Review
Theme of Matthew: “Behold your King is coming to you” (Zech.9:9; Mt.21:4-5) CHARTING THE COURSE FOR THIS STUDY Ø Review of Matthew 26 JESUS
IN GETHSEMANE The
enemies of Christianity have had a field day with Jesus’ grief and distress in
the Garden of Gethsemane. Porphyry – a Roman who lived in the 3rd
century AD and wrote 15 volumes entitled, Against
the Christian said, His
show of weakness in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to his arrest was disgraceful:
having preached fearlessness in time of persecution to his disciples, he
exhibited only fear and trembling at the moment of his capture. Modern commentator –
“Jesus does not in this scene embrace his death calmly as did
Socrates, or nobly, “willingly and generously” as did the Maccabean martyrs
(2 Macc 6:28, 19-20)” Islam Why is it that no one
in all history ever faced death as bravely as Jesus? THE SPIRIT IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK (Matthew
26:41; see Matthew 13:18-23; cf. Romans
8:4-17; Galatians 5:16–26) Mortification
abates [sin’s] force, but doth not change its nature. Grace changeth the
nature of man, but nothing can change the nature of sin….Destroyed it may be,
it shall be, but cured it cannot be….If it be not overcome and destroyed, it
will overcome and destroy the soul. -John
Owen The weakness of the
flesh leads to: The weakness of our flesh is so much a part of our experience that we might
simply take it for granted and not really think anything is spiritually
wrong! However strong a castle may be, if a treacherous party
resides inside (ready to betray at the first opportunity possible), the
castle cannot be kept safe from the enemy. Traitors occupy our own hearts,
ready to side with every temptation and to surrender to them all. -John Owen (1616-1683) The weakness of the flesh can also
mean that we are more __________________in our own strength and flesh than we
ought to be.
Q.195
of the Larger Catechism What do we pray for in
the sixth petition? In
the sixth petition, (which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver
us from evil, (Matt. 6:13)) acknowledging, that the most wise, righteous, and
gracious God, for divers holy and just ends, may so order things, that we may
be assaulted, foiled, and for a time led captive by temptations; (2 Chron.
32:31) that Satan, (1 Chron. 21:1) the world, (Luke 21:34, Mark 4:19) and the
flesh, are ready powerfully to draw us aside, and ensnare us; (James 1:14)
and that we, even after the pardon of our sins, by reason of our corruption, (Gal. 5:17)
weakness, and want of watchfulness, (Matt. 26:41) are not only
subject to be tempted, and forward to expose ourselves unto temptations,
(Matt. 26:69–72, Gal. 2:11–14, 2 Chron. 18:3, 2 Chron. 19:2) but also of
ourselves unable and unwilling to resist them, to recover out of them, and to
improve them; (Rom. 7:23–24, 1 Chron. 21:1–4, 2 Chron. 16:7–10)
and worthy to be left under the power of them: (Ps. 81:11–12) we pray, that
God would so over-rule the world and all in it, (John 17:15) subdue the
flesh, (Ps. 51:10, Ps. 119:133) and restrain Satan, (2 Cor. 12:7–8) order all
things, (1 Cor. 10:12–13) bestow and bless all means of grace, (Heb. 13:20–21) and
quicken us to watchfulness in the use of them, that we and all his
people may by his providence be kept from being tempted to sin; (Matt. 26:41,
Ps. 19:13) or, if tempted, the hour of temptation; (Eph. 3:14–17, 1 Thess.
3:13, Jude 24) or when fallen, raised again and recovered out of it, (Ps.
51:12) and have a sanctified use and improvement thereof: (1 Pet. 5:8–10)
that our sanctification and salvation may be perfected, (2 Cor. 13:7,9) Satan
trodden under our feet, (Rom. 16:20, Zech. 3:2, Luke 22:31–32) and we fully
freed from sin, temptation, and all evil, for ever. (John 17:15, 1 Thess.
5:23)
Was the trial of Jesus
hastily prepared? Why or why not? What was the only
thing that didn’t go according to the schemes and plots of the Sanhedrin? Why is the trial of
Jesus important? 1. Israel’s official/judicial
rejection of Jesus 2. The baton will pass from the
Jewish high priest, scribes and elders to the Apostles (see Matthew 16:16-19
with Matthew 26:64-65 and Matthew 21:33-45). 3. Jesus’ testimony before the
Sanhedrin is one of the greatest public claims Jesus made about Himself during
His life on earth. a. He affirms that He is the Christ
(see Psalm 2). b. He affirms that He is the “Son of
God.” c. Jesus claims to be the One Psalm
110 spoke of sitting at God’s right hand (cf.Acts 2:33–34; 5:31; 7:55–56; Rom
8:34; Eph 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; 1 Pet 3:22) d. He is the Son of Man Daniel saw
(Daniel 7:13). e. The high priest and the Sanhedrin
will see Jesus as the Christ, the
Son of God sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of
heaven. What is the irony of
the High Priest tearing his clothes?
(see Leviticus 21:10) What does the High
Priest find Jesus guilty of (v.65)? What is blasphemy? Why did the high
priest condemn Jesus of blasphemy? “clouds” – Geerhardus Vos writes, “In the
Old Testament such a coming is spoken of
only where something actually divine descends from the higher regions
to earth; in fact, the description is customary for the appearance of God Himself in theophany” (cf. Ps.18:10ff.; 97:2ff.; 104:3; Isa.19:1;
Nah.1:3; see also 2 Sam.22:12; Job 22:14; Ps.68:34) (Vos The Self-Disclosure of Jesus p.242). Who is guilty of
blasphemy?
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