matthew 26-28

January 9, 2008

Did Jesus really want to suffer and die?

Want to? No, not at all. But it wasn’t about him, and what he wanted. It was what the Father wanted. It was about fulfilling his purpose and having the resolve to see it through.

Whose ear was cut off in the garden of Gethsemane?

The servant of the high priest

Why were there swords present? Didn't Jesus ask them to bring swords? If Jesus could and would heal the high priests ear could he not have kept the enemies at bay? Did he need the swords?

What did Jesus' betrayer get for his efforts? What did he do with it? What did he do with himself? What was done with his reward for betrayal?

Judas received 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus into the hands of the religious leaders. Seized with remorse he threw the money into the temple and went out an hanged himself. The money was used to purchase a burial site to bury foreigners.

What caused Judas to be seized with remorse? Perhaps he too, thought that Jesus was a political messiah and he was working too slowly. By turning Jesus over to the religious authorities he may have thought he was forcing the hand of Jesus to make his move. When the plan blew up in his face and it appeared that Jesus was going to die, Judas, realizing he blew it is overcome with guilt by his mistake.

While the other disciples were not a part of this plot they were just as much a betrayer of Jesus as Judas! Weren’t they?

Did Pilate really want to execute Jesus? What did Pilate do to express where he stood in regards to Jesus' execution?

Pilate tried his best to put the decision of execution off to someone else..anyone else. Fearing for his position if the crowd got out of hand and Rome learned about it, he gives in and has Jesus executed. He attempts to absolve himself of guilt by "washing his hands of the situation." Note that Pilate’s wife has a dream....

What is the price we pay when we allow fear to temper our actions?

Where did Jesus meet the disciples after his resurrection? Where did he tell them and all his followers to go and what were/are they/we to do?