Failure, Forgiveness, and Grace, Matthew 26:30-35

We will start at Matthew 26:32, and then we will move to some other passages. So you need to maintain a key level of flexibility as we study this morning.

What we are focusing on at this particular moment in Christ's ministry to His disciples is that He is going to announce their failure. He is going to announce that they will all leave Him; they will flee; they will be scattered. And most of all we're going to have Peter who's going to deny the Lord, even if we remember what the Lord said about a disciple was one who would deny himself and take up his cross and follow Him. And we see just absolute total spiritual breakdown and failure on the part of the disciples. But it's not hopeless because God never leaves us without hope, without a solution, without a remedy. So though there's failure. There is forgiveness and there is restitution to ministry for the disciples.

It is all a picture of God's grace. So often we can be very hard on other Christians who fail, but we all fail. In many different ways we deny the Lord by some of our sinful actions. It's more covert. We deny the Lord, and at times maybe overtly, but whatever we do, whatever sins we commit, there's not one sin that you or I commit that isn't known, just like the sins, by God the Father from eternity past; and there wasn't one single sin that got dropped on the ground. They all got nailed to the cross. That certificate of debt was nailed to the cross so that every sin was paid for. So sin isn't the issue anymore. It's not what we've done. When you're talking to a nonbeliever it's not the sins he's committed, the personal sins he's committed that's the issue, it's the fact that he is a corrupt sinner by birth, condemned by Adam's original sin, and therefore spiritually dead. And there has to be that solution of spiritual life, which comes only by faith alone in Christ alone.

Last week we had communion, which coincided intentionally with our study of the institutions Lord's Table by the Lord Jesus Christ. In church history it is known as the Last Supper. It's not the Last Supper; it's the last Seder. It's the last Passover in the age of Israel, because everything we saw about the Passover meal is to foreshadow and teach about the necessity of the Lamb of God who is going to take away the sin of the world. It is that that is depicted by the Passover. So it's the last Seder, the last Passover, but it's the first Lord's Table, the first Communion for the church.

And so we see that at this point there begins a transition from the age of Israel to the age of the church. When we looked at a plan of God for the ages we broke it down into ages: the age of the Gentiles, the age of the Jews, then the church age, then we have small fourth conclusion of the age of Israel in the Tribulation and then the messianic age. Each of those is further subdivided into dispensations. For example, in the age of Israel it begins with God's call of Abraham in Genesis chapter 12, and we have a dispensation of the patriarchs that goes from Abraham to Mount Sinai. Then there's a transition. There's new revelation given in Mount Sinai in the form of the Mosaic covenant, and the age of Israel goes from there until the beginning of Christ's ministry.

Now there's debate and discussion over this, but if you break down the categories of what makes a dispensation, a dispensation—there's new revelation, there are new expectations, there are new responsibilities and there's a unique judgment—that fits that period of Christ's life. There's a new revelation. What is it? The Lamb of God, the second person of the Trinity is in flesh among us. That's new revelation. He is the living Word. There's a new responsibility, and the new responsibility is to accept him as the Messiah. And there's a failure, and the failure is the part of the Jews to accept that kingdom message to "repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". And so there is a distinct punishment. And what was that? That is the removal of the offer of the kingdom and the postponement of the offer of the kingdom, and yet it will come again at some point. And we see that emphasize right here at the end of the institution of the Lord's Table.

If you look at Matthew 26:29 when Jesus has just drunk of the 3rd cup, the cup of redemption, He says to the disciples: “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

As we have seen that 4th cup which relates to the kingdom was not taken that night. He stops after the 3rd cup. And in the point there is, this isn't the end. He still teaching that the kingdom is coming, and that idea of the coming kingdom that is not now, but will be in the future, runs through all of these conversations that are taking place as they are still in the upper room, as they are still gathered together. And it emphasizes the fact that there is hope, confidence, a confident expectation of the future that God has a plan and He still in control and even though it may look as if He has lost control—the Savior is going to be arrested and tortured and crucified, Jesus Christ, we see from this passage, is still in control. He still determines what's going to happen. He announces what's going to happen and He is completely in control, He is not out of control at all.

This emphasis here is another indication that the church does not replace Israel, for that kingdom that we have studied from the beginning of Matthew is a Jewish kingdom, it is a geopolitical kingdom that is centered in Jerusalem, and will be ruled by a Jewish King, Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah. That it shows that this kingdom that He is talking about is going to come to pass. Something is going to intervene between that point and the coming of the kingdom, and that is the church age. But the church doesn't replace Israel; the church is just an unforeseen aspect of God's plan and program because the Jews had rejected Jesus as the Messiah. So this shows that there is still that future and that hope for the nation in the kingdom.

In Matthew's account a number of things were said and done before they left the room but they are not mentioned by Matthew, they are mentioned by John—John 13 and John 14 where Jesus is washing the disciples feet and talking to Peter about the fact that if he doesn't let Him wash his feet he won't have any role or are our share in the kingdom; what He says about Judas when He goes on to say that the He is giving them a new commandment "that you love one another, even as I have loved you"; and then He says He's leaving and Peter says, well where you going Lord, we want to follow you", and then the whole discussion after that in John 14 where Jesus says, "In my father's house are many mansions are dwelling places. If this were not so I would've told you". And he goes on in John 14 and talks about the fact that He is going to leave, but He is going to send another of the same kind, another Comforter, to them.

All of that takes place in the upper room, but Matthew Mark and Luke don't mention it at all. Matthew and Mark give a rather abbreviated account of what happens when they finish with the Seder meal. They sing the hymn, part of the Hillel hymns, and then they go to the Mount of Olives. It's a quick summary statement. Luke adds a few things and so we are going to take some time to look at those because it helps us to understand the more of the context when Jesus says that the Peter will deny Him. So were going to put the sections together.

Luke 22:24 begins by saying that a dispute arose among the disciples. The dispute is one we have heard before: Who's going to be the greatest in the kingdom. Some people say that Luke didn't talk about some of the earlier ones and he's just sticking it in here. But it has a role, especially in Luke's narrative of what happens. Luke brings it up and talks about it because it helps this context for the announcement of Peter's denial. So we have to understand the background on these conversations about who is going to be the greatest in the kingdom.

In Matthew 18, the disciples are starting to have a little disagreement among themselves, right after the Mount of Transfiguration. Peter, James and John have been up on the Mount of Transfiguration, so the rest of them are getting a little jealous, and they been having a discussion among themselves about who is the greatest in the kingdom.

Matthew 18:1 ^NASB At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

Then Jesus introduces the idea of being childlike. Many people miss the understanding of the of that imagery there in that metaphor, but a child in that culture was, not to be seen or heard; they were irrelevant; they were ignored; they were nobodies socially, and that's what Jesus is saying. It is not talking about being cute. He's not talking about being humble. He's talking about: You guys are concerned about who's the greatest but you are nobodies, you only what you are because of me, and you need to understand that your role is to serve the people, not to be somebody.

Matthew 18:3 ^NASB and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." The word "converted" is a bad translation because most people think of converted is getting saved, and he says unless you turn unless you change your mind and become as little children. In other words quit being arrogant and humble yourselves under the hand of God. [4] “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Entering the kingdom of heaven doesn't mean getting saved and when you die you are going to heaven, it means entering into the fullness and the richness of the kingdom blessings when the kingdom comes, and having full rewards.

The path to greatness is going to be being a servant. In other words, you think the path to greatness is self-assertion and self-absorption. The path to greatness is giving all that up and realizing it's not about you, it's about God, it's about His plan for your life and it's about serving Him and His people. When you realize that, then you're going to be on the path to the one who is greatest in the kingdom.

Now what I want you to notice, though, is where this heads. It always seems to come back to Jesus and His mission when these topics come up. And he says in verse 11: “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost."

Jesus in His role as the Savior coming to serve mankind, to seek and to save that which was lost, is the prime example of greatness in the kingdom, the greatness of the King. It's the opposite of this mentality among the disciples. But as we have seen many times they just don't get it. They haven't been able to get their mental fingers around this concept that Jesus is going to die and get buried and rise again. As we have seen, they turned to each other and asked: What does He mean, rise again? They just don't get it there, they are just lost, and then they go back to talking among themselves about who is going to be the greatest.

Turn to Matthew chapter 19. All of this section relates to this idea of what it means to be childlike, what it means to serve the Lord, what it means to be truly humble, and the conclusion of this section takes us down to the end of Matthew chapter 19 where we have the whole episode with the rich young ruler. Who wants to know what he has to do—what's the transaction what's a contract I have to put into place to put into effect so that I enter into this eternal life. He wants a contractor relationship because he's rich and wealthy and aristocratic in this life. He wants the same thing in the next life, and so all of that conversation that Jesus has with him is to point out the same flaw of arrogance, that it's not about who you are, what your possessions are or how great you're going to be in the kingdom; it's about serving me.

And so the disciples get it a little bit at, least Peter does. He says, "Lord, we've left everything", just like he said to the rich young ruler he needed to sell his all his possessions and give to the poor, "and then you will have treasure in heaven". And Jesus wasn't talking about becoming a Marxist, a communist, socialist, and giving everything up, or going out being a mendicant in the desert, or something of this nature. Jesus is pointing out the fact that this guy has put his emphasis on the wrong thing. Peter recognizes that. He says, "Well we sold everything. We left our business is, our homes, our families. What are we going to have?" Jesus then answers them and says, "Assuredly, I say to you that in the regeneration (another term for the kingdom) when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed me will also sit on the 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel".

What He is telling them is, that's hope. He just told him that, "Yes, when I come in the kingdom you are going to be on 12 thrones, you're going to be ruling over Israel. You may be failures. You may fail me. You may commit various sins, you may deny me", but He has already told him what the endgame is going to be: that they are going to be sitting on 12 thrones, ruling over Israel. But this issue continues into the next chapter. Chapter 20 gives the parable of the workers in the vineyard, which is teaching the same kind of thing. He predicts His death and resurrection for third time in 20:17-19.

Notice that that is often in the context of who's going to be great in the kingdom, and then right after He says that in verse 20 the mother of Zebedee's sons (James and John)—we will learn later her name is Salome—came to him with her sons. Now I don't about you, but my mother had done something like this, I'd be a tad bit embarrassed. But she's got little Jimmy and Johnny. You know they're in there. John is probably 19 or 18, and James is a little older, and she is dragging them up there. She's going to pin Jesus and say, Which one of these two sons is going to sit on your right hand, and which ones in a sit on your left-hand? She wants an answer, and she wants it right now.

Jesus then says you don't know what you ask, and He goes on into this discussion about the fact that they need to be able to "drink the cup that I am about to drink". That is a picture of His suffering for sin on the cross. "Be baptized with the baptism I'm baptized with", and they are speaking out of ignorance. Ignorance joins with arrogance. Some people may say well their heart is in the right place. Well that may be, but it's also arrogant because their loyal. We do a lot of things out of loyalty that is also out of arrogance. They are really loyal. I don't doubt their loyalty to Jesus, but they are arrogant at the same time. They are saying, You bet, we can do this, and they don't even have a clue what He is talking about. He goes on and said, "Well you will indeed drink my cup, and be baptized with the baptism I baptize with, but to sit on my right hand on my left is not mine to give, but is for those prepared by my Father."

Then He goes on, we come to the end, and He says, "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave, just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many". So what we see when these discussions come up about who's going to be great in the kingdom is somehow, the conversation always gets turned back and Jesus relates it to His mission come and to serve those who are lost, by going to the cross. That is the backdrop.

Then we have this third event that Matthew doesn't tell us about, but Luke tells us about. They still don't get it, and in the middle of the Seder meal they start talking about who is going to be great. I think it happens after Judas leaves. Judas has left. He has been pointed out that he is the bad guy. All that is left are the good guys. Jesus has just washed their feet and said you all are all clean, indicating they're all saved, and so once again they immediately turn to thinking about themselves.

Look at chapter 22 of Luke. We are going to see what happens, and this takes place before they left the upper room, probably before they had finished the Seder and sung the last hymn. We are told in Luke 22:24, "And there arose also a dispute among them {as to} which one of them was regarded to be greatest." The word for "dispute" starts with a prefix word from PHILOS, to love. It is a lover of quarreling. They just love a good debate. They are right in front of them.

Then He gives an illustration to contrast the attitude of the child of God who is on divine viewpoint with the human viewpoint that's expressed through all the pagan concepts of leadership. I've been to a number of leadership seminars and training things over the years since I was in ROTC in college, all the way up, and I don't remember too many people talking about the fact that if you're a good leader, you're going to be a servant of your men. Some of them will state it in different ways, but in a lot of areas it's just a contrast. You hear their view on leadership. You are the one in authority, you take charge, you run things—and not that you don't; Jesus is not saying there is no authority. He is talking about what the core attitude of leadership is and He contrasts it with the rulers of the Gentiles who exercise lordship over them. This is a another compound word, "lordship", from the root KURIOS, or the verb, which means to lord it over someone, to demand that they respect your authority and follow your leadership.

That's not what Christian leadership is, but you can apply this to parents and children, you can apply this to husbands and wives and fathers over the family. There are a lot of principles of application there. “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors." In other words, they make a special case for those who are the rulers.

Then we have "but" in verse 26 and Jesus is going to contrast the divine viewpoint of leadership with human viewpoint. “But {it is} not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. He is telling them there are two different ways to look at authority and leadership. One is the pagan way, which is where you bring glory to yourself, and one is the divine viewpoint way where the glory goes to God and you are there to serve those whom you are in authority over.

In verse 27 he says, "For who is greater?" Now He is talking about who is greater, according to human viewpoint. “For who is greater, the one who reclines {at the table} or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines {at the table?} But I am among you as the one who serves."

Now I get these emails every now and then. I really love them. They come up with some interesting facts and will say: Did you know where this came from? And they talk about different phrases and words that come in the English language. According to this email, and I've read this before so I think it's true, back in the middle ages most people didn't have dining room tables or even kitchen tables. They had just a table, or maybe they even had a table, something that folded down from the wall. If they had anything they had one chair and the head of the household sat in the chair. Anybody else sat on the floor. If there was a guess they came and you wanted to honor the guest, then the guest sat in the chair and he took that position of authority. And so since it was usually a male the person who sent the chair was called the chair man, from where we get our word chairman.

This makes a little sense in light of that. The one who sits at the table and sits at the head of the table is the one who has the authority, and everyone serves him. But that's not how it is if you are a believer. He is there, but he is not the one sitting at the head of the table: "I'm the one among you as the one who serves; that's my role. I'm not here to be served by you. I'm serving you." He's washed their feet. He does has served them, and so He emphasized that.

But then He says something that is hopeful. See first, he corrects them. They are still all distracted by who is great and have the wrong view of leadership.

Luke 22:28 ^NASB “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials". That is like Romans chapter eight, talking about those who suffer with Jesus. They are those who are going with Him in His trials. Then He says, and this is the prophecy that gives them hope, [29] "I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as my Father bestowed one upon me".

He still talking about the kingdom. And when they ask who is going to be greatest in the kingdom Jesus doesn't say, you don't know what you're talking about, there's not going to be a kingdom, or He doesn't say what we are just can have the spiritualized form of the kingdom, and it's all based on Marx, and were all going to be equal. He doesn't say anything like that. He tells them that there is still going to be a kingdom; it is yet future. They haven't quite got it all together but we know that in Acts chapter one just before Jesus ascends they ask, "Lord are you going to establish the kingdom at this point?" And He said, "It's not for you to know the times and seasons."

He will have a kingdom, [30] "that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel",

because He is the one who will be at the head of the kingdom, because He is the King, and you will sit on thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

Yes, again, He emphasizes, you will be ruling. There is going to be that reward for you and you will rule over the 12 tribes of Israel. So what we see in Luke 22 that builds or sets the setting for what's going to come up is this discussion and debate about who's the greatest that was generated by the departure by the departure of Judas.

Let's go back to Matthew 26 where we will pick up the rest of the story. Matthew 26:31, then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble." They have just been talking about how great they all are, and that each one should has evidence that they should be the greatest in the kingdom. There's nobody there that is saying, "I'm just not good enough y'all". They all think more highly of themselves than they ought to think. That's Romans 12:3—that were not to think more highly of ourselves that we ought to think. And Jesus said, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night". And what He is saying is that because of what will happen to him when He gets arrested, those events are what performs the situation and sets up the circumstances for their failure. They'll be caused to stumble. It's the word SKANDALIZO. And this is also related to the trip stick in a trap. Sometimes if you buy at the mousetrap, there's a little stick in there and when the mouse goes for the cheese it flips the stick and the mouse is caught. Or, you may have done something as a kid where you set up a box and set up a stick, and if the bird got under the box you'd pull a string was attached to the stick in the box would capture the bird. That trip stick, that tripwire, is the SKANDALIZO. It's what trips somebody up and they stumble or they fall, and it's used to picture sending or failing in the spiritual life.

He says they're all going to fail. They're all going to fail beak because of him that night. And then He quotes a Scripture—Zechariah 13:7.

Before I go there, what's interesting in this passage is that what Jesus does is predict three things. He predicts that they're all going to be made to stumble and to scatter. He tells them though that there's hope. He says, "But after I rise again …" They still can't understand what that means. "… we will meet in Galilee". That's in verse 32. And then He goes will go on to say that Peter will deny him that night, before the rooster crows. What we see before the end of the chapter is that the disciples will be scattered. That will be fulfilled when we get to verse 56. The prediction of the post-resurrection meeting in Galilee will be fulfilled in 28:16-20, and the prediction that Peter will deny him will be fulfilled later on in 26:69-75.

So, again, Jesus is showing that he's a prophet. He is predicting in the near future that which is going to take place, and He is demonstrating that He is a true prophet, and he quotes from the quotes from Zechariah.

Now if we take a look at Zechariah 13 we will discover that this passage relates to the future for Israel, and if we read the passage in English translation, read it in the original Hebrew, or read it in the Greek translation in the Septuagint, and will discover that what Jesus says in verse 31 of Matthew 26 doesn't fit. It's not the same. It's more of a paraphrase. He is taking a principle, because that's what happens in 70 AD; Israel is going to be scattered. And so many people take that as the fulfillment of this scattering image: that they will strike the shepherd, which is Jesus, and then the sheep which in the context of the Old Testament that refers to all of Israel, will be scattered.

Zechariah 13:7 ^NASB “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, And against the man, My Associate,” Declares the LORD of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones."

"And I will turn my hand turn my hand against the little ones". There are four different ways in which you have the use of this formula, "This fulfilled the Scripture," or, "for it is written". If you go back to Matthew chapter two you'll see various different prophecies that Matthew refers to from the Old Testament. For example, that Jesus is born in Bethlehem. That's literal history, literal fulfillment. There are passages related to "out of Egypt I called my son", in Hosea, and then in Jeremiah that Rachel is weeping for her children, and you have these different statements made but only one of those, which is related to Jesus birth in Bethlehem, is a literal prophecy. The others are either referring to something historical or the referring to general principles.

So what is going on here? It's that third use that we studied in the past: that Jesus is taking a principle that is alluded to here in Zechariah 13:7, and applying it to this situation. He is saying, "This is like that", just as this is talking about the shepherd and his sheep are being scattered. This is the same kind of thing that happens, I will be struck and the sheep—but He is not talking about Israel, that's the original context; He is talking about his disciples. They will be they will be scattered.

Then He gives this message and indication of hope in the future. He says, “But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” He is again emphasizing there is a future and there is a hope, but they are not comprehending it; they are not putting it together yet.

But what Peter hones in on is the fact that Jesus said they would be scattered; and he says, not me. Matthew 26:33 ^NASB But Peter said to Him, “{Even} though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” He uses the construction the Greek that says it's impossible. It is just the strongest possible way he could deny something. He said: "I'm not going to stumble, I'm not going to fall, I'm not going to sin.

Then Jesus tells him. Matthew 26:34 ^NASB Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this {very} night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

We will look at the details of that denial when we get there. Mark says, "Before the rooster crows twice: and a lot of people and a lot of people try to say there's a contradiction here. Let me tell you, folks, if the rooster crows twice he's crowed once; there's no contradiction.

Now that's not all. Now we get to go back to Luke 22 because Jesus talks to Peter about the dynamics that are behind this denial: that it relates to something much broader, and it relates to the role of Satan in history attempting to destroy the mission of the son of God.

Luke 22:31 ^NASB “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded {permission} to sift you like wheat." This occurs right after they've had the discussion and debate over who is greatest in the kingdom. The Lord says, "Satan has asked for you". Luke left out some of what took place between vv30 and 31 because it didn't fit his purpose.

This goes back to what we learn in Job 1 & 2. Satan has to go to God to say, "I want to test Job". The Lord says you can do everything, but you can't take his health. He is going to come back to the second time to test him and the Lord says you can take his health but you can't take his life. Satan can't do anything without God's permissive permission. It's God's permissive will that allows him to do what he does and so he's ultimately under the control of God.

So Satan has asked for you, and that you there is a plural. It's for y'all, because what Pete what Jesus is pointing out if Satan wants to sift all of you, and then in Luke 22:32 Jesus says, "But I pray for you (singular) that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to me, strengthen your brethren."

This reminds us that Jesus Christ is always praying for us, that this is a specific test for Peter, and that he is told that he will fail, but then he will come back, and when he returns he is to then strengthen his brethren. So throughout this section, we see the constant reminder that there's going to be failure, is going to be forgiveness, and it's all based on grace, and there is going to be that future kingdom. We are also reminded here that Jesus prays for them.

Now Peter is still arrogant. Luke 22:33 But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” That is when the Lord tells him, Luke 22:34 And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

Jesus is the one who intercedes for us. Romans 8:34 ^NASB "who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us."

The point there is this rhetorical question: Who condemns? How can anyone condemn a believer, because Christ died for us is the one who is constantly praying for us, constantly defending us at the right hand of the Father, because He knows that we possessed His righteousness.

Hebrews 7:25 we read. "Therefore, he is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them".

The classic intercessory prayer of the Lord for us is in John chapter 17. That is the real Lord's prayer; not Matthew six. It is John 17, because there the Lord is praying for His disciples. That gives an example of what Jesus is praying for, for each one of us, during the church age.

Then we come to the conclusion in Luke, this passage is only in Luke, and it's really a foundation for self-defense, for the whole doctrine that the Bible teaches about self-defense.

Luke 22:35 ^NASB And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “{No,} nothing.”

Now that is referring to back in Matthew chapter 10, when He is sending the disciples out to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. The marching orders there was, don't take anything with you. Don't take your bags, don't take a lunch, don't take anything but your walking stick, and God will provide for you on the on the mission. And that's what they did.

Some people say this is a contradiction because there Jesus says take don't take anything; here He says take something. We have to understand it is different people, different time, and different context. Now that the kingdom has been postponed the church age is coming and they have a different mission. and now he says he who has a moneybag, take it with him. Take money with you. You're going to need it for the journey, and likewise a knapsack, pack your bags and take what you will need for clothing along with you, and for food also. And then he adds something. He says he who has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. This is a foundation for self-protection. It's a foundation for conceal carry, because that's how they would carry it. It's a foundation for said first self-defense: that they would be attacked and they needed to be able to protect themselves.

I read one guy who said, Well Peter and John went in to prepare for the Passover and the swords that they had were just these ceremonial ritual swords. That is not what the text says. The text says it was a MACHAIRA. They would carry it concealed under their robes to protect themselves. That's how Peter was able to cut off the ear of the temple servant. He's going to be armed.

"… and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one." Luke 22:37 ^NASB “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has {its} fulfillment.”

He is saying: It is still going to be fulfilled that I'm going to be lined up with the criminals, and I'm going to be crucified like a criminal."

Luke 22:38 ^NASB They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

He wants to make sure that as they go to the garden of Gethsemane they are armed. He has an armed guard now. Why in the world does Jesus want an armed guard on the way to the garden of Gethsemane? He wants an armed guard because He doesn't want anyone to take his life in any other way than going to the cross. He has to protect the mission and if they run into a Roman guard on the way and He is attacked, or something happens, He's got to be protected so that He survives to fulfill the Father's plan. He makes sure He has an armed guard that will defend His life until it's the right time in terms of the plan.

The last thing is that that is said, I believe, is what Peter says, Matthew 26:35 ^NASB Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too.

It will just be a few hours and they will all scatter, and Peter will deny him. We all sin, everyone of us. Some of us have great failures. Some of those failures are in our past; some of them are in our future. But there is always forgiveness because Christ paid for every single sin. It's all based on grace. None of it is based on works. And so we are not to judge ourselves, or others, on the basis of a works righteousness, but we are to judge ourselves in terms of confession of sin, so that we can we examine ourselves, so that we can have forgiveness and continue to walk by the Spirit.

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