Biblical Research Monthly
September 1946
An exposition of The Gospel According to Matthew
by David L. Cooper, Th.M., Ph.D., Litt.D.

 

The Olivet Discourse, found in Matthew, chapters 24 and 25, was delivered as our Lord sat upon the Mount of Olives on Tuesday evening of Passion Week, as we have already seen. When His labors for that day were over, He went out and started on His way to Bethany where during that time He was spending the nights. When He reached the summit of the Mount, He sat down and, as may be seen from Matthew 24:1-3, delivered the Olivet Discourse. When this discourse was completed, He made a further disclosure concerning His being delivered up to be crucified at the passover.
 

"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these words, he said unto his disciples, 2 Ye know that after two days the passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified. 3 Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas: 4 and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him. 5 But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among the people" (26:1-5).

Since this was Tuesday evening, and since the passover was to come after two days, it then was to begin on Thursday evening at sundown. When all the statements of the Evangelists are studied closely, one sees that they are in perfect agreement as to the time of the crucifixion.

The passover was instituted when Israel came out of Egypt. On that memorable night Israel slew the passover lamb and sprinkled the blood upon the doorposts and lintels. The promise of the Lord was that the death angel, when he passed over the land of Egypt that night, would pass over every house where the blood was sprinkled—"When I see the blood, I will pass over you." This lamb was typical of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul, in I Corinthians, chapter 5, speaks of Christ as "our passover" who has been slain. Our hearts have, figuratively speaking, been sprinkled by the blood of the Lord Jesus whom we have accepted. We are secure, then, behind His blood. It seems fitting that He should be crucified and give up His life for us at the passover season.

According to verses 3 and 4 the leaders of Israel planned to take Jesus by subtlety and kill Him. It seems that, on that very Tuesday when Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple, they were in session planning His arrest and crucifixion. According to verse 5, however, they were afraid to take Him during the feast lest there should be a riot among the people.
 

"6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, 7 there came unto him a woman having an alabaster cruse of exceeding precious ointment, and she poured it upon his head, as he sat at meat. 8 But when the disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? 9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. 10 But Jesus perceiving it said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. 11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. 12 For in that she poured this ointment upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her" (vss. 6-13).

Matthew and Mark give us the account of our Lord's being anointed when He was in the house of Simon the leper in Bethany. An examination of John's Gospel (John 12:2-8) shows that this Evangelist was speaking of the same occurrence. Some scholars, have thought, however, that this anointing was earlier than the one mentioned by Matthew and Mark. Rationalistic critics have said that there is a plain contradiction between the Synoptic Records and that of John. In John 12:1, mention is made of Lazarus in connection with our Lord's going up to Bethany six days before the passover. Since John mentioned Lazarus, and since he, together with his sisters, Martha and Mary, were at the supper, naturally John mentioned this incident in connection with his speaking of Lazarus, without intending to indicate any chronological order of events. Luke omits this item. The suggestion is made that he did pass over this event because he had mentioned a similar anointing of Jesus in Galilee much earlier in the ministry of our Lord. The two cases, however, are entirely different. One incident occurred in Bethany, near Jerusalem; the other in Galilee. The one was in the house of Simon the leper; the other in the home of Simon, the Pharisee. Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, a true character, anointed the head of our Lord for burial and also anointed His feet (John 12:3); in the other case, the one doing the anointing was a sinful, immoral woman of the city who anointed His feet with ointment. In the case of the anointing at Bethany the disciples complained about the waste; no such protest was registered at the other anointing. When all the facts are taken into consideration, it is clear that these are two different anointings, separated by space, time, and circumstances.

Evidently Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were people of some means; otherwise they would not have had such expensive ointment or perfume. But nothing was too good for the Lord in Mary's eyes. In all probability Martha and Lazarus acquiesced in her anointing of the Lord Jesus, for nothing is said of their making any protest.

But we are told that the disciples did reprove Mary for this seeming waste. We may be sure that Judas was the one who was loudest in his protest against her apparent extravagance. He wanted the ointment sold in order that the proceeds might be put in the common treasury of the party, from which he constantly stole money. The pretext was offered that the poor could have been helped. Some of the party may have been thoughtful of the poor, but the probabilities are that selfish interest entered into this protest.

Of all present Mary seems to have had the clearest insight into the significance of the development of events. She anointed Jesus in preparation for His burial. Although the disciples did not understand when He told them clearly that He would be crucified, nevertheless Mary seems to have understood this more perfectly than the rest. Hence she anointed His body.

"Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world," declared our Lord, "that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her." Unfortunately, most people want to put up memorials in the form of material objects that may be seen of men and may become a source of comment for people. Mary was not thinking of that type of memorial. What she did was performed in a spirit of love and devotion to her Master. The enduring monuments that will last throughout all eternity are those things that today are done for the Master in unselfish, unstinted service and to others. May the Lord enable each of us to erect monuments or memorials that will endure throughout all eternity.
 

"14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 and said, What are ye willing to give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them" (vss. 14-16).

In the accounts of Matthew and Mark Judas' bargaining with the Jewish authorities to sell his Lord for thirty pieces of silver is mentioned immediately after the record of the anointing of Jesus. Since Luke does not record Mary's anointing Jesus, and since he is usually chronological in his order, he follows the account of the plot on the part of the Sanhedrin to arrest Jesus after the feast with the record of Judas' bargain with the Jewish leaders. In Luke's account of Judas' bargaining, he tells us that Satan entered into the betrayer. This explains why it was that Judas performed such a diabolical act. But why did the devil enter into his heart? He can never enter a heart that is not yielded to him. Judas had, by his former life and actions, rendered his heart receptive to Satan so that, at the crucial time, he entered into Judas and caused him to perform this diabolical act.

Upon Judas' going to the chief priests and volunteering to betray Jesus, the authorities were delighted and offered him, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Zechariah 11:12, thirty pieces of silver. The scripture was literally fulfilled in this, as in all other cases, where the predictions are spoken in literal language.

We are told, in verse 16, that from that time on Judas sought an opportune time in which to deliver Jesus to His enemies. It seems that he went out from the banquet in the house of Simon the leper and made his evil bargain, which was on Tuesday evening. On Thursday evening he betrayed Jesus, who was immediately arrested. Thus during those two days intervening, Judas sought for the opportune moment.

Judas actually and literally betrayed his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. Doubtless many have proved traitors to the Lord Jesus on different occasions since then. It would be better not to have been born than to betray the Son of God. But many people today doubtless verge on the matter of betraying Him in times when it is not popular to stand for one's real heart conviction. But whoever is ashamed of Jesus in this wicked and adulterous generation, of him the Son of man will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of the Father with the holy angels.
 

"17 Now on the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Where wilt thou that we make ready for thee to eat the passover? 18 And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Teacher saith, My time is at hand; I keep the passover at thy house with my disciples. 19 And the disciples did as Jesus appointed them; and they made ready the passover" (vss. 17-19).

On the first day of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked Him if He wished them to make ready for Him to eat passover. Mark (14:12) tells us that on the first day of unleavened bread the passover was sacrificed. From all accounts it was sacrificed between the two evenings—three and six o'clock. Our Lord instructed Peter and John to go into the city and make the necessary preparations (Luke 22:8-12).

They were to enter the city; and, when they met a man carrying a pitcher of water, they were to follow him. Upon arrival at the house they were to say to the goodman of the house that the Master wanted to eat the passover there. They were also instructed to say: "The Teacher saith, My time is at hand; I keep the passover at thy house with my disciples." Peter and John did as they were instructed.
 

"Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples" (26:20). In this verse Matthew simply calls attention to our Lord's sitting and eating the passover with the Twelve. Mark makes the statement, "And when it was evening he cometh with the twelve" (Mark 14:17). Luke gives the fullest statement regarding our Lord's eating the passover, which is found in Luke 22:14-18; 24-30.

The next item found in the Gospel Records is our Lord's washing the disciples' feet. John alone tells us about this occurrence in John 13:1-20.

After Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, He foretold His betrayal by Judas. Matthew's account of the identification of the betrayer is found in the following words: "21 And as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say unto him every one, Is it I, Lord? 23 And he answered and said, He that dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born. 25 And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said" (vss. 21-25).

Mark's account is found in his Gospel in 14:18-21. In Luke the record is found in 22:21-23. John gives the fullest account of this incident (John 13:21-30). After Jesus had given the sop to Judas, he went out, leaving the Apostolic company and making contact with the Jewish leaders.
 

Following our Lord's identification of the traitor and his leaving the company, our Lord then foretold Peter's denial of Him. The following is Matthew's account of this prediction: "31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended in me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you into Galilee. 33 But Peter answered and said unto him, If all shall be offended in thee, I will never be offended. 34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 35 Peter saith unto him, Even if I must die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples" (vss. 31-35).

Mark's account of this occurrence is found in 14:27-31. The same thing is recorded in Luke 22:31-38 and in John 13:31-38.
 

"26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives" (vss. 26-30).

Chronologically, in all probability, the institution of the Lord's supper followed the prediction regarding Peter's denial. The reason for placing it here is that John, who gives us the fullest account of the events in connection with passover supper mentions our Lord's washing the disciples feet first. After this he records Jesus' identifying Judas as the traitor. He then follows this with a prediction concerning Peter's denial of Him. In connection with the statements of Matthew and Mark concerning the institution of the Lord's supper, is the one which tells that they, after they observed it, sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives. This statement seems to put the institution of the Lord's supper as one of the last things done while the Lord and the disciples were in the upper room. Following the singing of the song is the quiet talk of our Lord, found in John, chapter 14. At the conclusion of this, Jesus said, "Arise, let us go hence."

The Lord's supper is an institution to be observed in memory of Him till He comes. The loaf represents His body, which He gave for us, whereas the fruit of the vine symbolizes His blood which He poured out for the remission of our sins. The supper is a symbolic feast, of which we partake most joyfully in memory of Him. It is not, as some have supposed, a means of grace. It has a deep, spiritual significance in bringing to our minds and hearts what our Lord did for us. This observance is to continue until He comes.

Jesus in speaking of the loaf said, "This is my body" and of the fruit of the vine, "This is my blood." This language is either literal or figurative. It could not possibly under any conditions be literal because Jesus was still in His literal body when He uttered these statements. These elements are therefore symbolic and simply represent His body. This language is like that in Ezekiel 37:11, "These bones are the whole house of Israel." In vision Ezekiel had been shown a valley in which dry bones appeared. In interpreting this vision, the prophet said that these bones were the whole house of Israel. They could not have been this literally, but all the thought demands that we understand them as being symbolic of the house of Israel. The teaching that the loaf and the cup when blessed becomes the actual literal body and blood of Jesus is therefore fallacious, without an element of scriptural warrant.

According to the statement in the latter part of Acts, chapter 2, the early Jerusalem church partook of the Lord's supper every day. This they did, since the believers were ostracized by the inhabitants of Jerusalem and they had no occupation. They therefore spent their time in worshiping and praising God. Later on, as we see in Acts 20:7, it seems that the disciples met on the first day of every week to partake of the supper. There is a weekly meeting of the saints referred to in I Corinthians 16:1. In the sub-Apostolic days the Christians still met upon the first day of the week to worship the Lord Jesus. This is seen in Pliny's letter to Trajan the Emperor, written about 117 A.D.

People are to examine themselves and are to partake of the supper discerning the Lord's body until He come. This is a very sacred and solemn ordinance. Paul declared, "As often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death until he come" (I Cor. 11:26).

After Jesus and the Apostles left the upper room, where they had observed the supper, they went on their way towards Gethsemane. As they went, He had a quiet talk with them, which is recorded in John, chapters 15 and 16. Somewhere on the way before they reached the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed that great intercessory petition found in John, chapter 17. "When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden, into which he entered, himself and his disciples."
 

"36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto his disciples, Sit ye here, while I go yonder and pray. 37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and sore troubled. 38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: abide ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 42 Again a second time he went away, and prayed, saying, My Father, if this cannot pass away, except I drink it, thy will be done. 43 And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 And he left them again, and went away, and prayed a third time, saying again the same words. 45 Then cometh he to the disciples, and saith unto them. Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betrayeth me" (vss. 35-46).

When He entered Gethsemane, He took Peter, James, and John with Him and went forward a little distance from the rest of the Apostles. These three, the inner circle, He left and went about a stone's throw, where He fell upon His face and prayed that, if it could be possible, the Father would let the cup of suffering pass from Him. At the same time He added that He did not want to do His will, but the will of God only. Having thus prayed, He came to the three disciples and found them sleeping. He reproved them and asked, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour?" Then He went away the second time and prayed as He did the first and returned, finding them sleeping "for their eyes were heavy." He then left them and went away the third time, praying the same words. Finally, He came to them and said, "Sleep on now, and take your rest." It was too late for them to pray. About that time, Judas with the soldiers from the high priest were close at hand. He therefore said, "Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that betrayeth me."

It is impossible for any of us to realize the situation which existed there in the Garden. Jesus the Son of God alone, suffering the agonies of His coming execution, His very best, tried, and true friends, who had pledged their love and loyalty to Him, lying fast asleep and not realizing the significance of the occasion.