Matthew 26-27

 Matthew 26:69-27:10  Two men.. both disciples of Jesus.. both guilty of turning away from Him at a time of His greatest trial... 

Peter had followed John to the high priest's courtyard.  He had entered in to watch. But, when confronted with his relationship with Jesus.. he denied it.  Denied that the Man he loved.. the Man he had proclaimed was the Christ.. the Man that he had sworn to die for.. was even someone he knew.  When the rooster crowed.. Peter remembered the words of Jesus.. he remembered that Jesus already knew that this would happen and that he would fail.. "And he went out and wept bitterly." 

Judas "saw" that Jesus had been condemned and sentenced to death.  He "felt remorse".  He so regretted his actions that he took the 30 pieces of silver and gave it back to the chief priests and elders.  He even confessed his sin.. "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."  But, he could not take back the motion that he started... it had already gone too far.  He threw the silver into the sanctuary of the temple "and he went away and hanged himself."  

The chief priests and elders play a part in this scene too.. They don't care about Judas.. or his guilty conscience .. they don't even care about the money. They consider it "the price of blood".  Right there, they confess their guilt of murdering the Lord.  Their  actions.. to take the silver and buy the Potter's field, Matthew says, is a fulfillment of prophecy. Although Matthew credits Jeremiah with these words, they are actually found in Zechariah 11:13  "Then the Lord said to me, 'Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.' So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord." 

Betrayal, denial, murder, and suicide.. and this is only precedes the greatest sorrow of all.. the crucifixion of the Lord.  I am always reminded as I read this account.. of the words of the preacher, S.M. Lockridge,  "It's Friday.. but Sunday's coming!"  Hallelujah !

Father in heaven, we are so thankful for Your plan of salvation fulfilled in Jesus Christ the Beloved Son. Oh the grief and sorrow.. but Oh! How marvelous the result! Such love! Such grace! How can we ever thank You enough?  Keep these truths in our hearts.. that Jesus, willingly paid the price for our sins.. that we might become Your children as we place our faith in Him.  Blessed be the Name of our Lord. Amen.