The Promised King: The King Submits to the Father's Cup

Matthew 26 is the longest chapter in the Gospel — and the heaviest.

The chief priests plot. A woman pours out perfume at His head. Judas sells Him for thirty pieces of silver. He institutes the Last Supper. He goes to Gethsemane and prays not as I will, but as you will. He is betrayed with a kiss. He stands trial before the Sanhedrin. Peter denies Him three times by a courtyard fire.

In every scene, the Promised King could pull back. He never does. He has come to drink the cup. The Father has poured it. The Son will not refuse.

The plot

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, He said to His disciples:

"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."

The chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas. They plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill Him. But they said: Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Their plot was to kill Him after the Passover. The Father's plan was to kill Him at the Passover — because He is the Lamb. The chief priests are about to do exactly what God has decreed — without realizing they are serving His plan.

The alabaster jar

When Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to Him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at table.

The disciples were indignant: Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.

Jesus, aware of this, said:

"Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

The Promised King treasures what is poured out. The woman is unnamed in Matthew, but Jesus immortalizes her gesture. Two thousand years later, her broken jar is still being remembered.

Judas

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests:

"What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?"

They paid him thirty pieces of silver. From that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him.

Thirty pieces of silver. The price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). The price the prophet Zechariah was paid (Zechariah 11). Even the amount is loaded with Scripture.

The Passover

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus: Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?

He sent them with a sign. They went and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, He reclined at table with the twelve. As they were eating, He said:

"Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

They were very sorrowful, and began to say to Him one after another: Is it I, Lord?

He answered:

"He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."

Judas said: Is it I, Rabbi? He said: You have said so.

The Lord's Supper

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples:

"Take, eat; this is my body."

Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them:

"Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

"I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

This is the new covenant. The body broken. The blood poured out. For the forgiveness of sins. Not a private rite. A public meal in which the gospel is announced again and again until He comes.

Gethsemane

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus said:

"You will all fall away because of me this night."

Peter answered: Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.

Jesus said:

"Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."

Peter said: Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you. All the disciples said the same.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He said to His disciples: Sit here, while I go over there and pray.

He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. He began to be sorrowful and troubled. He said:

"My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me."

Going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed:

"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

The Promised King prays the prayer that defines all of discipleship. Not as I will, but as You will.

He came and found them sleeping. He said to Peter:

"So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Again, a second time, He prayed: My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.

A third time, He prayed the same words.

Then He came to the disciples and said:

"Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Betrayed with a kiss

Judas came, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders. The betrayer had given them a sign:

"The one I will kiss is the man; seize him."

He came up to Jesus: Greetings, Rabbi! And he kissed Him.

Jesus said:

"Friend, do what you came to do."

They laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

One of those with Jesus drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Jesus said:

"Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?"

The Promised King could call twelve legions of angels. He calls none. He came to die. He will not refuse the cup.

The disciples left Him and fled.

Before the council

Those who had seized Jesus led Him to Caiaphas the high priest. The chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Him. They found none, though many false witnesses came forward.

At last two came forward: This man said, "I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days."

The high priest stood up: Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?

Jesus was silent.

The high priest said: I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus said:

"You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Then the high priest tore his robes: He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?

They answered: He deserves death.

Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Some slapped Him: Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?

The Promised King is condemned for the truth. He is the Christ. He is the Son of God. He will come on the clouds. They condemn Him for saying so — and the very truth they killed Him for is the truth that saves us.

Peter denies

Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came up: You also were with Jesus the Galilean.

He denied: I do not know what you mean.

As he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him: This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.

He denied with an oath: I do not know the man.

After a little while the bystanders came up: Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.

He began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear: I do not know the man.

Immediately the rooster crowed. Peter remembered the saying of Jesus. He went out and wept bitterly.

The Promised King was right about everything — including the failures of those who loved Him most. And His tears for Peter were not because Peter would never recover. The Lord had already prayed for him. The restoration was coming.

Closing prayer

Father, teach us to pray the Promised King's prayer in our own Gethsemanes — not as I will, but as You will. Thank You for the body broken and the blood poured out for the forgiveness of sins. When we fail like Peter, let us weep like Peter — and rise to be restored. Save us from sleeping in the garden of trial, and let us watch and pray with the Lord whose cup paid for ours. In Jesus' name, amen.

The Promised King: The King Submits to the Father's Cup

Matthew 26 is the longest chapter in the Gospel — and the heaviest.

In every scene, the Promised King could pull back. He never does. He has come to drink the cup. The Father has poured it. The Son will not refuse.

The plot

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, He said to His disciples:

"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified."

The alabaster jar

When Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to Him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at table.

The disciples were indignant: Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.

Jesus, aware of this, said:

"Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

The Promised King treasures what is poured out. The woman is unnamed in Matthew, but Jesus immortalizes her gesture. Two thousand years later, her broken jar is still being remembered.

Judas

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests:

"What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?"

They paid him thirty pieces of silver. From that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him.

Thirty pieces of silver. The price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). The price the prophet Zechariah was paid (Zechariah 11). Even the amount is loaded with Scripture.

The Passover

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus: Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?

He sent them with a sign. They went and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, He reclined at table with the twelve. As they were eating, He said:

"Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

They were very sorrowful, and began to say to Him one after another: Is it I, Lord?

He answered:

"He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born."

Judas said: Is it I, Rabbi? He said: You have said so.

The Lord's Supper

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples:

"Take, eat; this is my body."

Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them:

"Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

"I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

This is the new covenant. The body broken. The blood poured out. For the forgiveness of sins. Not a private rite. A public meal in which the gospel is announced again and again until He comes.

Gethsemane

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus said:

"You will all fall away because of me this night."

Peter answered: Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.

Jesus said:

"Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times."

Peter said: Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you. All the disciples said the same.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane. He said to His disciples: Sit here, while I go over there and pray.

He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. He began to be sorrowful and troubled. He said:

"My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me."

Going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed:

"My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."

The Promised King prays the prayer that defines all of discipleship. Not as I will, but as You will.

He came and found them sleeping. He said to Peter:

"So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Again, a second time, He prayed: My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.

A third time, He prayed the same words.

Then He came to the disciples and said:

"Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."

Betrayed with a kiss

Judas came, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders. The betrayer had given them a sign:

"The one I will kiss is the man; seize him."

He came up to Jesus: Greetings, Rabbi! And he kissed Him.

Jesus said:

"Friend, do what you came to do."

They laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

One of those with Jesus drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Jesus said:

"Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?"

The Promised King could call twelve legions of angels. He calls none. He came to die. He will not refuse the cup.

The disciples left Him and fled.

Before the council

At last two came forward: This man said, "I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days."

The high priest stood up: Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?

Jesus was silent.

The high priest said: I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus said:

"You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Then the high priest tore his robes: He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?

They answered: He deserves death.

Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Some slapped Him: Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?

Peter denies

Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant girl came up: You also were with Jesus the Galilean.

He denied: I do not know what you mean.

As he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him: This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.

He denied with an oath: I do not know the man.

After a little while the bystanders came up: Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.

He began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear: I do not know the man.

Immediately the rooster crowed. Peter remembered the saying of Jesus. He went out and wept bitterly.