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Matthew 26

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples,

Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas,

And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him.

But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.

Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?

For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.

When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death;

But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?

But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

What does Matthew 26:32 mean?

Explanation

The verse Matthew 26:32 comes from the book of Matthew in the New Testament and involves Jesus speaking to his disciples.

The phrase "But after I am risen again," refers to Jesus' prophetic announcement of His own resurrection that would happen after His crucifixion.

The term "risen again" indicates that He would be alive once more after death. This assertion of rising from the dead is central to Christian faith as it embodies the promise of life overcoming death.

When Jesus says, "I will go before you into Galilee," He is providing His disciples with a specific location where He will appear to them after His resurrection.

Galilee is a region in northern Israel that held significance for Jesus and His ministry; it was where He had performed many of His miracles and teachings.

This indicates that Jesus wanted to reassure His disciples that, although they would witness His death, He would not be permanently gone from their lives.

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Matthew is the first book of the New Testament and was written to a primarily Jewish audience.

Matthew seeks to prove that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures.

Matthew 26:32 is situated within the context of the Passion Narrative, the account of the last hours of Jesus' earthly life, which includes the Last Supper, His betrayal by Judas, His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and eventual resurrection.

The statement in Matthew 26:32 occurs shortly after the Last Supper and before Jesus' arrest.

This time period is referred to as the Passion Week and has significant liturgical importance in Christianity.

Theological Insights

From a Christian viewpoint, this verse highlights important theological themes such as prophecy, the reliability of Jesus' words, and the assurance of the resurrection.

Jesus predicts not only His death but also His resurrection, emphasizing His divine nature and control over life and death.

For Christians, the resurrection is the cornerstone of faith; as such, this verse serves as a precursor to the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy, which reinforces the belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the Saviour of mankind.

Various theological interpretations can focus on the discipleship aspect, the theme of Jesus as a shepherd leading His flock (the disciples) or on the eschatological anticipation, where Galilee acts as a microcosmic representation of the final gathering of believers.

Practical Applications

The teachings of this verse can be applied in daily life by encouraging believers to have faith in difficult times and to trust in the promises of God. It can be used to instill hope in the face of death and to reassure that there is a continuity beyond the physical life.

The verse may also serve as a call to gather and unite in faith communities, exemplified by Jesus' instructions to meet in Galilee.

Cross-References

Matthew 28:6-7 - "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you."

Matthew 28:16 - "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them."
Mark 14:28 - "But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee."
John 21:1 - "After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself."

Language Study

The Greek word for "risen" in this verse is "ἐγερθείς" (egertheis), an aorist passive participle, which implies an action completed in the past with ongoing significance.

The Greek word for "go before" is "προάξω" (proaxo), which carries the meaning of leading the way or setting out before others. The use of these words suggests the definitive nature of Jesus' actions and His role as a leader and guide.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient myths, the concept of a god or hero dying and subsequently returning to life is a recurring motif. Examples include Osiris in Egyptian mythology and Dionysus in Greek mythology.

However, in the context of Judaism and Christianity, Jesus' resurrection is unique in its personal relationship with humanity and its implications for eternal life.

Scientific Perspectives

The resurrection as described in Matthew 26:32 is a supernatural event that does not have a parallel in scientific understanding.

From a scientific perspective, death is the end of life functions, and resuscitation after death , especially after a prolonged period , falls outside of current medical capability or explanation.

As such, the resurrection is accepted on faith within Christianity and is not subject to empirical verification.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians offer various interpretations of this verse.

Some suggest that the mention of Galilee as the meeting place post-resurrection might serve to remind the readers of Jesus' earthly ministry which began in Galilee, thus connecting His mission's beginning and end.

Other commentators may emphasize the element of prophecy fulfillment and Jesus' role as the Messiah in accordance with scriptural predictions.

Consistently, experts view this verse as an essential affirmation of Jesus' identity and mission, as well as an integral part of the Easter narrative and its significance in Christian doctrine.

Matthew 26

Matthew 26

What does Matthew 26:32 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Matthew 26:32 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Matthew Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?