ought to be put to death. "Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. And Simon Peter was standing and warming him. They said therefore unto him, Art now also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being a kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter therefore denied again: Straightway the cock crowed. They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the judgment hall: And it was early: And they themselves entered not into the judgment hall, that they might not be defiled; but might eat the Passover." Please highlight or underscore the latter part of verse twenty‑eight and make you a note sufficient to remind you that Jesus kept that Passover with his disciples before the regular time for the Passover. They had met ‑‑ He kept the Passover supper with his disciples and instituted the Lord's Supper on that occasion, and then he went into the garden and prayed three times. And then he was arrested by Judas leading that multitude sent by the chief priests and elders who seize him, and he is carried him to Annas during the night and then to Caiaphas, and the court condemns him to death. Then they meet again the next morning. And we will talk about that when we go over the outline. "They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the judgment hall: And it was early; and they themselves entered not into the judgment hall, that they might not be defiled; but might eat the Passover." If that is not evidence that the regular Passover had taken place, I do not know what it would take to make it evident. "Pilate therefore went out unto them, and saith, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an evil doer, we should not have delivered him unto thee. Pilate therefore said to them, take him yourselves and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. And that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should die." That means by crucifixion, the Jews usually stoned a criminal to death. Sometimes they hanged them, but the primary way that they put a person to death was by stoning. But the Romans crucified criminals, or at least that is one of the ways that they put criminals to death. And the other way, of course, was by the sword. "Pilate therefore entered again into the judgment hall, and called Jesus and said unto him, Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: What hast thou done? Jesus answered." And you surely need to remember this passage. You will do well to learn it by memory if you have not already. "My kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: But now is my kingdom not from hence." Do you think that Peter was somewhat undone when he had bravely drawn his sword and was ready to defend Jesus, and Jesus restored Malchus' ear and told Peter to put up his sword, and he that taketh the sword shall perish with the sword. We have just got twenty‑three seconds. So I guess we better count John 18:37 as our beginning place. And I think we will take time in this next class to go over those two outlines and discuss them. And I hope you will profit by studying from those outlines about The Sayings Of Jesus On The Cross and about The Six Trials, or The Six Arrangements Of Jesus. Thank you.