하나님께 가까이 함이 내게 복이라(시편73:28)

Matthew 26

It is season of Advent. In time of Advent, thinking of the Passion of Jesus Christ is timely. The Lamb of God, Jesus came to be crucified to forgive our sins. Here is the chapter Jesus was arrested and all of his disciples were scattered by fear and betrayal.

1-2. Jesus said that he would be handed over to be crucified.

Reflections: Are we informed of the Passion of Jesus our Lord?

6-13. In Bethany at a house of Simon the Leper, a woman poured perfume on his head. Disciples criticized her not to give that money to the poor; Jesus said the poor are with them all the time but Jesus is not. What she did was the preparation of the burial of Jesus.

Reflections: Do we understand who Jesus is? Do we think of Jesus why he has come to us? Are we pouring the perfume for the burial? Why Jesus regarded her as the witness of his death? Do we understand Jesus and the woman? Why we have to remember what she did to Jesus?

17-30. The Last Supper

Jesus said he would obey what is written. But the one used for the betrayal is to be cursed. The betrayal is to set apart from Jesus but stand next to the persecutors.

Reflections: Do we understand Jesus, obeying the Word? Are we blessed standing next to Jesus?

Jesus gave the bread as his body and the wine as his blood. Jesus asked to remember him as they do the Holy Communion.

Reflections: Thinking of the Salvation by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, do we drink and eat him and do we remember him daily?

31-35. Prediction of Peter's denial

Jesus predicted Peter's denial; Peter denied. What happened, eventually?

Reflection: Are all the denials of us predicted? What shall we do then, now?

36-56. Fulfillment of what Prophets said

By be arrested, Jesus obeyed the Word of God spoken through the prophets.

Reflections: Do we fulfill the Word of God?

57-68. Before the Sahedrin

Keeping mostly silence, Jesus said, "In the future, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven"(v. 64).

Reflections: What have to said Jesus said. It is about the glorification of God through his death and resurrection and the second-coming. Do we glorify God as we believe in Jesus Christ our Lord?

69-75. Peter's Denials of Jesus

To a maidservant, Peters said, "I don't know what you're talking about." To another maidservant, Peter said, "I do not know of him." To a man, he said, "I do not know of him." A rooster crowed.

Reflections: Are we threatened by authorities so that we denied Jesus? No. Are we put in danger of life so that we said, "I don't know of him"? No. We are but facing girls, boys, passengers, unnamed people as we deny the precious Jesus. What the nonbelievers we are!