But He is in one mind, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth. Job 23:13 KJV.

How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11.

Our chapter, Matthew 26, is a long chapter. And all of eternity is coalescing into this time moving so swiftly. When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He said to His disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away – and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” v. 1-2. And the chief priests and elders are meeting at the home of Caiaphas, the high priest chosen by Rome, to plot how Jesus can be arrested secretly and killed. Time is running out. And against that backdrop, each gospel writer tells of the woman who came to worship Jesus and anoint His body for burial (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 10:38-42; John 11:17-45; 12:1-11). The timing, the setting and the name of the woman differs but not her act of worship. While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He was reclining at the table. When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me. When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” v. 6-13. And Judas’ heart turned away. He was eventually paid 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave, to deliver Jesus to the chief priests. We can speculate why but events continue. Jesus directs His disciples to go to a man whose house will be used for their Passover meal, v. 14-19. And now the final Passover meal with all of the disciples where Jesus tells them that one of them will betray Him. Even Judas asks Jesus, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” v. 20-25. The Passover was a special meal to commemorate their enslaved ancestors being saved from death with the blood of the sacrificed lamb smeared onto the doorposts of their homes in Egypt. A better commemoration is now given by Jesus. Remember the words of John the Baptist? “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the One I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ John 1:29-30. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from the fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”…Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ (Zech. 13:7). But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” v. 26-32. Now it’s happening so fast and the disciples can barely keep up. They can’t believe they would ever desert Jesus. Peter vehemently denies any possibility of him not following Jesus even unto death, and Jesus tells him that before the rooster crows this night, Peter will disown Him three times. And that is exactly what happened. I can only imagine the disciples wanting to slow events down so they could somehow take it in and be prepared for what they could not begin to comprehend. Now Jesus leads them to Gethsemane where He needs to be with the Father in prayer. Some He tells to stay in this first place, and Peter and James and John He tells to accompany Him a little further, but Jesus goes alone to pray after asking them to stay and keep watch with Him; and they try but the flesh is weak and they succumbed to sleep each time Jesus returns and asks them to keep watch with Him. His soul is in torment…Then He said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” Three times Jesus prays to the Father, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”…”My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”…”My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may Your will be done.” v. 36-44. But events are not to be stopped. Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes My betrayer!” v. 45-46. And Judas comes with a large armed crowd – the way of this world. He betrays Jesus to them with a kiss. The disciples are confounded and Peter tries to stop the events speeding forward by taking a sword and cutting the ear of servant of the high priest; and Jesus rebukes Peter and heals the wound. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” v. 52-54. I can imagine twelve legions of angels right there watching faithfully. And Jesus confronts the crowd…“Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture Me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest Me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” v. 55-56. And the disciples fled. Peter follows to the courtyard Caiaphas where he denies Jesus three times to the people gathered there. And inside Caiaphas’ home? False witnesses came forward but no claim worthy of death was found. Finally, two witnesses say Jesus said He was able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days. But that was not what Jesus said. “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days,” (John 2:19). His body would be destroyed. He would raise it again in three days. Finally Caiaphas asks Jesus directly, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Messiah, the Son of God.” “You have said so,” Jesus replied, “But I say to you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they answered. Then they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists. Others slapped Him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?” v. 63-68.

The hour had come. Everything changed. But one thing remains unchanged. The faithfulness of Creator God. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. The way of this world is the way of the idolatry of turning away from Creator God to go our own way without Him. And witness the result with the whole history of mankind…madness still today. And Creator God is faithful. His Love heals and restores and renews us to live with Him helping us to love Him and love one another. His love is so good! There is no other way.