Big Idea: Although Jesus predicts and witnesses the disciples’ desertion and prays for God to change his fate, he as the Messiah, the Son of God, proves himself faithful to God’s will even to the point of suffering and death.

Understanding the Text

Matthew’s passion story continues with Jesus’ prediction of the disciples’ desertion and Peter’s denial (26:31–35), Jesus’ time of prayer in Gethsemane and arrest there (26:36–56), and Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin (26:57–68) followed by Peter’s denial (26:69–75). Matthew’s thematic emphases include the stumbling of the disciples (“fall away” [26:31, 33]), prophetic fulfillment (26:31, 54–56), and Jesus’ commitment to doing God’s will even to the point of death (26:39). The antagonism of the Jerusalem leaders toward Jesus, which has been p…