The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 26 Part 1 The Father's Plan Of Salvation For Us

Matthew 26:1-2  And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, 2  Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Jesus finished what is known as the Olivet Discourse and what happened in the next two chapters has to do with the events leading up to His death on the cross.

Jesus had been warning His disciples about the fact that He would be betrayed, suffer many things and die on the cross.

He would observe the Passover feast with His disciples and this timeframe connects with His teaching ministry in John 13 to 17.

Matthew 26:3-5  Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4  And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. 5  But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Most higher ranking Jewish religious leaders met together at the dwelling of a high priest named Caiaphas.

Notice how readily these men were willing to transgress the command God gave against murder! 

John's gospel contains a record of their evil schemes.

John 11:45  Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. 

You may recall from our study of John's gospel that chapter eleven is a narrative about the death of Lazarus and how Jesus raised him from the dead.

Many Jews had come to comfort Lazarus' sisters Mary and Martha, after the death of their brother.

They all saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead and were astounded.

However, while many Jews gave glory to God, some returned to Jerusalem and reported this miracle to the Pharisees.

This is what set their evil conference into motion.

John 11:47-48  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

Pharisees roused the chief priests to convene a council.

They believed that Jesus could no longer be ignored.

They were concerned that Roman officials would hear of Jesus miracles and respond by removing Israel's legal status and that they would lose their homes and be dispersed again. 

John 11:49-50  And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50  Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. 

Caiaphas was high priest and although he was an enemy of Christ, he was overruled by the Spirit of God who spoke a prophecy through this evil man.

The Spirit of God compelled Caiaphas to say that it was beneficial for the nation and the people, for Christ to die so that the nation does not perish.

Notice the exact wording: "that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."

John 11:51-52  And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 52  And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. 53  Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. 

The Spirit of God made Caiaphas speak these prophetic words, for the text tells us that "this he spake not of himself."

Thus, God's redemptive plan is brought into view as the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus.

Not only would Jesus die so that the nation would be spared, but He was going to die in order to save all Gentiles.

Prophetically, this was God's plan of salvation through the once for all sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ.

This is why John the Baptist spoke of Jesus as "the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world" (See John 1:29-36).

John 3:16-18  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

This love of God is the basis of our salvation. His vast love of immeasurable proportions moved God to plan for the sacrifice of His Son in eternity past.

Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, born of a virgin and the power of the Holy Ghost, such that Christ is fully human and fully God.

It was the very blood of God shed by Christ on the cross to atone for our sins (See Acts 20:28).

Hebrews 7:22-27  By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 

Jesus can save to the uttermost all who repent of their sins and call upon Him.

As an eternal High Priest, Jesus ever lives to intercede for us when we do sin and fail God.

His blood pleads for us and will always prevail over our sins.

He is our holy, blameless, sinless, undefiled High Priest whose death for our sins was once for all humanity for all time. 

Hebrew 9:11-12  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 

Christ obtained an eternal redemption for us by the shedding of His own blood.

Hebrews 10:9-14  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13  From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 

 Three times in this passage the writer of Hebrews makes us abundantly clear that Jesus' sacrifice was an eternal, once for all sacrifice.

Thus, evil men conspired to kill Jesus Christ the Son of God but in reality, they were carrying out the Father's plan of salvation established in eternity past.

Acts 2:22  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Acts 3:18  But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 

Listen to Peter preach his first sermon at Pentecost when Christ's church was birthed.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God was a man whom God authenticated as His Son.

He did many signs, wonders and miracles which thousands of Jews observed.

He was delivered up to be crucified by the predetermined counsel and foreknowledge of God.

As the hymn writer says "My Father planned it all" and this is true of Christ our Savior.

All humanity was represented by religious leaders who pushed for Christ's crucifixion, common Jewish people who cried out "Crucify him" and all Gentiles, represented by the Roman governor and soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross.

Thus, all humanity is guilty of killing Christ, but the grave could not hold Jesus, because He never sinned.

Death could not keep Christ dead because He died in our place, tasting death for us, that we might live through repentant faith in Him.

The Father predetermined His specific plan of saving sinners from their sins and eternal condemnation in the flames of Hell.

It was established in heaven, before God created anything and nothing could ever stop this perfect sacrifice of God's Son from happening.

We need to let these truths settle in our heart, to help us grasp the power of God's love and the depth of it.

The depths of God's love reaches out to the lowest sinner, to the vilest offender and says "Repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved!".

As we move into the gruesome details of Jesus betrayal, arrest, mock trial and sufferings, we must always remember, this is the Father's plan.

Jesus lived a perfect life on our behalf.

Jesus suffered in our place an He died on a cross for our sins.

He rose from the grave victorious over sin, death, Hell and the devil, for us!

Hallelujah what a Savior we have!

Bob