Matt 26:36-37 Then Yeshua went with them to a place called Gat Sh’manim (Gethsemane), and said to the talmidim, You sit here, while I go over there and pray. He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zavdai (Zebedee). Grief and anguish came over Him.
Gat Sh’manim (Gethsemane) - means “oil press”. This garden of olive trees is located near the foot of the Mount of Olives and is still there 2,000 years later. Yeshua and His talmidim had visited this garden before and it was not difficult for Y’hudah to find Him there.
Matt 26:38 Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me."
Yeshua is not afraid to die as you and I might be. He was in anguish over having to take on the full wrath of HaShem as He paid the price for you sins and mine.
Matt 26:39 Going a little farther, He fell with His face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will."
this cup - a cup is a symbol of divine wrath against sin.
Example:
Jeremiah 25:15 For thus said the L-RD G-d of Israel to me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.
Yeshua, the second person in the tri-unity of G-d, was in subjection to the Father, the first person in the tri-unity of G-d.
Matt 26:40-41 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? "Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak - How true this is, many times we fail to do the will of HaShem. But G-d will provide a way for us to escape the temptation. We just need to yield to His plan for our lives and not yield to temptation.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and G-d is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.
Matt 26:42-44 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done." And He came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And He left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
Yeshua not only was alone during the trial and execution but He is alone now in the final hours before His arrest.
Matt 26:45-46 Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"
The angry mob was probably carrying torches and would have been visible from a distance as it made its way down from Mt Zion toward the garden. It would not have been difficult recognizing them, after all, on Pesach, in the middle of the night, how many people would be out and about.
Matt 26:47-50 And while He was still speaking, behold, Y’hudah (Judas), one of the twelve, came up, accompanied by a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I shall kiss, He is the one; seize Him." And immediately he went to Yeshua (Jesus) and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. And Yeshua (Jesus) said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Yeshua (Jesus) and seized Him.
Kiss - in the Middle East culture a kiss showed affection and respect for the recipient. Y’hudah perverts the meaning of the kiss when he kissed Yeshua on the cheek.
Matt 26:51-54 With that, one of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. "Put your sword back in its place," Yeshua (Jesus) said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve armies of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
John’s account tells us that Peter is the one with the sword and the victim as Malchus. (John 18:10)
Luke tells us that Yeshua healed his ear. (Luke 22:51)
How then would the Scriptures be fulfilled ?- See Psalms 22 and Isaiah 53
Matt 26:55-56 At that time Yeshua (Jesus) said to the crowd, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture Me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest Me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
There was a large group here to arrest Yeshua. Just as He predicted the disciples deserted Him.
Matt 26:57-58 Those who had arrested Yeshua (Jesus) took Him to Kayafa (Caiaphas), the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. But Peter followed Him from a distance to the high priest's courtyard, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the outcome.
We learn from John that Yeshua was taken to Annas first. Annas was the former high priest and he was the father-in-law of Kayafa.
John 18:24 Now Annas had sent Him bound to Kayafa (Caiaphas) the high priest.
The trial of Yeshua was held during the night. This was illegal. Criminal trials were not to be held at night. In 27:1 we will see the Sanhedrin waited until daylight to give their verdict. Trials in capital cases could only be held at the temple and in public.
Matt 26:59-61 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Yeshua (Jesus) so that they could put Him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two men came forward and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of G-d, and to build it in three days.
Can you believe this?…they looked for false evidence against Him. These men were supposed to be the “spiritual leaders” of the nation. And they are “looking for false evidence” to have someone put to death. And that “someone” was their Mashiach. Now we know that it was G-d plan for Yeshua to die for our sins, the real tragedy here is the “spiritual condition” of these “spiritual leaders”.
I am able to destroy the temple of G-d, and to build it in three days. - Yeshua was speaking about dying and raising his body (a temple) from the dead in three days.
Matt 26:62-65 And cohen hagadol (the high priest) arose and said to Him, "Do You answer nothing? What is it these men testify against You?" But Yeshua (Jesus) kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living G-d: Tell us if You are the Mashiach, the Son of G-d!" Yeshua (Jesus) said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
under oath - He was legally obligated to reply.
This is VERY INTERESTING … the cohen hagadol asks “ Are you the Mashiach, the son of G-d?” Now the cohen hagadol is telling us that he believes that the Mashiach will be the Son of G-d. Otherwise, he would have said something like…”Are you the Mashiach OR the Son of G-d”. It seems that at this time the Jewish leaders believe that the Mashiach would be the Son of G-d.
Daniel 7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Matt 26:65-66 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.
tore his clothes - this was normally an expression of deep grief.
Example:
Job 1:20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe…
The High Priest was forbidden to tear his clothes.
Lev 21:10-11 'He who is the high priest among his brethren, on whose head the anointing oil was poured and who is consecrated to wear the garments, will not uncover his head nor tear his clothes;
The Talmud, not the Tanakh, allowed the High Priest to tear His clothes if he witnessed a blasphemy.
Of course Yeshua did not commit blasphemy …He really was and still is G-d. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
Matt 26:67-68 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, and said, "Prophesy to us, You Mashiach; who is the one who hit You?"
Those hitting Yeshua are the Jewish leaders who are trying Him. Later He is beaten by the Roman Soldiers.
Matt 26:69-75 Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, "You also were with Yeshua (Jesus) of Galilee." But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying." And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This fellow also was with Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth." But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you." Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Yeshua (Jesus) who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.
Deut 18:22 "When a prophet speaks in the name of the L-RD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the L-RD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you will not be afraid of him.
But if a prophet speaks and it comes to pass, this prophet is from HaShem.