I'll be reading this morning from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 26.
When Jesus had finished saying all these things,
!
While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the leper,
a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume,
which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.
When the disciples saw this, they were indignant.
Why this waste?
They asked.
This perfume could have been sold at a high price in the money given to the poor.
Aware of this, Jesus said to them,
Why are you bothering this woman?
She has done a beautiful thing to me.
The poor you will always have with you,
but you will not always have me.
When she poured this perfume on my body,
she did it to prepare me for burial.
Truly, I tell you,
wherever this Gospel is preached throughout 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 deliver him over to you?
So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.
From then on,
Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
On the first day of the festival of unleavened bread,
the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?
He replied,
Go into the city,
a certain man,
to a certain man,
and tell him,
The teacher says,
My appointed time is near.
I'm going to celebrate 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 at the table with the twelve.
And while they were eating, he said,
Truly, I tell you,
one of you will betray me.
They were very sad
and began to say to him,
one after the other,
Surely you don't mean me, Lord.
Jesus replied,
The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me
will betray me.
The Son of Man will go,
just as it has been written about him.
But woe to that man
who betrays the Son of Man.
It would be better for him
if he had not been born.
Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said,
Surely you don't mean me, Rabbi.
Jesus answered,
You have said it.
While they were eating,
Jesus took bread.
And when he had given thanks,
he broke it and gave it to his disciples,
saying,
Take and eat.
This is my body.
Then he took a cup,
and when he had given thanks,
he 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 from this fruit of the vine
from now on
until that day
when I drink it new with you
in my Father's kingdom.
When they had sung a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Then Jesus told 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 replied,
Even if all fall away
on account of you,
I never will.
Truly, I tell you,
Jesus answered,
This very night
before the rooster crows,
you will disown me
three times.
But Peter declared,
Even if I have to die with you,
I will never disown you.
And all the other disciples
said the same.
Then Jesus went with his disciples
to a place called Gethsemane.
And he said to them,
Sit here
while I go over there
and pray.
He took Peter
and the two sons of Zebedee
along with him,
and he began
to be sorrowful
and troubled.
Then he said to them,
My soul is overwhelmed.
With sorrow
to the point of death.
Stay here
and keep watch with me.
Going a little farther,
he fell with his face
to the ground
and prayed,
My father,
if it is possible,
may this cup
be taken
from me.
Yet not as I will,
but as you will.
Then he returned
to his disciples
and found them sleeping.
Couldn't you men
keep watch with me
for one hour,
he asked Peter.
Watch
and pray
so that you will not
fall into temptation.
The spirit
is willing,
but the flesh
is weak.
He went away
a second time
and prayed,
My father,
if it is not
possible for this cup
to be taken away
unless I drink it,
may your will
be done.
When he came back
again,
he again found them
sleeping because
their eyes were heavy.
So he left them
and went away
once more
and prayed the third time
saying the same thing.
Then he returned
to the disciples
and said to them,
Are you still sleeping
and resting?
Look,
the hour has come
and the Son of Man
is delivered
into the hands
of sinners.
Rise,
let us go.
Here comes
my betrayer.
While he was still
speaking,
Judas,
one of the twelve
arrived.
With him was
a large crowd
armed with swords
and clubs
sent from the chief priests
and the elders
of the people.
Now the betrayer
had arranged a signal
with them.
The one I kiss
is the man.
Arrest him.
Going at once
to Jesus,
Judas said,
Greetings,
Rabbi,
and kissed him.
Jesus replied,
Do what you came
for,
friend.
Then the men
stepped forward,
seized Jesus,
and arrested him.
With that,
one of Jesus'
companions
reached for his sword,
drew it,
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.
Do you think
I cannot 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
in this way?
In that hour
Jesus said
to the crowd,
Am I leading
a rebellion
that you have
come out
with swords
and clubs
to capture me?
Every day
I sat in the
temple courts
teaching
and you did
not arrest me.
But this
has all taken
place
that the writings
of the prophets
might be fulfilled.
Then all the
disciples
deserted him
and fled.
Those who had
arrested Jesus
took him to
Caiaphas,
the high priest,
where the teachers
of the law
and the elders
had assembled.
But Peter
followed him
at a distance,
right up to the
courtyard of the
high priest.
He entered
and sat down
with the guards
to see the
outcome.
The chief
priests
and the whole
Sanhedrin
were looking
for false
evidence
against Jesus
so that they
could put him
to death.
But they did
not find any,
though many
false witnesses
came forward.
Finally,
two came forward
and declared,
This fellow
said,
I am able
to destroy
the temple
of God
and rebuild
it in three
days.
Then the
high priest
stood up
and said
to Jesus,
Are you
not going
to answer?
What is
this testimony
that these
men are
bringing
against you?
But Jesus
remained
silent.
The high
priest said
to him,
I charge
you under
oath by
the living
God.
Tell us
if you
are the
Messiah,
the Son
of God.
you have
said it,
Jesus replied.
But I
say to
all of
you,
from now
on you
will see
the Son
of Man
sitting at
the right
hand of
the Mighty
One and
coming on
the clouds
of heaven.
Then the
high priest
tore his
clothes and
said,
He has
spoken
blasphemy.
Why do we
need any
more witnesses?
Look,
now you
have heard
the blasphemy.
What do
you think?
He is
worthy of
death,
they answered.
Then they
spit in
his face
and struck
him with
their fists.
Others
slapped him
and said,
Prophesy
to us,
Messiah,
who hit
you?
Now Peter
was sitting
out in
the courtyard
and a
servant
girl came
to him.
You
also were
with
Jesus
of
Galilee,
she said.
But he
denied it
before them
all.
I don't
know what
you're
talking
about,
he said.
Then he
went out
to the
gateway
where another
servant
girl saw
him and
said to
the people
there,
This
fellow
was with
Jesus
of
Nazareth.
He
denied it
again
with an
oath.
I don't
know the
man.
After a
little while,
those standing
there went
up to
Peter and
said,
Surely you
are one
of them.
Your
accent
gives you
away.
Then he
began to
call down
curses and
he swore to
them,
I don't
know the
man.
Immediately a
rooster
crowed.
Then Peter
remembered the
word Jesus
had spoken.
Before the
rooster crows,
you will
disown me
three times.
And he
went outside
and wept
bitterly.
Early in
the morning,
all the
chief priests
and the
elders of
the people
made their
plans how
to have
Jesus
executed.
So 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
seized
with remorse
and returned
the thirty
pieces of
silver to
the chief
priests and
the elders.
I have
sinned,
he said,
for I have
betrayed
innocent blood.
What is
that to us?
They replied.
That's your
responsibility.
So Judas
threw the
money into
the temple
and left.
Then he
went away
and hanged
himself.
The chief
priest picked
up the coins
and said,
it's
against
the law
to put
this
into
the
treasury
since
it's
blood
money.
So they
decided to
use the
money to
buy the
potter's
field as
a burial
place for
foreigners.
That's why
it has been
called the
field of
blood to
this day.
Then what
was spoken
by Jeremiah
the prophet
was fulfilled.
They took
the thirty
pieces of
silver,
the price
set on
him by
the people
of Israel,
and they
used them to
buy the
potter's
field as
the Lord
commanded
me.
Meanwhile,
Jesus stood
before the
governor,
and the
governor asked
him,
are you
the king
of the
Jews?
You have
said it,
Jesus replied.
When he
was accused
by the
chief priests
and the
elders,
he gave
no answer.
Then Pilate
asked him,
don't you
hear the
testimony
they're
bringing
against
you?
But
Jesus
made no
reply,
not even
to a
single
charge,
to the
great
amazement
of the
governor.
Now it
was the
governor's
custom at
the festival
to release
a prisoner
chosen by
the crowd.
At that
time,
they had a
well-known
prisoner whose
name was
Jesus
Barabbas.
So when
the crowd
had gathered,
Pilate
asked them,
which one
do you
want me to
release to
you?
Jesus
Barabbas?
Or
Jesus
who is
called
the
Messiah?
For he
knew it
was out
of self-interest
that they
had handed
Jesus over
to him.
While
Pilate was
sitting on
the judge's
seat,
his wife
sent him
this message,
don't have
anything to
do with
that innocent
man,
for I
have suffered
a great
deal today
in a
dream
because of
him.
But the
chief priests
and the
elders
persuaded the
crowd
to ask
for
Barabbas
and to
have
Jesus
executed.
Which
of the
two
do you
want me
to
release
to
you?
asked
the
governor.
Barabbas,
they
answered.
What
shall I
do then
with
Jesus
who
is
called
the
Messiah?
Pilate
asked.
They
all
answered,
crucify
him.
Why?
What
crime
has he
committed?
asked
Pilate.
But they
shouted
all the
louder,
crucify
him.
When
Pilate
saw that
he was
getting
nowhere,
but that
instead
an uproar
was starting,
he took
water and
washed his
hands in
front of
the crowd.
I am
innocent
of this
man's
blood,
he said.
It is
your
responsibility.
All the
people
answered,
his
blood is
on us
and on
our
children.
Then he
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 of
soldiers around
him.
They stripped
him and
put a
scarlet
robe on
him and
then twisted
together a
crown of
thorns and
set it on
his head.
They put a
staff in
his right
hand.
They knelt
in front of
him and
mocked him.
Hail,
king of
the Jews,
they said.
They spit
on him and
took the
staff and
struck him
on the
head.
Again,
and again.
After they
had mocked
him,
they took
off the
robe and
put his
own clothes
on him.
Then they
led him
away to
crucify him.
As they
were going
out, they
met a
man from
Cyrene
named
Simon,
and they
forced him
to carry
the cross.
They came
to a place
called
Golgotha,
which means
the place
of the
skull.
There
they
offered
Jesus
wine to
drink,
mixed with
gall.
But after
tasting it,
he refused
to drink
it.
When they
had crucified
him,
they divided
up his
clothes by
casting
lots.
And
sitting down,
they kept
watch over
him there.
Above
his head,
they placed
the written
charge against
him.
This is
Jesus,
the king
of the
Jews.
Two
rebels
were
crucified
with him,
one on
his right
and one
on his
left.
Those
who passed
by hurled
insults at
him,
shaking
their heads
and saying,
you who
are going
to destroy
the temple
and build
it in
three days,
save
yourself.
Come
down from
the cross
if you
are the
son of
God.
In the
same way
the chief
priests
the teachers
of the
law
and the
elders
mocked
him.
He
saved
others,
they said,
but he
can't
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
rescue
him
now
if he
wants
him.
For
he said,
I am
the son
of God.
In
the same
way the
rebels
who were
crucified
with him
also
heaped
insults
on him.
From
noon
until
three in
the
afternoon
darkness
came over
all the
land.
About
three in
the
afternoon
Jesus
cried out
in a
loud
voice,
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's
calling
Elijah.
Immediately
one of
them ran
and got
a sponge.
He
filled
it with
wine
vinegar,
put it
on a
staff,
and
offered
it to
Jesus
to
drink.
the
rest
said,
now
leave him
alone,
let's
see if
Elijah
comes
to
save
him.
And
when
Jesus
had
cried
out
again
in a
loud
voice,
he
gave
up
his
spirit.
At
that
moment,
the
curtain
of the
temple
was
torn
in
two
from
top
to
bottom.
The
earth
shook,
the
rocks
split,
and
the
tombs
broke
open.
The
bodies
of
many
holy
people
who
had
died
were
raised
to
life.
They
came out
of the
tombs
after
Jesus'
resurrection
and went
into 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 exclaimed,
surely
he was
the
son of
God.
Many
women were
there
watching
from a
distance.
They
had
followed
Jesus
from
Galilee
to
care
for
his
needs.
Among
them
were
Mary
Magdalene,
Mary
the mother
of
James
and
Joseph,
and the
mother
of
Zebedee's
sons.
As
evening
approached,
there came
a rich
man from
Arimathea
named
Joseph,
who had
himself
become a
disciple
of
Jesus.
Going
to
Pilate,
he asked
for
Jesus'
body,
and
Pilate
ordered
that it
be given
to him.
Joseph
took the
body,
wrapped it
in a
clean
linen
cloth,
and placed
it in
his own
new
tomb that
he had
cut out
of the
rock.
He rolled
a big
stone in
front of
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 the
Pharisees
went to
Pilate.
Sir,
they said,
we remember
that while
he was still
alive,
that deceiver
said,
after three
days,
I will
rise again.
So give
the order
for the
tomb to
be made
secure
until the
third
day.
Otherwise,
his disciples
may come
and steal
the body
and tell
the people
that he's
been raised
from the
dead.
This last
deception
will be
worse than
the first.
Take a
guard,
Pilate
answered.
Go,
make the
tomb
as secure
as you
know how.
So they
went and
made the
tomb
secure
by putting
a seal
on the
stone
and
posting
the
guard.
God