As they were eating, Jesus stood up as if to give a toast, but instead, He went into a brief speech. This speech has turned into a special ceremony today. He first took the unleavened bread loaf on the table and blessed it.
Jesus then broke it up and He passed it to each of His disciples. He told them to take it and eat it because it represented His body! Then He took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to them to drink.
He told them to drink it all because it represented His blood of the New Testament that is shed for many for the remission of sins. Before they could drink, the LORD continued speaking, saying to them that He would not drink of this fruit of the vine from that moment forward, until the day when He drank it new with them in His Father’s kingdom.
Matthew 26 Reframe Part 2: Not My Will
They then proceeded to eat and drink the bread and wine. They also sang hymns as they went out into the mount of Olives. Looking out into the view of the city, Jesus said to His disciples, “Everyone will be offended because of Me this night.”
He continued, “because it is written, ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered abroad’.” Nevertheless, He went on to say, “After I have arisen again, I will go before you into Galilee.”
Peter zealously responded to that by saying, “Even though all men will be offended because of You, I would never be offended.” To which Jesus simply replied to Peter’s zealous response of a speech that in truth, before the cock crowed, Peter would deny Him three times.
Jesus Went to Pray Alone
Peter couldn’t believe it, and lowered his tone to that of one who is very serious, and said: “Even if I gotta die with You, I will not deny you, my Lord!” All the disciples chimed in, in agreeance that they would never deny the LORD.
They all kept walking and the LORD and His disciples came to a place called Gethsemane and when they got there Jesus wanted to pray alone. He told them all to stay at one place while He went to pray over by Himself.
However, He decided to take Peter and the sons of Zebedee with Him. As they separated from the rest of the disciples, Jesus began to get really really sad and sorrowful. His countenance changed and His demeanor got very heavy.
Remove this cup…
The LORD could be visibly seen sweating. He told them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful as if I am dying right now; please stay here with Me and keep watch.” He went a little further and fell down on His face and prayed.
He prayed to the Father saying, “O My Father, if it is possible if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, please; however, not my will, but as You will have it.” Jesus was begging the Father to have the salvation process done another way; He did not want to be brutally killed!
He returned to His disciples and He found them fast asleep. A bit annoyed, He said to Peter, “What’s up, you couldn’t watch out with Me one hour?”
Peter realized he’d fallen asleep was speechless. Jesus told him, “Watch and pray so you do not enter into temptation; the spirit is indeed willing to do right, but the flesh is weak.” The LORD told them He would go pray again and for them to keep watch.
Not My Will, but Thy Will…
He went away a second time and prayed to the Father. “O My Father, if this cup cannot be passed away from Me except I drink it, let Your will be done!” At this point, Jesus was sweating through His clothing.
Once again, when Jesus returned to His disciples He found them asleep; their eyes were heavy and it was late in the night, even beyond midnight. He didn’t bother to wake them this time, He just left a third time to pray alone.
He prayed the same words as before; “O My Father, if this cup cannot be passed away from Me except I drink it, let Your will be done!” As Jesus returned the third time to His disciples, once again finding them asleep, He woke them by saying, “Keep sleeping and take your rest.”
Disappointed He told them the hour is here and the Son of man is about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. “So get up and let us get going because the betrayer is on His way,” Jesus urged them.
…Where are you coming from?
While they were getting ready to leave, Judas approached them; he and a great multitude of men with swords and bats. Jesus and his disciples couldn’t see the multitudes at first, they only saw Judas.
The men with Judas were elders and soldiers of the chief priests; like a mob ready to pounce they hid in the thickets. Judas slowly approached Jesus and gave Him a kiss and said, “Hey my Master.”
This greeting and gesture was a sign to the chief priests, for them to identify Jesus. It was given by Judas as he tried to make it appear he hadn’t set Jesus up. Jesus said to Judas, “Hey my friend, where are you coming from?”
Jesus Goes with the servants of the chief priests
As Jesus asked Judas this, from behind the trees and thickets came the mob. They laid hold on Jesus and detained Him. One of Jesus’ disciples saw this and took out his sword and struck a servant of the high priest, slicing off his ear.
Jesus stopped and said, “Put away your sword into its holster, for those who take the sword, will also perish with the sword.” He told them and everyone listening that if He wanted He could get out of this situation.
“Do you think I cannot presently pray to the Father to send Me more than twelve legions or groups of angels,” the LORD asked them? A legion is a Roman military term which typically comprised of three to six thousand infantry soldiers, in this case, of angels and one to two hundred cavalry troops of angels.
The LORD Jesus could have summoned this from the Father to protect and Him? However, Jesus asked, “If I do that, how will the scriptures become fulfilled, which say all this must happen?”
Selah (based on 1 Chronicles chapter 1)
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Past Biblical Reframes <==========
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