Overview:
Jesus’ ministry was reaching its climax. He finally arrived at Jerusalem only to sense the lingering stench of death awaiting Him in the form of a Roman cross.
Matthew 26:1–16 sets the stage for the final act of this gospel account. Each event preserved in this passage moves us one step closer to Jesus’ horrific crucifixion.
Walk with Pastor Chuck Swindoll through these events as he uncovers an important truth: everyone is either for Jesus or against Him.
Message Summary:
In this message initiating the study of Matthew 26, Chuck Swindoll sets the stage for the “Gathering Storm” of the Passion week. He describes the atmosphere as thick with the “stench of death,” even though the disciples remained largely oblivious to the impending tragedy. Swindoll contrasts two sharply different scenes: a secret, hate-filled conspiracy to murder the Messiah, and a public, extravagant act of love poured out upon Him.
The narrative moves from the residence of Caiaphas, where religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus without causing a riot during Passover, to the home of Simon the Leper in Bethany. Here, Mary (identified from other Gospels) interrupts a meal to break an alabaster jar of expensive perfume over Jesus. Swindoll highlights the disciples’ indignant reaction—calling her worship a “waste”—and contrasts it with Jesus’ defense of her. Jesus declares that her act was a preparation for His burial and that she would be remembered wherever the Gospel is preached [23–25, 30–36].
The sermon concludes with the tragic figure of Judas Iscariot. Swindoll portrays Judas not merely as a victim of fate, but as a disillusioned man who, seeing Jesus fail to overthrow Rome politically, decided to cash in on the situation. While Mary gave a gift worth a fortune, Judas sold his soul for thirty pieces of silver. Swindoll leaves the listener with a sober warning that there is no neutrality regarding Jesus: everyone is either for Him, like Mary, or moving against Him, like Judas [43–49].
Message Key Facts:
- The “Gathering Storm”: Swindoll borrows the title of Winston Churchill’s fourth volume of memoirs to describe the atmosphere of Matthew 26. Just as Hitler’s depravity grew while the world watched, a conspiracy was brewing in Jerusalem that would change history [14–15].
- Caiaphas the Survivor: Swindoll notes that while Roman-appointed High Priests usually came and went rapidly, Caiaphas held the office from AD 18 to AD 36. This suggests he was a master politician who had perfected the art of cooperating with Rome to maintain his power.
- The Riot Risk: The religious leaders decided not to kill Jesus during the Passover festival because the population of Jerusalem swelled enormously. Citing Josephus, Swindoll notes that over 250,000 lambs were slain, meaning the crowd could have exceeded 2 million people, making a riot a dangerous possibility for the leaders [23–25].
- Dining Customs: Swindoll corrects the mental image of the Last Supper often influenced by art. The disciples were not sitting in chairs at a long table; they were reclining on elbows at a low table, eating with their hands in a relaxed, intimate setting [28–29].
- The Lingering Fragrance: Swindoll offers a poignant insight regarding Mary’s perfume. Because she poured it on His head and feet, Swindoll suggests the fragrance likely remained on Jesus’ body through the crucifixion and burial. Amidst the smell of blood and death, the aroma of Mary’s worship clung to Him [37–38].
- Judas’s Motivation: Swindoll suggests Judas was a “thief” and a disillusioned zealot. Having seen Jesus’ miracles but realizing He would not be the political conqueror they expected, Judas turned on Him. Swindoll quotes an old couplet: “For 30 pieces Judah sold himself, not Christ” [43–47].
- Extravagant Worship: Swindoll challenges the listener to emulate Mary, whose worship was so intense she didn’t care what the men in the room thought. He quotes the hymn “Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned” to capture the heart of true adoration [41–42].
- No Neutrality: The central application of the message is that neutrality is impossible. A person is either moving toward Christ in devotion or away from Him in betrayal. Indecision is not a safe harbor.
Message References:
- Matthew 26:1–2: Jesus predicts His crucifixion: “Passover begins in two days and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified”.
- Matthew 26:3–5: The plot by the leading priests and elders to capture and kill Jesus secretly.
- Matthew 26:6–13: The anointing at Bethany by the woman with the alabaster jar and the disciples’ complaint that it was a “waste” [4–5, 35].
- Matthew 26:14–16: Judas negotiates the price of betrayal: “And they gave him 30 pieces of silver”.
- Mark 14 & John 12: Referenced as the parallel accounts that identify the woman as Mary, the sister of Lazarus.
