Read Matthew 26:30–46
Questions from the Scripture text: What did they sing (Matthew 26:30)? Where did they go? What did Jesus say would happen to them (Matthew 26:31)? On what basis (cf. Zechariah 13:7)? What will happen to Jesus (Matthew 26:32)? Then where will He go? Who answers (Matthew 26:33)? What adjustment does he make to Jesus’s prophecy? How does Jesus respond—what does He say that Peter will do (Matthew 26:34)? When? How many times? How does Peter respond (Matthew 26:35a)? Who else say this (verse 35b)? Where do they arrive in Matthew 26:36? What does Jesus tell them to do? What is He going to do? Whom does He take with Him (Matthew 26:37)? What does He feel? What does He say to the three (Matthew 26:38)? What does He tell them to do? Now where does He go (Matthew 26:39)? What does He do there? For what does He ask? To what does He submit? To whom does He return in Matthew 26:40? Which one does He address? What does He ask? What two things does He tell them to do (Matthew 26:41)? Why is this needed? Where does He go a second time? What does He pray? What does He do in Matthew 26:43? What does He find them doing? Why? How does He respond this time (Matthew 26:44)? Then what does He do? What does He do after is third season of prayer (Matthew 26:45)? What does e ask them? What hour does He tell them has arrived? What does He tell them to do in Matthew 26:46? Why?
Why was it impossible for the cup to pass from Jesus? Matthew 26:30–46 looks forward to the morning sermon in the holy assembly on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seventeen verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that it was impossible for Jesus not to drink the cup of wrath, because, in our sinfulness, we are exactly opposite His righteousness.
In this passage, we have Peter as a representative of all of the disciples (which each disciple reading this, should take to heart personally about himself), in striking contrast to the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus makes this point to us by “all of you” in Matthew 26:31, and the Spirit highlights this to us with “all the disciples” in Matthew 26:35. We are reminded that Peter was, indeed, special among the disciples, as he is one of the three that Jesus brings furthest into the moment of His agony (Matthew 26:37-38). The distinction between Jesus as Shepherd, and His disciples as sheep, is highlighted by the prophecy of Zechariah 13:7, and its fulfillment here (Matthew 26:31).
One of the most offensive aspects of pride shows clearly, with Matthew 26:33 following so quickly upon Matthew 26:31: it directly contradicts the Lord Jesus. He has told us the truth about ourselves throughout His Word. He tells us the truth about ourselves in Matthew 26:31. But pride says “I am strong” into the face of Him Who has warned us that our flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). Peter makes this all the more hideous by immediately doing it again in Matthew 26:35a. Praise be to Christ that He received every word of Scripture about what would come of Him. He would never contradict the smallest part of Scripture.
A second offensive aspect of Peter’s pride was that it led him to disdain the other disciples by comparison (Matthew 26:33). The Lord Jesus teaches him this lesson by making the prophecy of his stumbling very specific and public (cf. Matthew 26:34), then singling out Peter’s specific weakness in Matthew 26:40. This will be followed by the look that Jesus gives him upon the third denial, and the very public restoration in front of the other disciples (cf. John 21:15–23). Praise be to Christ that He is tender toward His little ones, esteeming them and looking out for their interests (cf. Philippians 2:3–4).
A third offensive aspect of Peter’s pride is that he does not feel his neediness of the Lord, nor does he cast himself upon the Lord by prayer. Praise be to Christ that He, though weak only through humanity and not weak through sinfulness, gave Himself to the exact praying and watching that He commended to them. Though their eyes were merely heavy (Matthew 26:43) from sorrow (cf. Luke 22:45), and He was exceedingly sorrowful to death (Matthew 26:38) and sweating like great drops of blood (cf. Luke 22:44), yet He watched and prayed.
This is exactly why Jesus’s prayer had to be answered not by the removal of the cup, but by submission to His Father’s will. Because it was not possible that we be saved in any other way but by Christ’s dying the accursed death of the cross. Indeed, the “cup” language indicates that it was the accursedness, the divine wrath, which so horrified Him (cf. Psalm 75:8, Revelation 14:10). Though He was properly horrified (it would have been wicked not to be) at the prospect of what He would endure, yet He was growing in submission and learning obedience (cf. Hebrews 5:8) with every “not as I will” (Matthew 26:39) and “Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42, Matthew 26:44). And we see that submission immediately in Matthew 26:46. For, this rising and going is not to escape the cross, but to go to it.
In what ways are you proud? How are you thus contradicting God’s Word? Whom do you treat as less than you, or less important than you? How are you experiencing, expressing, and growing in submission to the Lord? By what means are you keeping watch? By what means are you praying?
Sample prayer: Lord Jesus, please forgive us our pride. We praise You for Your humility, and we trust in You to be our righteousness. Remove our guilt by Your cross, and our ongoing sinfulness by Your resurrection, we ask in Your Name, AMEN!
Suggested Songs: ARP51A “God, Be Mercful to Me” or TPH270 “At the Name of Jesus”
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