Matthew 26:1-75

What is the theme of this chapter?

The Passion of the King: the preparation, the Passover, the betrayal, and the hearing before the high priest.

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verse 39

"And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.'"

What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

Matthew 26:69-75

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

This account also appears in Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27.

courtyard - in the palace courtyard. The trials before Annas and Caiaphas were in the buildings that surrounded it.

"The palace or court of the high priest no doubt was constructed in the usual way. A gated porch admitted to a central courtyard on one side of which was the palace of Annas, and on the other side the palace of Caiaphas. Opposite the porch a raised columned pavement formed an audience chamber. Here Christ would stand as a prisoner before the high priest, and thus Peter was enabled to see Him and He to see Peter (Luke 22:1)." (Williams)

your accent betrays you - his Galilean accent (Galilean pronunciation differed from Judean.)

invoke a curse...and to swear - "Peter began to call down a curse on himself if he were lying." (Ryrie)

Peter remembered - The Lord turned (from where He was on the balcony) and looked at Peter (Luke 22:61).

The Lord’s look was probably not one of judgment but of sadness and love. When He warned Peter of his denials, He told him:

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers" (Luke 22:31-32).

Peter failed, but his faith did not. He sinned, but his salvation was never in question.

Matthew 26:56-68

But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled. Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”

Matthew doesn’t give an account of everything that occurred. See also Mark 14, Luke 22 and John 18. Jesus was taken before Annas (John 18:12-14, 19-23) before He was taken before Caiaphas.

"The order of Jesus' trials was as follows: (1) the hearing before Annas (John 18:12-14, 19-23); (2) the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:57-68; 27:1); (3) the first appearance before (Matthew 27:2, 11-14); (4) an appearance before Herod (Luke 23:6-12); (5) a second trial before Pilate (Matthew 27:15-16)." (Ryrie)

disciples left him and fled - fulfilling the Lord’s prophecy in Matthew 26:31.

many false witnesses - "To establish a charge, two witnesses were required under Jewish law, and their testimony had to be in agreement." (Ryrie)

I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days. - The false witnesses (v 61) misstated what Jesus had said almost three years earlier (John 2:19, 21).

"Jesus had said this about three years before (John 2:19), but speaking of His body, not the temple building." (Ryrie)

Jesus remained silent - See Isa 53:7.

I adjure you by the living God - Jesus refused to respond to the false and illegal testimony of the witnesses. Caiaphas than put Him under oath, and under oath, Christ responded.

"Being under oath, Jesus had to reply." (Ryrie)

You have said so - the legal way of saying "yes"

but I tell you - probably in response to Caiaphas’ unbelief

Jesus’ response (v 64) is from Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13. His reference to "coming on the clouds of heaven" may be a reference to His ascension to heaven to the place of power (see Daniel 7:13) or to His return. Or perhaps both.

the high priest tore his robes - "By the laws of the Hebrew people it was illegal for the Sanhedrin to meet in the night to try a case such as this, but they arraigned Him in the night. It was illegal for the Sanhedrin to pass sentence on the day that the prisoner was arrested, but they did it in this case in a few hours. It was distinctly ordered (Leviticus 21:10) that the high priest shall not rend his garments in the hour of sorrow or anguish." (Morgan)

By the act of tearing his robe, Caiaphas was, in effect, ending the Levitical priesthood for all time.

they spit in his face - See. Isa 50:6.

Prophesy to us - "Having blindfolded Him, they suggest He name His taunters (Luke 22:64)." (Ryrie)

"The regular place for the meeting of the Sanhedrin was in the temple, but they led Jesus away to the house of the high priest Caiaphas, situated in a place just outside the present wall of the city, where all the chief priests and elders and scribes had been summoned to meet. Nor was the legal hour of meeting for trials in the night. Other features in the illegality practiced in the trials of Jesus were: undue haste, seeking or bribing witnesses, neglecting to warn the witnesses solemnly before they should give evidence, forcing the accused to testify against Himself, judicial use of the prisoner’s confession, and failure to release the prisoner when there was failure of agreement between witnesses. In such a case as this, it was required that witnesses be found who could support the accusations made against the accused. The Sanhedrin had been quickly called together to conduct this trial and had had no opportunity to prepare witnesses. Thus, though many false witnesses bore testimony, the testimony bore no weight for it was not supported by two witnesses (Mark 14:56)." (Pentecost)

Matthew 26:45-55

Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.

This account is also found in Mark 14:43-50; Luke 22:47-53 and John 18:3-11.

There was probably an interval of time between verses 45-46.

a great crowd - Roman soldiers with swords, Jewish temple guards with staves and perhaps a crowd of onlookers. They were probably afraid of His power and of the reaction of the crowd who so recently had been following and worshiping Him.

"The arrest of Jesus was effected by the Sanhedrists through the temple police, accompanied by a part of the cohort of Roman soldiers from the tower of Antonia. This cohort of some five hundred soldiers was kept in the tower to quell any tumult among the people and act as an emergency police force. It is possible that these soldiers were granted the Sanhedrists by Pilate, in order to effect the arrest without a tumult among the people. The arrangement of this matter would account for the delay in the coming of Judas and the armed force to Gethsemane until after midnight. The temple police were under direct orders as servant-officers from the chief priests and Pharisees." (Pentecost)

Greetings, Rabbi! - 'Oh, the joy! Rabbi!' as if happy to see Him, perhaps hoping to hide the evil of what he was doing

kissed = the original uses the tense for 'kissed again and again' or 'kissed warmly and fervently'

friend = comrade or companion (Not the word the Lord used for the disciples in John 15, which indicated endearment.) Jesus knew Judas’ heart, but He may have been issuing a final appeal to Judas to believe.

one of those - Peter (John 18:10 — written after Peter was dead. This verse also reveals that the servant’s name was Malchus.)

sword - "The disciples had informed Him that they had two swords (Luke 22:36-38). These swords were the small ceremonial daggers with which the disciples had prepared the Passover lamb. Peter was one of the two who carried this small weapon. He drew it and then struck a blow to deliver Christ from the large band of soldiers. The Romans carried broad swords into battle. These swords were approximately a yard long and had a handle that could be grasped with two hands. The sword was raised high and brought down on the head of an adversary in order to crush that one’s skull. Peter evidently tried to use the small dagger as a large broad sword and attempted to crush the head of the nearest adversary but succeeded in only cutting off his right ear (John 18:10). Without doubt Peter expected to lay down his life for Christ’s sake that night." (Pentecost)

twelve legions - A Roman legion contained 6,000 soldiers, so, 72,000 angels.

"Christ meant simply a very large, not an exact, number.  A Roman legion varied in number from 3,000 to 6,000." (Ryrie)

Scriptures - During the last day before His death and the first day after His resurrection, Jesus quoted Scripture 30 times.

Matthew 26:36-44

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

Gethsemane - "The name means 'oil press.'  It was a garden, doubtless containing olive trees, on the side of the Mount of Olives." (Ryrie)

two sons of Zebedee - "I.e., James and John." (Ryrie)

"Asking eight of the disciples to sit down, Jesus took Peter, James and John, and they went farther into the garden. These three, who seem to form the inner circle, had been with Him on the mount of transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9), had seen the girl raised at the house of Jairus (Matthew 9:18-25), and were apparently the three from whom Jesus could most expect sympathy and understanding in this hour." (Walvoord)

sorrowful and troubled - "Most probably it has come from one word that means 'away from home.' He began to be sorrowful and away from home. It means more than that, of course; but that is the root idea, that of desolating loneliness. He began to enter into that consciousness of His absolute isolation." (Morgan)

keep watch = keep watching, stay awake, be alert

Christ’s prayer in the garden to have the cup pass from Him while at the same time submitting totally to the Father’s will has to be one of the most difficult to comprehend passages of Scripture. It certainly displays His total humanity while demonstrating His complete unity with the Father in deity. I don’t think it’s possible for us get to the bottom of what it means, but here are three attempts.

"The cup was all the suffering involved in the sinless Son of God taking upon Himself the sin of mankind, including the necessary, though temporary, separation from God (Matt 27:26).  He naturally shrank from this, though He willingly submitted to it." (Ryrie)

"That a sinless Being should have any contact with sin (John 8:46); and further, should be loaded with sin (1 Peter 2:24); and, most dreadful of all, should be constituted sin (John 3:14 and 2 Corinthians 5:21), must have been unspeakable agony. Hebrews 5:&, and several of the Psalms, support the belief that the horror of being forsaken by God (Psalm 22:1) and cast into hell was so great that He could not, as a man, have endured it but for added angelic strength Luke 22:43-44; yet was there no antagonism between His independent will and the will of the Father." (Williams)

"Adam’s penalty for sin was death. This included both physical and spiritual death. Men are born into the world spiritually dead and therefore are subject to physical death. If Christ was to provide salvation for sinners, He had to partake of death on their behalf (Hebrews 2:9). When He went to the cross, He vicariously bore both aspects of death for sinners. He endured spiritual death on the cross, that is, the separation of His soul from the Father. The evidence that He bore spiritual death is seen in His cry, 'My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?' (Matthew 27:45). Christ also experienced physical death (Matthew 27:50); John 19:33). Thus we see that Christ died both spiritually and physically because H died as the sinners' substitute. The penalty that God had intended for sinners fell on God’s own Son. The penalty for sin is eternal separation from God. This eternal separation is called 'the second death' (Revelation 20:14). God would have been just if He had demanded that Christ, who tasted death for every man, be eternally separated from Himself. Christ prayed that God might accept His death as a full payment of the sin of sinners and bring Him out of death and restore Him to life again. Thus the prayer should be understood to be a prayer for restoration to physical life by resurrection, and a restoration to full fellowship with His Father out of the spiritual death into which He would enter. The evidence that God answered Christ's prayer is seen, first, in the fact that Christ was raised from the dead on the third day and given a glorified body. Second, it is seen in the fact that on the fortieth day He ascended to the Father to be seated at His right hand in glory. If it be objected that restoration to life and to fellowship or deliverance from physical and spiritual death meant that God exacted less of Christ in payment for sin that God would exact from the sinner, let it be noted that the life that Christ offered to the father was His own eternal king of life. Therefore Christ made an eternal offering for sins even though that offering was accomplished in a few moments of time. This explanation seems to meet the demands of Hebrews 5:7, which states that His prayer was answered. It did involve physical death, being made sin, being separated from the Father, and entering into the fullness of death, both physical and spiritual, for us. While we cannot comprehend all that was entailed, we can take note of the unquestioned and implicit obedience of the Son, who said three times to His Father, 'Not what I will, but what you will' (Mark 14:36). Because of this, Paul could say He 'became obedient to death — even death on a cross!'" (Pentecost)

What we can be sure of is that Christ was not asking to be excused from the cross. That would be counter to His entire ministry. But that He was dreading His exposure to sin and His separation from the Father takes nothing away from His willingness to endure it.

Matthew 26:30-35

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

hymn - probably part of the Passover celebration, the Hallel — Psalms 113-118.

will all fall away - from the Greek word from which we get "scandal"

The quote in verse 31 is from Zechariah 13:7 in the Septuagint

"All the disciples would desert Him before the night was over (v 56), not Peter only.  (See Zech 13:7)." (Ryrie)

go before you = lead you forth, go at your head as a shepherd leads his sheep

"He was preparing them by giving them to know before they should be offended, that He knew they would be offended. Christ was always making it easy for these men to get back presently; and when He told them the worst that was in them, and they did not believe Him; though they all personally declared they would not be offended, He did not argue; but He left something in the heart, and mind, and memory, which, returning presently, would make it easier for them. It is a great thing to be able to say within one’s own soul, Well, my friend knew and warned me, I will go back to Him. Christ was telling them the worst, But not only the worst. Mark the next words well, words flashing with light, 'but after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.'" (Morgan)

Matthew 26:26-29

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for 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 again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”

this is my body - "Since His body was there present saying these words, the bread was not changed into His body but represented the body in which He lived a sinless life and thus qualified Himself to be the bearer of our sins." (Ryrie)

"During the Passover feast the Jewish householder took bread in his hand and said, “This is the bread of affliction which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt,” meaning, of course, that the one represented the other. By His words the Lord changed the whole significance and emphasis of the feast from looking back to the typical redemption from Egypt to faith in the redemption from sin accomplished by His death. Three cups were passed around by the Jewish householder during the Passover meal; the third, which is probably that referred to here, being known as as 'the cup of blessing.' My blood of the new covenant, taken from the LXX of Exodus 24:8 with allusions to Jeremiah 31 and Zechariah 9:11. The covenant in Exodus 24:8 was sealed with blood." (KJV Bible Commentary)

"Bread and wine were significant part of the Passover meal. Bread was used throughout the Old Testament as a symbol of God’s provision for His people. Wine was used throughout the Old Testament as a symbol of the joy that would be the experience of those in Messiah’s kingdom. The lamb signified the sacrifice by which God would provide a covering for sin so as to receive men into His kingdom. These elements played a significant part in the Passover Feast. It came as no surprise to the disciples that Christ used bread in the observance of the meal and that He passed the cup from which all drank. But now Christ departed from the normal use of these elements at the Passover Feast. He gave a new significance to the bread and wine. He wanted them, whenever and wherever they ate bread, to be reminded of His body that soon was to be given as a sacrifice on their behalf. The emphasis in Christ’s statement was on the covenant — the covenant that necessitated the blood that was shed. By these two statements Christ revealed that through His death He would institute the new covenant that Jeremiah had promised. The institution of the new covenant would terminate the old Mosaic covenant under which God had dealt with His people previously. Whenever and wherever these men would drink from the cup, they were to be reminded that a new covenant based on Christ’s shed blood had been instituted and they were to eat and drink in remembrance of Him. Christ would not Himself drink of the cup while He was at His Father’s right hand. However, He did promise that the time would come when He would drink of the cup with them again in His Father’s kingdom. Thus there would be two memorials to Christ in the future millennial kingdom. From Ezekiel 46:13-25 we know that Israel will offer memorial sacrifices in the millennial temple as memorials of the death of Christ. We know that church saints should periodically memorialize the death of Christ by breaking bread and drinking from the cup because the apostle Paul was told by special revelation that Christ’s church should do this (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)." (Pentecost)

Cf., 1 Corinthians 11-12 - "This was a special revelation for these Gentiles in the flesh (1 Corinthians 12:2). It was not a continuation of the Passover feast; it was not 'delivered' to a congregation which was mainly Jewish; he 'delivered' these instructions from the glorified Lord to these saved Gentiles. Further, this is by no means an ordinance; it is a glad celebration. He himself had written with regard to the ordinances of Judaism: 'Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances [i.e., the law], that was against us; which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross' (Colossians 2:14).'Again he says in Ephesians 2:15: 'having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances ...' Ordinances in Scripture are consistently 'things ordained,' i.e., for acceptance with God. This is not so with the Lord’s supper. The apostle [Paul] does not even command his readers to observe it. Rather all is left to grace as he naturally assumes that those so gloriously redeemed will want to celebrate the great sacrifice of their Redeemer." (Stam)

until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom - "The disciples' attention is directed toward their eventual reunion in the future millennial kingdom with its joy and fellowship." (Ryrie)

Matthew 26:14-25

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is at hand. I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.’” And the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at the table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I,Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

The account of the meal also appears in Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13; John 13:1-29.

Thirty pieces of silver - about a month’s wages - Prophesied in Zechariah 11:12. - The price one had to pay for killing or making useless another’s slave (Exodus 21:32).

"The coin is unidentified.  If it was a denarius, this sum represented approximately five weeks' wages.  It could have amounted to much more." (Ryrie)

"In keeping with the previous decision (Matthew 26:5), Judas sought an opportunity to betray Christ secretly so as not to start a riot. Judas’ unexpected offer changed the timetable arranged by the Sanhedrin. They had thought it necessary to plan the death of Christ after the Passover. If it had not been for Judas’ offer, the arrest of Jesus in all likelihood would have been postponed. But now that an accuser had presented himself, the Sanhedrin moved with haste. Judas offered to do more than merely identify Him. Identification would have been unnecessary, for all the Sanhedrin were very familiar with Christ; all had seen and heard Him many times. Judas agreed to fulfill a point of Roman law, a necessary requirement if the Sanhedrin was to proceed with their plot to execute Christ. A person could not be brought to trial before a Roman court until an indictment had been officially lodged against him, charging him with a crime. This indictment had to be signed by witnesses who, by signing the indictment, agreed to appear in order to give testimony for the prosecution against the accused. Thus Judas offered himself as a witness against Christ. He agreed to go before the Roman courts when Christ was brought to trial on a yet undetermined charge." (Pentecost)

first day of Unleavened Bread - the 14th of Nisan, beginning at sundown on the 13th

"The day referred to, the 14th of the month Abib or Nisan (Exodus 12:6), was only in a loose and popular sense the first day of the festival. It was strictly the preparation day, when all arrangements had to be completed for the commencement of the festivities, immediately after sunset. As however these arrangements were, so to speak, the inception of the festivities, the day was sometimes, as here, spoken of as the first day of the festival. Hence in Josephus’ Antiquities, we read, 'we keep a feast for eight days, which is called the feast of the unleavened,' while in the same Antiquities, he says, 'the feast of the unleavened falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and continues seven days.'" (Pentecost)

"On Thursday morning Peter and John, according to the custom, would go to the Temple and provide for the lamb, which they must purchase and take to the priests who had to pass upon it. Early in the afternoon the lamb would be killed in the Temple court, offered at the altar, and, after the blood was poured out at the altar and a certain part of the Lamb was reserved for the sacrifice, the rest would be wrapped in the skin and taken home. Before sunset, the carcass would be roasted in barbecue fashion and made ready for the meal at the blasts of the trumpet just at sunset. The apostles must provide also for the wine, unleavened cakes, bitter herbs, and the charosheth or paste of crushed fruits moistened with vinegar — symbolic of the clay with which the Israelites made brick in Egypt." (Pentecost)

betray - The same word in the original is translated "deliver" in verse 15

"The dipping of a piece of bread was a significant part of the Passover ritual. In the course of the paschal meal, the master of the feast would pick up some unleavened bread, which was a flat cake. He would put bits of lamb on the piece of bread, sprinkle some bitter herbs on it, and then roll it. Then he would dip the bread containing the meat and herbs into a bitter sauce. This bread would then be handed to a guest. The ritual would be repeated until a piece of bread had been provided for each guest. In preparing the bread with the meat and herbs dipped in sauce, the master of the feast was reminding the participants of God’s promise to provide salvation. In receiving the piece of bread, each participant acknowledged his sin. Each also reaffirmed his faith in God’s promise that He would send a Messiah to take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and each professed his willingness to receive the salvation which Messiah would offer. Since the giving of the bread was in effect an offer of salvation, Christ was offering forgiveness to Judas if he would accept the offered salvation and put his faith in Him. Judas took the bread, but there is no record that he ate it as sign of his acceptance of the Messiah’s offer of salvation. Rather, it seems that the moment he took the bread 'Satan entered into him' (John 13:27). Judas left the bread untouched and went out from the Lord’s presence. He rejected the gracious offer of salvation." (Pentecost)

Judas probably asked (v 25) because the other apostles asked and would have noticed his silence. He was probably seated to the immediate left of Christ.

Rabbi - Judas, alone, didn’t call Christ "Lord."

You have said so - an emphatic "Yes!"

Matthew 26:6-13

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

This account is also found in Mark 14:3-9 and John 12:1-8. John says it took place six days before Passover, so therefore, in Matthew, it is given in topical order and not chronological order.

Simon the leper - "Nothing more of him is known.  Perhaps Christ had healed him." (Ryrie)

Most commentaries think he was probably the father of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, but the Bible doesn’t say.

very expensive ointment - "Mark says it was worth 300 denarii (Mark 14:5), or approximately a year's salary for a rural worker." (Ryrie)

"It was common to anoint the heads of the Rabbis who attended marriage feasts, with fragrant oil, and special guests were sometimes similarly honored. Jesus Himself, at an earlier date [Luke 7:36-50], had had even His feet anointed by a grateful penitent, who had, besides, washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair, flowing loose, in self-forgetfulness. But now, Mary outdid all former honor paid Him. The costliest anointing oil of antiquity was the pure spikenard, drawn from an Indian plant, and exposed in flasks of alabaster for sale throughout the Roman Empire, where it fetched a price that put it beyond any but the wealthy. On this Mary had bought a flask, containing about twelve ounces weight, and now, coming behind the guests as they reclined, opened the seal, and poured some of the perfume, first on the head and then on the feet of Jesus, drying them, presently, with the hair of her head, like her predecessor." (Pentecost)

disciples - apparently led by Judas (John 12:4)

you always have the poor with you - "This should  not be understood callously.  Christ says, in effect, that there will be other opportunities to do good to the poor, but not another opportunity do what had just been done to Him." (Ryrie)

The Lord’s words about the poor in verse 11 don’t mean that helping the poor isn’t important, but that there are things that are more important — like the salvation of rich and poor alike that would be available because of His death and resurrection.

she has done it to prepare me for burial - "Though the disciples ignored  Christ's many predictions of His approaching death, apparently this woman believed them (Matt 16:21; 17:22; 20:18).  John identifies her as Mary (John 12:3)." (Ryrie)

Mary, probably because she was more content to sit and listen, understood more about the Lord’s coming death of which He repeatedly spoke than any of the other disciples. Because of the resurrection of her brother, Lazarus, she may have also understood that Jesus Christ would also rise from the dead. It was due to this understanding that she anointed the Lord (v 12).

Matthew 26:1-5

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

The events of these five verses occurred on Tuesday of the last week. (Matthew 21:23-26:5 all takes place on that day.)

This (v 2) was the Lord’s fourth prediction of His death. The account also is covered in Mark 14:1 and Luke 22:1.

after two days - "two days from now.  The events recorded in Matthew 26:1-5 occurred on Wednessday." (Ryrie)

Passover - "This was the ancient Jewish festival commemorating the deliverance from Egypt.  It was followed immediately by the seven days' Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the entire festival was often called 'Passover.'  Passover serves as a beautiful illustration of the redemption Christ accomplished at Calvary (Ex 12:11; John 1:29; 1 Cor 5:7). (1) The offering was to be without blemish (Ex 12:5; 1 Peter 1:19). (2) The lamb had to be killed (Ex 12:6; John 12:24, 27). (3) The blood had to be applied (Ex 12:7; Heb 9:22)." (Ryrie)

palace - The courtyard of the high priest’s residence

Caiaphas - A Sadducee, high priest AD 18-36.

The rulers wanted Christ dead at anytime except during the feast (Passover and the seven-day feast of Unleavened Bread that followed), but God’s plan, which in fact took place exactly as He wanted, was for Christ to die the moment the Passover lamb was slain in the temple.

"Christ’s scathing denunciation of the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-36) stirred that group into a frenzy of activity. The hostility between Christ and the Pharisees became so open and irreversible that action could not be delayed. While He was delivering His Olivet discourse to the disciples, the chief priests and elders of the people withdrew into a secret session in the house of the high priest. This assemblage was under the direction of Caiaphas, the one who had counseled the Jews that 'it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish' (John 11:50). The High Priest was, in virtue of his office, President of the Sanhedrin, and at that crisis the High Priest was Joseph Caiaphas, a remarkable man and allied with a remarkable family. He was son-in-law to old Annas, who not only has held the high priesthood from AD 6 to 15 but enjoyed this unique distinction, that after his deposition by the governor Valerius Gratus his four sons and his son-in-law held the sacred office. Such good fortune, remarks the historian, 'has fallen to the lot of no other of our High Priests.' Yet it was in no wise to the credit of Annas and his family. In those days the high-priesthood was at the disposal of the Roman governors and the Herodian princes, and went commonly to the highest bidder; and the prolonged ascendancy of the house of Annas is an evidence no less of their corruption than of their astuteness." (Pentecost)