The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Matthew:26:47-56

kjv@Matthew:26:47 @ And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.

kjv@Matthew:26:48 @ Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

kjv@Matthew:26:49 @ And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

kjv@Matthew:26:50 @ And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

kjv@Matthew:26:51 @ And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.

kjv@Matthew:26:52 @ Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

kjv@Matthew:26:53 @ Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

kjv@Matthew:26:54 @ But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

kjv@Matthew:26:55 @ In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

kjv@Matthew:26:56 @ But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Today's notes: Twelve Legions

Context:

Before - exceeding sorrow unto death
After - trial before Caiaphas

What is man believing/doing?:

following Judas to capture Jesus
reacting to the drawing of many swords with the drawing of one of two short swords, thus putting the group and themselves at danger

What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:

at the chief priests and elder's order
reacting as best they knew how - impulsively or else feeling that God would give him the strength over many

Notes:

Why need there be a sign? Do they not know what Jesus looks like? Does He look so much like the others?

Think how differently the story would be told of God strengthening Peter to decisively overcome the enemy to come to Jesus' rescue. Perhaps twelve legions of angels joined along with Peter and went on to take all Israel back from the Romans. Maybe Peter did die, but Jesus took His earthly throne; Peter being the Jonathan to Jesus' David. Maybe this was the beginning of Peter's earlier prayer. Where then is our redemption?

Key Messages:

What does this say about our present condition?

Peter does not mean to jeopardize anything that Jesus is doing by any means, it is not his intent, but that is what always seems to result. How much do we know of our good intentions, even our best intentions when placed in Jesus' regard? The other men watch on gripped with fear, knowing where Peter is coming from yet still knowing that he is putting all of them into considerable danger. You want a man like Peter to lead you, but also you want him to lead you right. Where then are these men found? Are we not divided because our intention is to have these men lead and at the same time have them lead by our own good but misguided intentions?
The reason multitudes now come with swords when days before they came to hear Him at the temple is because now they have been made to feel offended/threatened, that they need to take matters into their own hands. The show of force is rarely the show of being sound and sensible, it is the show of being whipped into a frenzy, the sign of blood in the water.
So often we leave ourselves to the trap of judging movements and actions by their intention and not the spiritual submission that the best of these should come from.

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Matthew:26:47-56
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:26:47-56 rwp@Matthew:26:47-56 mhcc@Matthew:26:47-56
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

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