• Mt 26:14-75 shows an overall pattern in which the disciples fail more, while Jesus commits more of Himself and suffers more:
  14-16 Judas plots against Jesus
  17-19 Jesus prepares the Passover
  20-25 Judas' betrayal is predicted
  26-29 Jesus institutes the Eucharist
  30-35 Peter's denial is predicted
  36-46 Jesus agonizes in the Gethsemane
  47-56 the Disciples flee
  57-68 Jesus is tried
  69-75 Peter denies Jesus
• Jews of the period would admire the way Jesus suffers: without any complaint. Even the statement "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" is the first line of Psalm 22 (Psalm 22:1) that concludes with God honoring his people.
• Jerome cites three main themes (not discussed here) for Mt 26:1-28:20: "christology (especially through prophetic knowledge and fulfillment), a polemical emphasis on the responsibility of Jewish leaders and their supporters, and a series of moral examples, primarily by Jesus, but also of Peter and Judas, the women, other disciples, and the gentile soldiers."

Jesus suffers and dies.

Reflections

1. Follow Christ and the disciples. Am I committing myself more like Christ, or drifting further away like the disciples?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community