Jesus Foretells the Destruction of the Temple, the Last Supper & Gethsemane
Jesus saw rich men putting their offerings in the offering box. He then saw a widow put in two small copper coins. Jesus declared that the widow had put in more than all of the others. He pointed out that they all gave out of their riches, but she gave all she had to live on.
One of Jesus' disciples commented on what wonderful stones and buildings there were. Jesus replied that one day, those stones would be thrown down. The disciples asked Jesus when this would happen, and what the signs would be when they were going to happen. He told them not to be led astray. Many would come in His name, saying they were Him and that the time had come. The disciples were not to follow them. They would hear of wars and tumults, but they were not to be afraid. These things needed to happen first. The end would not come all at once.
Jesus predicted that there would be great earthquakes, famines, and sickness. There would be terrors and great signs from heaven. Before all that happened, people would come for them and persecute them, taking them to synagogues and prisons. They would be brought before kings and governors for Jesus' name's sake. This would be an opportunity for them to bear witness. They would not have to worry about figuring out how to answer because the Holy Spirit would give them words and wisdom that none of their enemies could withstand or contradict. Their own family and friends would turn them in. Some of them would be executed. If they endured, they would live.
Jesus explained that they would see Jerusalem surrounded by armies and would know that it was about to be destroyed. The people in Judea would run away to the mountains, and those in Jerusalem would also leave. They were not to let the people in the country go into the city. There would be days of vengeance in order to fulfill the prophecy. People would fall by the sword and be taken as prisoners. Jerusalem would be crushed by Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles had been fulfilled.
Jesus revealed that there would be signs in the sun, stars, and moon. There would be great distress on earth because of the roaring sea and waves. People would faint with fear as to what was happening in the world. They would see the Son of Man—Jesus would come in a cloud in all of His glory. When this happened, they were to hold their heads up because their salvation was coming near.
Jesus then told them a parable. He instructed them to look at the fig tree. As soon as the leaves came out, they knew that summer was coming. Similar to that, when they saw all these things happen in the world, they would know that the kingdom of God was near. The current generation would not pass away before these things occurred. Jesus proclaimed that heaven and earth would pass away, but His words would not.
Jesus told the disciples that when the Son of Man would one day come in His glory, the angels would be with Him, and He would sit on His throne. All nations would be gathered before Him. He would separate the people like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He would place His sheep on the right and the goats on the left. The King would tell the ones on the right to come with Him because they were blessed. Jesus' followers were to inherit the kingdom that was prepared for them. He would say to them that when He was hungry, they had fed Him. When He was thirsty, they had given Him something to drink. When He was a stranger, they had welcomed Him. When He was naked, they had clothed Him. They would ask when they had done all of these things. He would answer them that when they had done it for the least of His children, they had also done it for Him. After Jesus had shared all of these things with the disciples, He informed them that the Passover was coming in two days, and He would be given up to be crucified.
The chief priests and elders gathered and plotted to arrest Jesus in order to kill Him. They knew that the people would not let them do this during the Passover.
Jesus was at Bethany in Simon the leper's house. A woman came to Him and anointed Him with very expensive ointment. She poured it on His head. The disciples saw this and asked her why she was wasting the ointment. They pointed out that she could have sold the ointment and given the money to the poor. Jesus wanted to know why they were troubling the woman. He said that what she was doing was beautiful. The poor would always be with them, but He would soon leave. He remarked that by doing this, she was preparing Him for burial. Jesus declared that this woman would be remembered whenever the gospel was told.
Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, went to the chief priests. He asked them what they would give him if he gave them Jesus. They paid him thirty pieces of silver. Judas then began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
The disciples came to Jesus and asked Him where they should go to have a Passover meal prepared. He instructed them to go into the city to a certain man. They were to tell the man that the Teacher had said that His time was near and that He would keep the Passover with His disciples at the man's house. The disciples obeyed Jesus and prepared the Passover meal.
In the evening, Jesus was at the table with His twelve disciples. Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. They began to ask if it was them. Jesus answered that the one who had dipped his hand in the dish with Him would betray Him. He would have to follow what was written, but great sorrow would come to the one who had betrayed Him. The exchange between Jesus and Judas is recorded in Matthew 26:24-25 (ESV®): "'It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.' Judas, who would betray him, answered, 'Is it I, Rabbi?' He said to him, 'You have said so.'"
Jesus was eating with the disciples. He took bread and blessed it. He broke it and gave it to the disciples. Jesus said to take the bread and eat it, and that this was His body. He then took the cup, and when He gave thanks, He gave it to the disciples. He told them to drink, and that this was His blood of the covenant, which would be poured out for the forgiveness of the sins of many.
They all sang a hymn and then went to the Mount of Olives. Jesus said that they would all fall away from Him on that night and leave Him. After He was raised, He would go before them to Galilee. Peter replied that he would never fall away or leave Jesus, even if the rest of them would. Jesus told Peter that before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny Him three times. Peter insisted that even if he faced death, he would not deny Jesus. All of the other disciples said the same.
After this, Jesus and the disciples went to a place called Gethsemane. He told them to sit down while He went to pray. He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him. He said that He felt great sorrow and requested that they stay there and keep watch. He went a little further along and prayed. He asked God if this could pass from Him, but if not, He asked that God's will would be done. When He returned, the disciples were sleeping. He asked Peter why he could not stay awake to keep watch for even one hour. He again instructed Peter to watch and told him that the spirit was strong, but the flesh was weak. Jesus prayed again in a similar way, wanting the suffering to pass but ultimately submitting to God's will. He came back, and the disciples were asleep again. He went away and prayed again, saying the same words. He returned and told the disciples to sleep later because the hour was at hand, and He would be betrayed. He told the disciples to rise and come with Him.
While Jesus was speaking, Judas approached Him with a group of men carrying swords and clubs. This group had been sent by the chief priests and elders. Judas approached Jesus and kissed Him, calling Him "Rabbi." Judas had already agreed on this kiss as a sign that would indicate that Jesus was the one to be arrested. Jesus told him to do what he had come there to do. The men came up and grabbed Jesus. Simon Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of the men. Jesus had him put the sword away and warned him that those who lived by the sword would die by the sword. He asked Peter if he did not know that if He chose to, He could call for His Father's help, and legions of angels would respond. The disciples then ran away.
The men that had arrested Jesus took Him before Caiaphas, the high priest. The scribes and elders had gathered. Peter followed behind them to the courtyard of the high priest. The council was seeking false testimony against Jesus but could not find any. Two witnesses came forward and stated that this man had claimed that He could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Caiaphas asked Jesus if He had anything to say about this accusation. Jesus said nothing.
Caiaphas urged Jesus to tell them if He was the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus replied that he had said so and that they would see the Son of Man on the right side of Power in heaven. Caiaphas tore his robes and announced that Jesus had blasphemed. He asked what the people's judgment was. They answered that Jesus deserved to die. They spit in Jesus' face and hit Him. They mocked Him by asking who had hit Him.
Peter was sitting outside, and a servant girl came to him. She recognized that he had been with Jesus. He told her that he did not know what she meant. He left the area, and another servant girl said to the people around that he had been with Jesus. He denied being with Jesus again. One of the bystanders remarked that he had to be with Jesus' group because his accent gave him away. Peter began to curse and say that he did not know Jesus. All of a sudden, a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had foretold, and he cried.
Jesus saw a widow putting coins into the offering box and said that she was giving more than all of the others because she was giving all that she had. Jesus foretold the temple's destruction and the coming events up until the day of judgment. Jesus then told the disciples about the final judgment. The chief priests and elders plotted the arrest and killing of Jesus. Jesus was at Simon the leper's house, and a woman began to anoint Him with oil. The disciples rebuked the woman, saying that she could have sold the expensive oil and used it to buy food for the poor. Jesus replied that she was anointing Him to prepare Him for His burial.
Jesus and the disciples gathered together for a Passover meal. Jesus predicted that one of His disciples would betray Him. Jesus then gave the Lord's Supper, where He used bread and wine to symbolize His coming sacrifice. Jesus also foretold Peter's denial of Him. Jesus went to Gethsemane and prayed there. He was arrested there when Judas kissed Him and used this to identify Him to the chief priest's servants.
Jesus was taken to the council of the chief priest. The chief priest questioned Him. The people condemned Him for blasphemy. Peter had followed Jesus and was asked three times about his being a follower of Jesus. He denied Jesus three times, just as Jesus had known he would.
Application and Reflection
Dread is a feeling we all have from time to time. When Jesus was praying at Gethsemane, there was a certain feeling of dread because He knew what was going to happen. Even in His darkest hour, our Lord gave us an example to live by. He asked God if this could pass from Him, but then He said that the will of the Father was more important. We learn from this that we can pray for bad things to be taken from us, but God's will and purpose take priority.
The ultimate betrayal was the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. Most of us will be betrayed by someone at some point during our lives. It will usually be by someone we love and trust, just as it was with Jesus. Jesus handled this betrayal with grace. How would you handle betrayal?
Jesus saw rich men putting their offerings in the offering box. He then saw a widow put in two small copper coins. Jesus declared that the widow had put in more than all of the others. He pointed out that they all gave out of their riches, but she gave all she had to live on.
One of Jesus' disciples commented on what wonderful stones and buildings there were. Jesus replied that one day, those stones would be thrown down. The disciples asked Jesus when this would happen, and what the signs would be when they were going to happen. He told them not to be led astray. Many would come in His name, saying they were Him and that the time had come. The disciples were not to follow them. They would hear of wars and tumults, but they were not to be afraid. These things needed to happen first. The end would not come all at once.
Jesus predicted that there would be great earthquakes, famines, and sickness. There would be terrors and great signs from heaven. Before all that happened, people would come for them and persecute them, taking them to synagogues and prisons. They would be brought before kings and governors for Jesus' name's sake. This would be an opportunity for them to bear witness. They would not have to worry about figuring out how to answer because the Holy Spirit would give them words and wisdom that none of their enemies could withstand or contradict. Their own family and friends would turn them in. Some of them would be executed. If they endured, they would live.
Jesus explained that they would see Jerusalem surrounded by armies and would know that it was about to be destroyed. The people in Judea would run away to the mountains, and those in Jerusalem would also leave. They were not to let the people in the country go into the city. There would be days of vengeance in order to fulfill the prophecy. People would fall by the sword and be taken as prisoners. Jerusalem would be crushed by Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles had been fulfilled.
Jesus revealed that there would be signs in the sun, stars, and moon. There would be great distress on earth because of the roaring sea and waves. People would faint with fear as to what was happening in the world. They would see the Son of Man—Jesus would come in a cloud in all of His glory. When this happened, they were to hold their heads up because their salvation was coming near.
Jesus then told them a parable. He instructed them to look at the fig tree. As soon as the leaves came out, they knew that summer was coming. Similar to that, when they saw all these things happen in the world, they would know that the kingdom of God was near. The current generation would not pass away before these things occurred. Jesus proclaimed that heaven and earth would pass away, but His words would not.
Jesus told the disciples that when the Son of Man would one day come in His glory, the angels would be with Him, and He would sit on His throne. All nations would be gathered before Him. He would separate the people like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He would place His sheep on the right and the goats on the left. The King would tell the ones on the right to come with Him because they were blessed. Jesus' followers were to inherit the kingdom that was prepared for them. He would say to them that when He was hungry, they had fed Him. When He was thirsty, they had given Him something to drink. When He was a stranger, they had welcomed Him. When He was naked, they had clothed Him. They would ask when they had done all of these things. He would answer them that when they had done it for the least of His children, they had also done it for Him. After Jesus had shared all of these things with the disciples, He informed them that the Passover was coming in two days, and He would be given up to be crucified.
The chief priests and elders gathered and plotted to arrest Jesus in order to kill Him. They knew that the people would not let them do this during the Passover.
Jesus was at Bethany in Simon the leper's house. A woman came to Him and anointed Him with very expensive ointment. She poured it on His head. The disciples saw this and asked her why she was wasting the ointment. They pointed out that she could have sold the ointment and given the money to the poor. Jesus wanted to know why they were troubling the woman. He said that what she was doing was beautiful. The poor would always be with them, but He would soon leave. He remarked that by doing this, she was preparing Him for burial. Jesus declared that this woman would be remembered whenever the gospel was told.
Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, went to the chief priests. He asked them what they would give him if he gave them Jesus. They paid him thirty pieces of silver. Judas then began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
The disciples came to Jesus and asked Him where they should go to have a Passover meal prepared. He instructed them to go into the city to a certain man. They were to tell the man that the Teacher had said that His time was near and that He would keep the Passover with His disciples at the man's house. The disciples obeyed Jesus and prepared the Passover meal.
In the evening, Jesus was at the table with His twelve disciples. Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him. They began to ask if it was them. Jesus answered that the one who had dipped his hand in the dish with Him would betray Him. He would have to follow what was written, but great sorrow would come to the one who had betrayed Him. The exchange between Jesus and Judas is recorded in Matthew 26:24-25 (ESV®): "'It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.' Judas, who would betray him, answered, 'Is it I, Rabbi?' He said to him, 'You have said so.'"
Jesus was eating with the disciples. He took bread and blessed it. He broke it and gave it to the disciples. Jesus said to take the bread and eat it, and that this was His body. He then took the cup, and when He gave thanks, He gave it to the disciples. He told them to drink, and that this was His blood of the covenant, which would be poured out for the forgiveness of the sins of many.
They all sang a hymn and then went to the Mount of Olives. Jesus said that they would all fall away from Him on that night and leave Him. After He was raised, He would go before them to Galilee. Peter replied that he would never fall away or leave Jesus, even if the rest of them would. Jesus told Peter that before the rooster crowed, Peter would deny Him three times. Peter insisted that even if he faced death, he would not deny Jesus. All of the other disciples said the same.
After this, Jesus and the disciples went to a place called Gethsemane. He told them to sit down while He went to pray. He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him. He said that He felt great sorrow and requested that they stay there and keep watch. He went a little further along and prayed. He asked God if this could pass from Him, but if not, He asked that God's will would be done. When He returned, the disciples were sleeping. He asked Peter why he could not stay awake to keep watch for even one hour. He again instructed Peter to watch and told him that the spirit was strong, but the flesh was weak. Jesus prayed again in a similar way, wanting the suffering to pass but ultimately submitting to God's will. He came back, and the disciples were asleep again. He went away and prayed again, saying the same words. He returned and told the disciples to sleep later because the hour was at hand, and He would be betrayed. He told the disciples to rise and come with Him.
While Jesus was speaking, Judas approached Him with a group of men carrying swords and clubs. This group had been sent by the chief priests and elders. Judas approached Jesus and kissed Him, calling Him "Rabbi." Judas had already agreed on this kiss as a sign that would indicate that Jesus was the one to be arrested. Jesus told him to do what he had come there to do. The men came up and grabbed Jesus. Simon Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of the men. Jesus had him put the sword away and warned him that those who lived by the sword would die by the sword. He asked Peter if he did not know that if He chose to, He could call for His Father's help, and legions of angels would respond. The disciples then ran away.
The men that had arrested Jesus took Him before Caiaphas, the high priest. The scribes and elders had gathered. Peter followed behind them to the courtyard of the high priest. The council was seeking false testimony against Jesus but could not find any. Two witnesses came forward and stated that this man had claimed that He could destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Caiaphas asked Jesus if He had anything to say about this accusation. Jesus said nothing.
Caiaphas urged Jesus to tell them if He was the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus replied that he had said so and that they would see the Son of Man on the right side of Power in heaven. Caiaphas tore his robes and announced that Jesus had blasphemed. He asked what the people's judgment was. They answered that Jesus deserved to die. They spit in Jesus' face and hit Him. They mocked Him by asking who had hit Him.
Peter was sitting outside, and a servant girl came to him. She recognized that he had been with Jesus. He told her that he did not know what she meant. He left the area, and another servant girl said to the people around that he had been with Jesus. He denied being with Jesus again. One of the bystanders remarked that he had to be with Jesus' group because his accent gave him away. Peter began to curse and say that he did not know Jesus. All of a sudden, a rooster crowed. Peter remembered what Jesus had foretold, and he cried.
Jesus saw a widow putting coins into the offering box and said that she was giving more than all of the others because she was giving all that she had. Jesus foretold the temple's destruction and the coming events up until the day of judgment. Jesus then told the disciples about the final judgment. The chief priests and elders plotted the arrest and killing of Jesus. Jesus was at Simon the leper's house, and a woman began to anoint Him with oil. The disciples rebuked the woman, saying that she could have sold the expensive oil and used it to buy food for the poor. Jesus replied that she was anointing Him to prepare Him for His burial.
Jesus and the disciples gathered together for a Passover meal. Jesus predicted that one of His disciples would betray Him. Jesus then gave the Lord's Supper, where He used bread and wine to symbolize His coming sacrifice. Jesus also foretold Peter's denial of Him. Jesus went to Gethsemane and prayed there. He was arrested there when Judas kissed Him and used this to identify Him to the chief priest's servants.
Jesus was taken to the council of the chief priest. The chief priest questioned Him. The people condemned Him for blasphemy. Peter had followed Jesus and was asked three times about his being a follower of Jesus. He denied Jesus three times, just as Jesus had known he would.
Application and Reflection
Dread is a feeling we all have from time to time. When Jesus was praying at Gethsemane, there was a certain feeling of dread because He knew what was going to happen. Even in His darkest hour, our Lord gave us an example to live by. He asked God if this could pass from Him, but then He said that the will of the Father was more important. We learn from this that we can pray for bad things to be taken from us, but God's will and purpose take priority.
The ultimate betrayal was the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. Most of us will be betrayed by someone at some point during our lives. It will usually be by someone we love and trust, just as it was with Jesus. Jesus handled this betrayal with grace. How would you handle betrayal?
