Day 100 – January 9, 2024: Matthew 26-28

We find ourselves during Lent in the readings that we have for today. Jesus and his disciples and the last supper is a Scripture that is often used when communion is served. I choose to use the I Corinthians 11 Scripture, which is a little more atypical. But we do have the steady stream of events leading up to Jesus’ death. You have Pilate who is told by his wife to let Jesus go because of a dream that she had where it pained her to have Jesus as a prisoner. But it was not to be, the crowd was too powerful and they were able to impose their will.

Jesus’ suffering is pretty evident in this Scripture, more so than the other Scriptures. He is stripped and beaten and forced to carry his cross and cries out in a loud voice as he is on the cross. He doesn’t get any sympathy from those with whom he is being crucified, unlike the other Gospels. His death comes and there is still interaction with the leaders who put him to death and his followers. We also see a lot more of the behind the scenes discussions, such as paying off the guards to tell the story that his disciples stole Jesus’ body.

The resurrection is powerful and gives us the Great Commission in Matthew 28: Go and make disciples. What a great way to end the Gospel narrative, a command to go and make disciples.