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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Matthew 26:31 - 26:35
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_26:31-35
31Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.'32But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." 33But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." 34Jesus said to Him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." 35Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too.
Mat_26:31 "You will all fall away" This states clearly that Jesus' disciples will abandon Him in His hour of need (cf. Mat_26:56.) Only John stayed with Him and Peter followed at a distance. The rest fled!
▣ "for it is written" This is a quote from Zec_13:7. It is interesting that the first eight chapters of Zechariah are quoted often in the book of the Revelation, while the last six are often quoted in the Gospels. It is YHWH who strikes the Shepherd (cf. Isa_53:6; Isa_53:10; Rom_8:32). This was always God's plan of redemption (cf. Act_2:23; Act_3:18; Act_4:28; Act_13:29). See hyperlink at Mat_24:14.
▣ "sheep" Sheep became the animal metaphor used for the followers of Christ.
1. Mat_7:15 (false sheep)
2. Mat_9:36; Mat_26:3; Mar_14:27 (scattered flock)
3. Mat_10:6; Mat_15:24 (lost sheep of Israel)
4. Mat_10:16; Luk_10:3 (lambs among wolves)
5. Mat_18:12; Luk_15:6 (parable)
6. Mat_25:32-33 (sheep and goat judgment)
7. Mar_6:34 (sheep with no shepherd)
8. Joh_10:1-18 (Jesus as the Good Shepherd)
9. Joh_21:16-17 (Peter, feed my lambs and sheep)
10. 1Pe_2:25 (Isa_53:6, sheep going astray)
Mat_26:32 "after I have been raised" See Special Topic at Mat_27:63.
▣ "I will go ahead of you to Galilee" This post-resurrection meeting is mentioned several times (cf. Mat_26:32; Mat_28:7; Mat_28:10; Mat_28:16-20; 1Co_15:6; and John 21). This should have been a great encouragement to the disciples, but they apparently did not understand.
Mat_26:33 "Even though all may fall away" Peter's presumption is clearly seen. This is much like Mat_16:22-23, where Peter denies the Lord's prediction.
Mat_26:34 "Truly I say to you" This is literally "amen," which originally meant "to be firm," but came to mean "I agree" or "I affirm." Jesus used this term uniquely to begin significant statements. See Special Topic at Mat_5:1.
▣ "a rooster crows" This occurred between 12:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. It must have been a Roman rooster because the Jews did not allow them in the holy city. There has been some speculation that there was a Roman trumpet signal called "The Crow of the Rooster," which was sounded at the end of the watch at 3 a.m. However, this is still uncertain.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Why did the religious leaders want to kill Jesus?
2. What about the chronological problems among the four Gospels? Is the Bible in error?
3. Is Judas responsible for his action? What did he do? Why did he do it?
4. What is the significance of the Lord's Supper?
5. Did Judas take the Lord's Supper?
6. Why was the prediction of the disciples'apostasy recorded?
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY FOR Mat_26:36-75