Matthew 26:1-5 - Homilies By J.a. Macdonald

God's plans and man's plots.

The "sayings," "words," or discourses of Jesus here "finished," were begun on the Mount of Olives (see Matthew 24:1 ), and continued till he came to Bethany (see Matthew 26:6 ). They were spoken, it would seem, publicly, while the sentence following was privately spoken "unto his disciples" ( Matthew 26:2 ). The matter of this sentence is intrinsically intensely interesting, and it is interesting also from its relation to the consultation of the Sanhedrin next mentioned ( Matthew 26:3-5 ). The subject remarkably illustrates two things, viz.—

I. THAT GOD 'S PLANS ARE WISE AND BENEFICENT .

1 . Here note the prescience of Jesus.

2 . This prescience is clearly Divine.

3 . It is the prescience of wisdom and beneficence.

(a) This God distinguishes as especially his: "My sacrifice" (see Exodus 23:18 ), viz. because it was instituted by him to be a special type of "the LAMB OF GOD that beareth away the sin of the world" (see 1 Corinthians 5:7 ).

(b) The Paschal lamb was "a male of the first year," the symbol of excellence in its prime. So was Jesus, in the prime of his peerless manhood, when offered up.

(c) It was "without blemish." He was immaculate in his birth, and in his life and death he fulfilled all righteousness.

(a) The word here construed "betrayed" is in the New Version rendered "delivered up," the reference being to the setting apart of the lamb rather than to the treachery of Judas. It refers to something accomplished. The lamb was taken on the tenth day of the first month (see Exodus 12:1-3 ); and on this day Jesus entered Jerusalem (see John 12:1 , John 12:12 , John 12:13 ).

(b) The lamb was then to be kept "until the fourteenth day of the same month" (see Exodus 12:6 ). On this day the true Paschal Lamb was sacrificed. There is reason to believe that in this case, two days were kept, and the right day was that upon which Jesus was offered up.

(c) The time of the day also was exact, viz. "between the two evenings", i.e. between the sun's declining west, at noon, and his setting, at about six in the afternoon. Jesus was crucified at noon, and expired three hours later, exactly between the evenings (see Matthew 27:46-50 ).

II. THAT HE MAKES MAN 'S PLOTS SUBSERVIENT TO THEM ,

1 . We see God ' s purposes in the assembly.

2 . We see God ' s purposes in their measures.