Morning Verse
"He answered him to never a word." Matthew 27:14.
He had never been slow of speech when He could bless the sons of men, but He would not say a single word for Himself. "Never man spake like this Man," and never man was silent like Him. Was this singular silence the index of His perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that He would not utter a word to stay the slaughter of His sacred person, which He had dedicated as an offering for us? Had He so entirely surrendered Himself that He would not interfere in His own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be bound and slain an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim? Was this silence a type of the defenselessness of sin? Nothing can be said in palliation or excuse of human guilt; and, therefore, He who bore its whole weight stood speechless before His judge. Is not patient silence the best reply to a gainsaying world? Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to afford no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean, will ere long overthrow and confute themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet, and finds silence to be its wisdom. Evidently our Lord, by His silence, furnished a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. A long defence of Himself would have been contrary to Isaiah's prediction. "He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth." By His quiet He conclusively proved Himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we salute Him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart, let us hear the voice of Thy love.
Evening Verse
"He shall see His seed; He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." Isaiah 53:10.
Plead for the speedy fulfillment of this promise, all ye who love the Lord. It is easy work to pray when we are grounded and bottomed, as to our desires, upon God's own promise. How can He that gave the word refuse to keep it? Immutable veracity cannot demean itself by a lie, and eternal faithfulness cannot degrade itself by neglect. God must bless His Son, His covenant binds Him to it. That which the Spirit prompts us to ask for Jesus, is that which God decrees to give Him. Whenever you are praying for the kingdom of Christ, let your eyes behold the dawning of the blessed day which draweth near, when the Crucified shall receive His coronation in the place where men rejected Him. Courage, you that prayerfully work and toil for Christ with success of the very smallest kind, it shall not be so always; better times are before you. Your eyes cannot see the blissful future: borrow the telescope of faith; wipe the misty breath of your doubts from the glass; look through it and behold the coming glory. Reader, let us ask, do you make this your constant prayer? Remember that the same Christ who tells us to say, "Give us this day our daily bread," had first given us this petition, "Hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder, and get up to Christ Himself, and then, as you draw nigh to the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually, "Lord, extend the kingdom of Thy dear Son." Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by labouring to promote the Lord's glory.
The Big Picture: CHRIST BEFORE PILATE. 27:11-25
Having no malice against Jesus, Pilate urged him to clear himself, and laboured to get him discharged. The message from his wife was a warning. God has many ways of giving checks to sinners, in their sinful pursuits, and it is a great mercy to have such checks from Providence, from faithful friends, and from our own consciences. O do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates! is what we may hear said to us, when we are entering into temptation, if we will but regard it. Being overruled by the priests, the people made choice of Barabbas. Multitudes who choose the world, rather than God, for their ruler and portion, thus choose their own delusions. The Jews were so bent upon the death of Christ, that Pilate thought it would be dangerous to refuse. And this struggle shows the power of conscience even on the worst men. Yet all was so ordered to make it evident that Christ suffered for no fault of his own, but for the sins of his people. How vain for Pilate to expect to free himself from the guilt of the innocent blood of a righteous person, whom he was by his office bound to protect! The Jews' curse upon themselves has been awfully answered in the sufferings of their nation. None could bear the sin of others, except Him that had no sin of his own to answer for. And are we not all concerned? Is not Barabbas preferred to Jesus, when sinners reject salvation that they may retain their darling sins, which rob God of his glory, and murder their souls? The blood of Christ is now upon us for good, through mercy, by the Jews' rejection of it. O let us flee to it for refuge!
HUMILIATION, AND EXALTATION OF CHRIST, ARE MINUTELY DESCRIBED; WITH THE BLESSINGS TO MANKIND FROM HIS DEATH. 53:10-12
Come, and see how Christ loved us! We could not put him in our stead, but he put himself. Thus he took away the sin of the world, by taking it on himself. He made himself subject to death, which to us is the wages of sin. Observe the graces and glories of his state of exaltation. Christ will not commit the care of his family to any other. God's purposes shall take effect. And whatever is undertaken according to God's pleasure shall prosper. He shall see it accomplished in the conversion and salvation of sinners. There are many whom Christ justifies, even as many as he gave his life a ransom for. By faith we are justified; thus God is most glorified, free grace most advanced, self most abased, and our happiness secured. We must know him, and believe in him, as one that bore our sins, and saved us from sinking under the load, by taking it upon himself. Sin and Satan, death and hell, the world and the flesh, are the strong foes he has vanquished. What God designed for the Redeemer he shall certainly possess. When he led captivity captive, he received gifts for men, that he might give gifts to men. While we survey the sufferings of the Son of God, let us remember our long catalogue of transgressions, and consider him as suffering under the load of our guilt. Here is laid a firm foundation for the trembling sinner to rest his soul upon. We are the purchase of his blood, and the monuments of his grace; for this he continually pleads and prevails, destroying the works of the devil.
The Bottomline:
Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane
37 He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons with him. He was beginning to feel deep anguish.
38 Then he said to them, “My anguish is so great that I feel as if I'm dying. Wait here, and stay awake with me.”
39 After walking a little farther, he quickly bowed with his face to the ground and prayed, “Father, if it's possible, let this cup {of suffering} be taken away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine.”
40 When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn't you stay awake with me for one hour?
41 Stay awake, and pray that you won't be tempted. You want to do what's right, but you're weak.”
42 Then he went away a second time and prayed, “Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, let your will be done.”
43 He found them asleep again because they couldn't keep their eyes open.
44 After leaving them again, he went away and prayed the same prayer a third time.
45 Then he came back to the disciples and said to them, “You might as well sleep now. The time is near for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners.
46 Get up! Let's go! The one who is betraying me is near.”
Jesus Is Arrested
48 Now, the traitor had given them a signal. He said, “The one I kiss is the man you want. Arrest him!”
49 Then Judas quickly stepped up to Jesus and said, “Hello, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then some men came forward, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.
51 Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of the chief priest's servant.
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword away! All who use a sword will be killed by a sword.
53 Don't you think that I could call on my Father to send more than twelve legions of angels to help me now?
54 How, then, are the Scriptures to be fulfilled that say this must happen?”
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a criminal? I used to sit teaching in the temple courtyard every day. But you didn't arrest me then.
56 All of this has happened so that what the prophets have written would come true.” Then all the disciples abandoned him and ran away.
The Trial in Front of the Jewish Council
58 Peter followed at a distance until he came to the chief priest's courtyard. He went inside and sat with the guards to see how this would turn out.
59 The chief priests and the whole council were searching for false testimony to use against Jesus in order to execute him.
60 But they did not find any, although many came forward with false testimony. At last two men came forward.
61 They stated, “This man said, ‘I can tear down God's temple and rebuild it in three days.'”
62 The chief priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Don't you have any answer to what these men testify against you?”
63 But Jesus was silent. Then the chief priest said to him, “Swear an oath in front of the living God and tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”
64 Jesus answered him, “Yes, I am. But I can guarantee that from now on you will see the Son of Man in the highest position in heaven. He will be coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the chief priest tore his robes in horror and said, “He has dishonored God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You've just heard him dishonor God!
66 What's your verdict?” They answered, “He deserves the death penalty!”
67 Then they spit in his face, hit him with their fists, and some of them slapped him.
68 They said, “You Christ, if you're a prophet, tell us who hit you.”
Peter Denies Jesus
70 But Peter denied it in front of them all by saying, “I don't know what you're talking about.”
71 As he went to the entrance, another female servant saw him. She told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.”
72 Again Peter denied it and swore with an oath, “I don't know the man!”
73 After a little while the men standing there approached Peter and said, “It's obvious you're also one of them. Your accent gives you away!”
74 Then Peter began to curse and swear with an oath, “I don't know the man!” Just then a rooster crowed.
75 Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me.” Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
Chapter 53
2 He grew up in his presence like a young tree, like a root out of dry ground. He had no form or majesty that would make us look at him. He had nothing in his appearance that would make us desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn't consider him to be worth anything.
4 He certainly has taken upon himself our suffering and carried our sorrows, but we thought that God had wounded him, beat him, and punished him.
5 He was wounded for our rebellious acts. He was crushed for our sins. He was punished so that we could have peace, and we received healing from his wounds.
6 We have all strayed like sheep. Each one of us has turned to go his own way, and the Lord has laid all our sins on him.
7 He was abused and punished, but he didn't open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was like a sheep that is silent when its wool is cut off. He didn't open his mouth.
8 He was arrested, taken away, and judged. Who would have thought that he would be removed from the world? He was killed because of my people's rebellion.
9 He was placed in a tomb with the wicked. He was put there with the rich when he died, although he had done nothing violent and had never spoken a lie.
10 Yet, it was the Lord's will to crush him with suffering. When the Lord has made his life a sacrifice for our wrongdoings, he will see his descendants for many days. The will of the Lord will succeed through him.
11 He will see and be satisfied because of his suffering. My righteous servant will acquit many people because of what he has learned {through suffering}. He will carry their sins as a burden.
12 So I will give him a share among the mighty, and he will divide the prize with the strong, because he poured out his life in death and he was counted with sinners. He carried the sins of many. He intercedes for those who are rebellious.
Preparations for the Passover
18 He said, “Go to a certain man in the city, and tell him that the teacher says, ‘My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.'”
19 The disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was at the table with the twelve apostles.
Jesus Knows Who Will Betray Him
22 Feeling deeply hurt, they asked him one by one, “You don't mean me, do you, Lord?”
23 Jesus answered, “Someone who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
24 The Son of Man is going to die as the Scriptures say he will. But how horrible it will be for that person who betrays the Son of Man. It would have been better for that person if he had never been born.”
25 Then Judas, who betrayed him, asked, “You don't mean me, do you, Rabbi?” “Yes, I do,” Jesus replied.
The Lord's Supper
27 Then he took a cup and spoke a prayer of thanksgiving. He gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you.
28 This is my blood, the blood of the promise.[7]Or "testament," or "covenant." It is poured out for many people so that sins are forgiven.
29 “I can guarantee that I won't drink this wine again until that day when I drink new wine with you in my Father's kingdom.”
30 After they sang a hymn, they went to the Mount of Olives.
Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep in the flock will be scattered.'
32 “But after I am brought back to life, I will go to Galilee ahead of you.”
33 Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else abandons you, I never will.”
34 Jesus replied to Peter, “I can guarantee this truth: Before a rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you don't know me.”
35 Peter told him, “Even if I have to die with you, I'll never say that I don't know you!” All the other disciples said the same thing.
Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane
37 He took Peter and Zebedee's two sons with him. He was beginning to feel deep anguish.
38 Then he said to them, “My anguish is so great that I feel as if I'm dying. Wait here, and stay awake with me.”
39 After walking a little farther, he quickly bowed with his face to the ground and prayed, “Father, if it's possible, let this cup {of suffering} be taken away from me. But let your will be done rather than mine.”
40 When he went back to the disciples, he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Couldn't you stay awake with me for one hour?
41 Stay awake, and pray that you won't be tempted. You want to do what's right, but you're weak.”
42 Then he went away a second time and prayed, “Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, let your will be done.”
43 He found them asleep again because they couldn't keep their eyes open.
44 After leaving them again, he went away and prayed the same prayer a third time.
45 Then he came back to the disciples and said to them, “You might as well sleep now. The time is near for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners.
46 Get up! Let's go! The one who is betraying me is near.”
Jesus Is Arrested
48 Now, the traitor had given them a signal. He said, “The one I kiss is the man you want. Arrest him!”
49 Then Judas quickly stepped up to Jesus and said, “Hello, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then some men came forward, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.
51 Suddenly, one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and cut off the ear of the chief priest's servant.
52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword away! All who use a sword will be killed by a sword.
53 Don't you think that I could call on my Father to send more than twelve legions of angels to help me now?
54 How, then, are the Scriptures to be fulfilled that say this must happen?”
55 At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as if I were a criminal? I used to sit teaching in the temple courtyard every day. But you didn't arrest me then.
56 All of this has happened so that what the prophets have written would come true.” Then all the disciples abandoned him and ran away.
The Trial in Front of the Jewish Council
58 Peter followed at a distance until he came to the chief priest's courtyard. He went inside and sat with the guards to see how this would turn out.
59 The chief priests and the whole council were searching for false testimony to use against Jesus in order to execute him.
60 But they did not find any, although many came forward with false testimony. At last two men came forward.
61 They stated, “This man said, ‘I can tear down God's temple and rebuild it in three days.'”
62 The chief priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Don't you have any answer to what these men testify against you?”
63 But Jesus was silent. Then the chief priest said to him, “Swear an oath in front of the living God and tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?”
64 Jesus answered him, “Yes, I am. But I can guarantee that from now on you will see the Son of Man in the highest position in heaven. He will be coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the chief priest tore his robes in horror and said, “He has dishonored God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You've just heard him dishonor God!
66 What's your verdict?” They answered, “He deserves the death penalty!”
67 Then they spit in his face, hit him with their fists, and some of them slapped him.
68 They said, “You Christ, if you're a prophet, tell us who hit you.”
Peter Denies Jesus
70 But Peter denied it in front of them all by saying, “I don't know what you're talking about.”
71 As he went to the entrance, another female servant saw him. She told those who were there, “This man was with Jesus from Nazareth.”
72 Again Peter denied it and swore with an oath, “I don't know the man!”
73 After a little while the men standing there approached Peter and said, “It's obvious you're also one of them. Your accent gives you away!”
74 Then Peter began to curse and swear with an oath, “I don't know the man!” Just then a rooster crowed.
75 Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before a rooster crows, you will say three times that you don't know me.” Then Peter went outside and cried bitterly.
Reflecting about Our Lives: How many times over our own lives have done the same of many of these certain people had done in these living Words have done the same things in one aspect or another that through those times we wish to have ignored such Bibilical truths inside of one self and had let is passed by us in so many ways that is if w are truly honest with one self instead of ignoring such truths. Or to be covering it up or flat out being in denial about it deep within us in so many different areas of one's own life, in not ever telling about it. But yet as we grew we finally found someone in whom we trusted in helping us through our worst pains, hurts, habits,hang-ups, It didn't matter what we are in society, it can happen to the President down to the lowly person whom has nothing in ones life. In one form or another it happens to all people .No One Person immune to any kind of emotional bondages as we all are under some kind of conditions in one way or another.whether bondservant, bondwoman, bondman. Some thing in our life is keeping us hindered in one's own life... that is people are really truthful about it in one's own walk in the Lord especially living in today's society. Thos things blocks our eternal destiny in what we are reaching in one's own Hope for the future home in glory in the New Jerusalem. NEW or Old natures seems to slip right back upon us and often times we just don't see it. It comes upon us gradually as we walk in everyday life. We diffidently have No Excuses !We have to be transformed in the renewing of our minds and heart by the Blood of Jesus Christ and allowing Him in the Holy Spirit to help us die to all things in our life and in the utmost control in all things that matter to Jesus Christ whom did it for us on that precious cross of Calvery. Here is a comment by "Matthew Henry" Every weight, that is, all inordinate affection and concern for the body, and the present life and world. Inordinate care for this present life, or fondness for it, is dead weight upon the soul, that pulls it down when it should asend upwards, and pulls it back when it should press forward; it makes duty and difficulties harder and heavier than they would be." When we can truly see it within our hearts is that we make such a diferance in one's own life as wel walk in the true love of God in reaching out upon others as it's truths sets us to that high road to true freedom.
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