Thursday (Matthew 26v17-56)
Up till now, Jesus has been teaching in relatively public places. First in the Temple, walking to and from Bethany, in homes, which were mostly open to visitors. Now, an element of danger and secrecy enters the narrative. Jesus tells the disciples to follow a man carrying a water pot and he would lead them to the place where they would celebrate the Passover. How did they know they were following the right person? Carrying water was women’s work, so a man doing this work would be unusual.
It could also be that this man was one of a group called the Essenes, a male only society of strictly devout Jews. Jesus knew he was going to be betrayed and arrested, so this secrecy allowed him to share the Passover meal with his disciples, without interruption. This meal morphs into what we now call communion/Lord’s Supper/Eucharist. Jesus had perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the law and brought about a new relationship or covenant. From now on, all peoples from all nations throughout all history would be able to understand and share in this new relationship with God the Father, through Jesus.
Jesus then warns his disciple that they will run away that one of them will betray him and that Peter will deny knowing him. Now he goes to Gethsemane to prepare himself for what was to come, again, out in the public arena. The disciples accompany him, but sleep as Jesus prays.
Judas brings the soldiers to arrest Jesus, his disciples try to fight back, but Jesus tells them this is how it must be. He makes it clear that he can call on thousands of angels if he desired, but he has set his will to fulfil the law for us. Jesus is not the accidental victim of a series of random events. This was planned and purposed from the moment Adam and Eve chose to obey Satan rather than God.
Selah: We are not random spots of dust in an impersonal universe. God knows us and has purpose for us, that is why Jesus came.