PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL (MATTHEW 26:20-35)
As avid Peanuts readers know, the strong-willed Lucy had an old-fashioned crush on the music-minded Schroeder, who had eyes and time for his piano only. Often, she went out of her way to shower her affection to him by leaning on his piano, but Schroeder never returned the interest or reciprocated in love.
Once, Lucy asked Schroeder, who was busy playing on the piano, what love was. Schroeder stood at attention and recited its definition, “Love: a noun referring to a deep, intense, ineffable feeling toward another person or persons.” When Schroeder sat down to resume his piano playing, Lucy looked wistfully into the distance and groaned, “On paper, he’s great.”
The apostles’ ultimate test and true colors were set into motion after observing the Last Supper. In the first rare and private moment that Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve (v 20), as Mark also noted (Mark 14:18), Jesus shocked the disciples by announcing His betrayal at the hands of one of the apostles. Following that, He predicted an emerging scandal would sadden scare, shame and even stumble and scatter the disciples, culminating with Peter’s denial of Christ. Peter did not listen to or learn from Jesus’ warning because he was too full with himself, busily reacting, denying and rationalizing. He immediately rejected Jesus’ account of the scandal, especially his involvement.
What steps should we take to resist, counter and domesticate pride that persists and continues in our lives?
Be Perturbed, But Do Not Be Pressured
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” 22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” 23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” 25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” 26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29 I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 30 When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matt 26:20-30)
An old man met an old lady, and they fell in love. One day, the old man gathered up all his courage and asked the old lady to marry him. She said “YES.”
When the old man got home, he remembered asking the old lady to marry him, but he couldn’t remember whether she had said “YES” or “NO.”
Rather embarrassed that he had forgotten, he never mentioned marriage to her again. After a few weeks, it bothered the old man so much that he gathered up enough courage to ask the old lady what was the answer she gave when he asked her to marry him. The old lady shouted with glee and said, “I’m so glad you asked! Some man asked me to marry him a few weeks ago, and I said “YES,” but I couldn’t remember who it was that asked me!”
The disciples fretted Jesus’ persecution but forgot his point. They had the right reaction but they missed the significance of the message. Matthew and Mark’s gospel both recorded the disciples’ sad reaction (v22, Mark 14:19), but Matthew added the word “very” – very sad. The last time they felt exactly the same way and in the same words was when Jesus sprang another surprise at them by saying, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” (Matt 17:22-23) What made it harder to take and stomach this time was the accusation that one of them was a mole, a deserter and a coward. Instinctively, all of them proclaimed their innocence and loyalty.
After the dramatic disclosure, whatever Jesus said was lost on them, which was the real sadness in the story because that was the crucial revelation given before the climax of His crucifixion and death. Jesus proceeded to tell them for the first time why they were heading to Jerusalem, not for the fickleness of riches or the fun of royalty and but for the forgiveness of sins. The word ‘forgiveness” made its debut in Matthew’s gospel. With John the Baptist’s death, the message of forgiveness of sins died with him. Jesus not only revived and realized it, but revealed the nature of the forgiveness of sins. John the Baptist had come preaching “a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4, Luke 1:77, 3:3), but he never told them who could provide forgiveness, who could obtain it and how it was done. Jesus, for the first time, revealed that it was his blood (Matt 26:28) and not John’s baptism that was the means for the forgiveness of sins.
In fact, Matthew (26:28), Mark (14:24) and Luke (22:20) left it quite late, the beginning of the end – on the way to Jerusalem, to let the disciples and the world know of the key to the forgiveness of sins even though it was hinted early in John (6: 53). Now there would be no secrecy, mystery, guessing, vagueness or uncertainty. Later Paul the theologian and the writer of Hebrews reiterated that our sins were forgiven through His blood (Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, Heb 9:22). However, the disciples missed the forest for the trees, reacted with sadness and not joy, and failed to ask why He sounded positive and not sad.
After the resurrection, Jesus will send his disciples out to preach in his name to all nations the same message of repentance and forgiveness of sins (Luke 24:47).
Be Passionate, But Do Not Be Provoked
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “’I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” (Matt 26:31-33)
A Bible class teacher was examining her pupils after a series of lessons on God’s omnipotence. She asked, “Is there anything God can’t do?”
There was silence. Finally, one lad held up his hand. The teacher disappointed that the lesson’s point had been missed, asked resignedly, “Well, just what is it that God can’t do?”
“Well,” replied the boy, “He can’t please everybody.”
Peter’s idea of the Messiah was far unlike Jesus’, but he kept his thoughts to himself, kept his mouth shut and did not react to Jesus until Jesus moved from asserting “one of you will betray me” (v 21) to “you will all fall away on account of me” (v 31). Things went downhill and Peter was sour when Jesus went from “one of you” to “you will all.” Peter was provoked: “Wait a minute, that’s a serious charge. Why drag me into this? Why lump me with the traitor?”
“Fall away” is the Greek word skandalizo (scandalize). The Greek text is “All of you shall be offended ‘in’ me.” You will be ashamed. You will stumble. You will be disillusioned. By this time, Peter was upset and self-righteous. This is not the first time the word skandalizo was used; it has an interesting history. It was used previously to describe Jesus’ hometown folks who took offense at him (Matt 13:57) and on the Pharisees who were offended by his teachings (Matt 15:12). Peter was pretty steamed. Not only was he accused and lumped with those who would betray him (such as Judas), now he was in the same category with the neighbors and the Pharisees who rejected him.
Note that Jesus was addressing the disciples as a group, Peter included, and not just the apostles, but the other disciples and the whole wide world. He predicted “All of you will fall away,” but Peter heard: “You will fall away.”
Peter’s declaration of loyalty was a sure and sore subject in the gospels. The Greek record is richer: “Though all shall be offended in you, I never be-offended.”
Although this incident is also recorded in Mark’s gospel, the word “never” (oudepote) is unique to Matthew not found in other gospel denials. The Greek word “not” is used 1,567 times but “never” is used only 17 times in the Bible. “No” is strong, but “never” is proud, passionate and powerful. The intense “never” word is used by Jesus on professors and not confessors of His name and doers of His word (Matt 7:23), saying, “Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’“ (Matt 7:22-23) It was used for dramatic effect to great effect. The prodigal’s brother protested twice to his father, “All these years I’ve been slaving for you and ‘never’ disobeyed your orders. Yet you ‘never’ gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.” (Luke 15:29) Of course, Peter had heard the story many times with great interest. Peter was the only original apostle to ever use this word; he would object dramatically again in Acts when the Lord commanded him to kill and eat unclean four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air: “Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” (Acts 10:12-14)
Be Pious, But Do Not Be Presumptuous
34 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” 35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same. (Matt 26:34-35)
One night at sea, a ship’s captain saw what he thought were the lights of another ship heading towards him. He had his signalmen blink to the other ship, “Change your course 10 degrees south.” The reply came back, “No, you change your course 10 degrees north.”
The ship captain answered, “I am a captain. Change your course south.” Another reply came, “Well, I’m a seaman first class. Change your course north.”
The captain was mad now. “Darn, I said change your course south. I’m on a battleship!” To which the reply came back, “And I say change your course north. I’m in a light house.” (Adapted from Speaker’s Library of Business 48, Joe Griffith, Englewood Hills, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990)
Jesus did not have the last word in this conversation, but his last sentence provoked Peter to swear to die with Jesus. What did Jesus say to provoke such a strong reaction in Peter? Jesus used the more forceful Greek word for “deny” that occurs 13 times and not the general word for “deny” that occurs 31 times in the Bible.
The regular “deny” (arneomai) means to contradict, disavow, reject, abnegate: but the “disown” (ap-arneomai) means to “deny utterly,” with the preposition “apo” added, meaning “off” or “away.” The contrast is to deny (the former) versus to disown (the latter), to reject versus to renounce Him, which was what Peter did. The former is rational - business, the latter is more emotional - personal. The best contrast for the uses of this word is in Luke 12:9, where Jesus says, “He who disowns (general “deny” - arneomai) me before men will be disowned (strengthened form: “deny utterly - ap-arneomai)” before the angels of God.” This is the word for “denying oneself” as a follower of Christ (Matt 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).
Interestingly, Jesus never used the word “die” – he said “scandalized,” but Peter said “die.” The chief priests always meant death for Jesus, and not the apostles. Further, His intention was not to hurt Peter, but for him to turn back and strengthen the disciples (Luke 22:32).
Peter was hurt because Jesus said, “You will disown me three times.” Even Peter’s ally, the gospel writer Mark, stated as much Peter’s reaction: “Even if all fall away, I will not.” (Mark 14:29). He made two bold statements. He declared that he will not fall away, even if all would fall away, and that he would rather die with Jesus than deny Him. The outspoken Peter was a straightforward and honest man, but he was too proud, too cocky and too self-confident. J. Oswald Sander said, “Pride is like an onion: You take off one skin and you come to another, then another still and all the while it makes you cry.”
Peter’s problem was that he spoke too much, but listened little. Even after Jesus corrected him (v 34) he still enjoyed playing the one-upmanship game and having the last word. He did not get off his high horse, look into a mirror or request a second opinion. And Jesus did not bother to correct him again, but headed to the garden of Gethsemane for prayer.
Peter said NEVER the first time (v 33), but the second time (v 35) he chose two different negative single syllables - one is NO, the other is NOT - a double negative to strengthen his case and to stress his undying devotion to Jesus, translating to, “I will NO...NOT disown you!” (no not) In fact, his second reply is a symptom, a pattern and a relapse of his old carnal self, that first reared its ugly head when he first rebuked Jesus at the first mention of His suffering and death in Jerusalem: “This shall never (No Not) happen to you!” (Matt 16:22)
Conclusion: The outcome of pride is disgrace (Prov 11:2), quarrels (Prov 13:10) and destruction (Prov 16:18). Instead we should seek for patience (Eccl 7:8), humble (Prov 29:23) and wisdom (Prov 13:10). If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! (1 Cor 10:12) Are you thinking of yourself more highly than you ought to, and not with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you? (Rom 12:3) Do you harbor pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech (Prov 8:13) that God hates? Is pride stopping you from seeking Him; so that you have no room for God in all your thoughts (Ps 10:4)?
Victor Yap
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