Matthew 26 - Descent

Matthew 26 is a tough read. It is an incredibly full chapter but it is a story of descent. It starts with the anointing of Jesus at Bethany which, in Jesus’ own words is a preparation for his burial. It continues with Judas agreeing to betray Jesus, a rather bleak telling of the Last Supper, the prediction of and action of Peter denying Jesus, it has Jesus in the garden praying that the cup would pass from him, and then ends with the arrest of Jesus and him being brought before his accusers. This is a hard chapter and it doesn’t get much brighter in the next chapter. Like this sunrise I took the other morning, it is not a warm and bright telling. It is dark and foreboding. It is bleak and begins to show what Jesus was willing to endure. But as one who has read the story, I know there is something on the other side. Just as there is the glint of light in the sunrise. But it is going to take a bit to get there.