Two days before the Passover the chief priests and scribes seek to seize Jesus by deception. A woman anoints him for burial. Judas agrees to betray him. At the Passover meal Jesus institutes the new covenant in his blood. In Gethsemane he prays that the cup might pass, yet submits to the Father’s will. He is arrested, tried before the high priest, and confesses that they will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of the sky. Peter denies him three times.
1–11 It was now two days before the feast of the Passover and the unleavened bread, and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might seize him by deception, and kill him. For they said, “Not during the feast, because there might be a riot of the people.” While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this ointment been wasted? For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor.” They grumbled against her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want to, you can do them good; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for the burying. Most certainly I tell you, wherever this Good News may be preached throughout the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of for a memorial of her.” Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests, that he might deliver him to them. They, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. He sought how he might conveniently deliver him.
12–26 On the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover, his disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare that you may eat the Passover?” … As they sat and were eating, Jesus said, “Most certainly I tell you, one of you will betray me—he who eats with me.” … As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had blessed, he broke it, and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body.” He took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave to them. They all drank of it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. Most certainly I tell you, I will no more drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it anew in God’s Kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27–31 Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me tonight, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ However, after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee.” But Peter said to him, “Although all will be made to stumble, yet I will not.” Jesus said to him, “Most certainly I tell you, that you today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” But he spoke all the more, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” They all said the same thing.
32–42 They came to a place which was named Gethsemane. He said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I pray.” He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be greatly troubled and distressed. He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here, and watch.” He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.” He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Couldn’t you watch one hour? Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words. Again he returned, and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they didn’t know what to answer him. He came the third time, and said to them, “Sleep on now, and take your rest. It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise! Let’s get going. Behold, he who betrays me is at hand.”
43–52 Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came—and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely.” When he had come, immediately he came to him, and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!” and kissed him. They laid their hands on him, and seized him. … Jesus answered them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you didn’t arrest me. But this is so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.” They all left him, and fled.
53–65 They led Jesus away to the high priest. All the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes came together with him. … The high priest stood up in the middle, and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer? What is it which these testify against you?” But he stayed quiet, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” Jesus said, “I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky.” The high priest tore his clothes, and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?” They all condemned him to be worthy of death. Some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with fists, and to tell him, “Prophesy!” The officers struck him with the palms of their hands.
66–72 As Peter was in the courtyard below, one of the maids of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him, and said, “You were also with the Nazarene, Jesus!” But he denied it, saying, “I neither know, nor understand what you are saying.” He went out on the porch, and the rooster crowed. The maid saw him, and began again to tell those who stood by, “This is one of them.” But he again denied it. After a little while again those who stood by said to Peter, “You truly are one of them, for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” But he began to curse, and to swear, “I don’t know this man of whom you speak!” The rooster crowed the second time. Peter remembered the word, how that Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” When he thought about that, he wept.
Source: ebible.org
Two days before the Passover the chief priests and scribes seek to seize him by deception and kill him, but not during the feast, lest there be a riot. In Bethany a woman breaks an alabaster jar of pure nard and pours it on his head. Some are indignant at the waste. Jesus defends her: she has done a good work; she has anointed his body beforehand for the burying; wherever the Good News is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her. Judas goes to the chief priests to deliver him. The path to the cross is fixed. The anointing is for burial. The betrayal is arranged. The generation that will kill the beloved son is already in motion.
At the Passover meal he takes bread: this is my body. He takes the cup: this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many. He will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when he drinks it anew in God’s Kingdom. The new covenant promised in Jeremiah is inaugurated in his blood. The ransom for many (10:45) is about to be paid. The many are the people of the New Covenant, drawn from that generation and from the nations that will receive the Good News. The cup is the covenant. The cross is the pouring out. The Kingdom in which he drinks it anew is the Kingdom that is at hand and that will come with power within the lifetime of some who stand there.
In Gethsemane his soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Abba, Father, all things are possible to you; remove this cup from me; however, not what I desire, but what you desire. The disciples sleep. The hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. The will of the Father is embraced. The Scriptures will be fulfilled. All flee. The path that was predicted three times is the path that is now walked. The cup is not removed. It is drunk. The new covenant is sealed in the blood that is about to be poured out.
Before the high priest, false testimony is brought about destroying the temple. He stays quiet. Again the high priest asks: Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? Jesus: I am. You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of the sky. They condemn him as worthy of death. The confession is not only identity. It is a time-bound promise. The high priest and the council are told that they will see the Son of Man at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds. The same generation that condemns him is the generation that will see his vindication. The coming with the clouds is not deferred to a race that has not yet been born. It is the vindication and judgment that the Olivet Discourse has already located within the lifetime of that generation. The path of the cross is the path to the clouds of glory.
Peter denies him three times. The rooster crows the second time. He weeps. The word that predicted the denial is kept. The word that predicted the going before them into Galilee after he is raised will also be kept. The new covenant has been inaugurated in his blood. The Son of Man has been vindicated and has come with the clouds. We live under the finished covenant, drinking the cup of the Kingdom that he drinks anew with his own. The confession before the high priest — “You will see the Son of Man… coming with the clouds” — confirms that the coming was bound to the generation that condemned him.
The new covenant has been inaugurated in his blood. The Son of Man has been vindicated and has come with the clouds. We live under the finished covenant, drinking the cup of the Kingdom that he drinks anew with his own. The generation that condemned him has seen his session at the right hand of Power. We live in the age that followed.
How does the confession before the high priest — “You will see the Son of Man… coming with the clouds” — confirm that the coming was bound to the generation that condemned him?