The Bible Challenge: Day 333

The scriptures read are Micah 4, Psalm 120 and Matthew 26.

Micah 4. The first 3 verses of this chapter are virtually the same as Isaiah 2:2-4. All the nations will stream to Zion to learn from God and peace will break out. God promises to heal and restore his people.

But first comes the exile. The people will come out of it stronger.

Psalm 120. Two very different versions of this psalm. First, in the original Hebrew here. Second, a chamber version in Latin here.

Matthew 26. The plot to kill Jesus is under way, hatched among the religious leaders, anxious to preserve the status quo and keep the Romans from destroying the nation (Cf John 11:48-49). The average Jew knows nothing of what is going on.

The woman who anoints Jesus is NOT Mary of Magdala. It looks more like it was Mary, the sister of Lazarus, and done in gratitude for Jesus raising her brother from the dead. (Cf. John 12:1-8).

30 pieces of silver is the price of a slave. Judas sells out Jesus at a discount! And to betray someone you just ate with was especially disgraceful.

Jesus radically reinterprets the elements of the Passover meal. Covenants are sealed with the blood of a sacrifice. Still Jews would be revolted by the idea of drinking blood and eating human flesh.

Passover must be eaten within Jerusalem and the participants must stay there that night so they don't return to Bethany. Gethsemane means "olive press" so there was probably one there in the garden.

Staying up late and talking about God's deliverance on Passover was typical.

Kissing then was like a handshake today. Again, this makes Judas' betrayal even more reprehensible.

Not only was losing an ear painful but the servant would not have been able to serve at the temple. Jesus' healing of him restored the servant not only physically but spiritually.(Cf. Luke 22:51)

The temple guards come to arrest a dangerous messianic revolutionary. Jesus' remarks on swords shoots that idea down.

Some say this trial never took place because it was illegal to meet at night and give a verdict without waiting a day. Like leaders never did anything illegal when they fear their destruction! Beside these are the rules the Pharisees came up with later. The priests are their rivals, the Sadducees, and only care about getting this dangerous radical out of the way. Then as now leaders do what they want and later come up with justifications or coverups. Like technically Jesus did not blaspheme but the high priest is being melodramatic to get the verdict he wants.

Peter is brave enough to walk onto the high priest's property but not brave enough to stand up for Jesus, who could have used a friendly witness.