Episode 100! Man, this has been a good daily discipline.
Today we cover the last days of Jesus on earth. It goes by so quickly. It is by far my favorite account of the resurrection among the gospels. I would love to be able to go back in time and see it. It is also the only gospel account of certain holy people being raised from the dead, corresponding with this earthquake caused at Jesus’ death. Weird and beautiful stuff. God bless you as you take it in.
Matthew 26
When Jesus had finished saying all these things, He told His disciples, “You know that the Passover is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
At that time the chief priests and elders of the people assembled in the courtyard of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas,
and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. “But not during the feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper,
a woman came to Him with an alabaster jar of expensive perfume, which she poured on His head as He reclined at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant and asked, “Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price, and the money given to the poor.”
Aware of this, Jesus asked, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful deed to Me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have Me.
By pouring this perfume on Me, she has prepared My body for burial.
Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests
and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver.
So from then on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
He answered, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him that the Teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will keep the Passover with My disciples at your house.’ ”
So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
When evening came, Jesus was reclining with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating, He said to them, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
They were deeply grieved and began to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”
Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.
The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
Then Judas, who would betray Him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “You have said it yourself.”
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”
Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 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 of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus said to them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me. For it is written:
‘I will strike the Shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
Peter said to Him, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.”
“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.
At that time Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and He told them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”
He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
Then He said to them, “My soul is consumed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.”
Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
Then Jesus returned to the disciples and found them sleeping. “Were you not able to keep watch with Me for one hour?” He asked Peter.
“Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
A second time He went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, may Your will be done.”
And again Jesus returned and found them sleeping—for their eyes were heavy.
So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing.
Then He returned to the disciples and said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Rise, let us go! See, My betrayer is approaching!”
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
“Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you came for.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him.
At this, one of Jesus’ companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.
But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
Those who had arrested Jesus led Him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and elders had gathered.
But Peter followed Him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. And he went in and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were seeking false testimony against Jesus in order to put Him to death.
But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward and declared, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”
So the high priest stood up and asked Him, “Have You no answer? What are these men testifying against You?”
But Jesus remained silent.
Then the high priest said to Him, “I charge You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”
“You have said it yourself,” Jesus answered. “But I say to all of you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
At this, the high priest tore his clothes and declared, “He has blasphemed! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
“He deserves to die,” they answered.
Then they spit in His face and struck Him. Others slapped Him and said, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who hit You?”
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him. “You also were with Jesus the Galilean,” she said.
But he denied it before them all: “I do not know what you are talking about.”
When Peter had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man!”
After a little while, those standing nearby came up to Peter. “Surely you are one of them,” they said, “for your accent gives you away.”
At that he began to curse and swear to them, “I do not know the man!”
And immediately a rooster crowed.
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Matthew 27
When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death. They bound Him, led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said.
“What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.”
So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the pieces of silver and said, “It is unlawful to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
After conferring together, they used the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day.
Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
“They took the thirty pieces of silver,
the price set on Him by the people of Israel,
and they gave them for the potter’s field,
as the Lord had commanded me.”
Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, who questioned Him: “Are You the King of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.
Then Pilate asked Him, “Do You not hear how many charges they are bringing against You?”
But Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge, much to the governor’s amazement.
Now it was the governor’s custom at the feast to release to the crowd a prisoner of their choosing. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner named Barabbas.
So when the crowd had assembled, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him.
While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him this message: “Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered terribly in a dream today because of Him.”
But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death.
“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor.
“Barabbas,” they replied.
“What then should I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” Pilate asked.
They all answered, “Crucify Him!”
“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?”
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!”
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”
All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”
So Pilate released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified.
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt down before Him to mock Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly.
After they had mocked Him, they removed the robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.
Along the way they found a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.
And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means The Place of the Skull, they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it.
When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.
Above His head they posted the written charge against Him:
THIS IS JESUS,
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right hand and the other on His left.
And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads
and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”
In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying,
“He saved others, but He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel! Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
He trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now if He wants Him. For He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
In the same way, even the robbers who were crucified with Him berated Him.
From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land.
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He is calling Elijah.”
One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.
But the others said, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.”
When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.
At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
After Jesus’ resurrection, when they had come out of the tombs, they entered the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
And many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to minister to Him.
Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who himself was a disciple of Jesus.
He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut into the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance to the tomb and went away.
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and Pharisees assembled before Pilate.
“Sir,” they said, “we remember that while He was alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’
So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And this last deception would be worse than the first.”
“You have a guard,” Pilate said. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard.
Matthew 28
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men.
But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay.
Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you.”
So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.
Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.
“Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.”
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money
and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’
If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”
So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Proverbs 29
A man who remains stiff-necked after much reproof
will suddenly be shattered beyond recovery.
When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice,
but when the wicked rule, the people groan.
A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
By justice a king brings stability to the land,
but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.
A man who flatters his neighbor
spreads a net for his feet.
An evil man is caught by his own sin,
but a righteous one sings and rejoices.
The righteous consider the cause of the poor,
but the wicked have no regard for such concerns.
Mockers inflame a city,
but the wise turn away anger.
If a wise man goes to court with a fool,
there will be raving and laughing with no resolution.
Men of bloodshed hate a blameless man,
but the upright care for his life.
A fool vents all his anger,
but a wise man holds it back.
If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials will be wicked.
The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
A king who judges the poor with fairness—
his throne will be established forever.
A rod of correction imparts wisdom,
but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
When the wicked thrive, rebellion increases;
but the righteous will see their downfall.
Discipline your son, and he will give you rest;
he will bring delight to your soul.
Where there is no vision, the people cast off restraint;
but blessed is he who keeps the Law.
A servant cannot be corrected by words alone;
though he understands, he will not respond.
Do you see a man who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
A servant pampered from his youth
will bring grief in the end.
An angry man stirs up dissension,
and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression.
A man’s pride will bring him low,
but a humble spirit will obtain honor.
A partner to a thief hates his own soul;
he receives the oath, but does not testify.
The fear of man is a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.
Many seek the ruler’s favor,
but a man receives justice from the LORD.
An unjust man is detestable to the righteous,
and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.
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