Lesson 30: Matthew 26:1–30
Introduction
Two days before the Passover, Judas conspired with Jewish leaders who desired to kill Jesus. On the night of the Passover, Jesus instituted the sacrament.
Suggestions for Teaching
Matthew 26:1–16
Judas conspires with Jewish leaders who desire to kill Jesus
Before class, prepare a table by covering it with a tablecloth and placing on it a few pieces of flatbread (or crackers) and a cup. After the devotional explain that during the time of Christ, these items, among others, would have been found on the Jews’ tables during the Passover.
- • What was the purpose of the Passover feast? (The Passover was instituted inMoses’s time to remind the children of Israel that the destroying angel passed over their houses and slew the firstborn children in Egypt [see Exodus 12:21–28; 13:14–15]. As part of the Passover, the Israelites sacrificed a lamb and sprinkled its blood over their doorposts. This lamb symbolized the coming Messiah, whose atoning sacrifice would save mankind from death and sin [see Guide to the Scriptures, “Passover,”scriptures.lds.org].)
Invite a student to read Matthew 26:1–2 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Jesus said would occur after the Passover.
- • What did Jesus say would occur after the Passover?
Invite a student to read Matthew 26:3–5 aloud. Ask the class to follow along and identify who was formulating a plan to kill Jesus at this time.
- • Why did the scribes and chief priests decide to wait until after the Passover to kill Jesus?
Summarize Matthew 26:6–13 by explaining that while Jesus was in Bethany, a woman came to Him and anointed Him with very expensive ointment to acknowledge His impending death and burial. Some of His disciples, including Judas, one of the Twelve Apostles and the group’s treasurer, complained that the ointment should have been sold to help the poor. However, Judas was not truly concerned for the poor but was a thief who wanted the money for himself (seeJohn 12:4–6). (Note: The anointing of Jesus in Bethany is discussed more thoroughly in the lesson on Mark 11–14.)
Invite a student to read Matthew 26:14–16 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Judas did after the Savior chided him for complaining.
- • What did Judas do? (He conspired with the chief priests to help them locate and arrest Jesus.)
- • How much did the chief priests pay Judas to deliver Jesus to them?
Explain that “according to the law of Moses, thirty shekels of silver would compensate an owner for the death of a slave (see Exodus 21:32). … The betrayal price reflects the low regard Judas and the chief priests had for the Savior” (New Testament Student Manual[Church Educational System manual, 2014], 81). It also fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy of Judas’s betrayal of the Savior (see Zechariah 11:12).
Matthew 26:17–25
Jesus and His disciples eat the Passover meal
Display a mirror and ask:
- • What are some ways mirrors can be helpful to us?
Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency:
“Often we try to avoid looking deeply into our souls and confronting our weaknesses, limitations, and fears. …
“But being able to see ourselves clearly is essential to our spiritual growth and well-being. …
“May I suggest that the holy scriptures and the talks given at general conference are an effective mirror we can hold up for self-examination” (“Lord, Is It I?” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 58).
- • How might the scriptures and the talks given at general conference be like a mirror?
As students study Matthew 26:17–25, invite them to look for a principle that can help them recognize their weaknesses and work to overcome them.
Summarize Matthew 26:17–19 by explaining that Jesus told His disciples to secure a room in Jerusalem for the Passover meal.
Invite a student to read Matthew 26:20–21 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Jesus told His Apostles during the Passover meal.
- • What did Jesus say to His Apostles?
- • If you had been one of the Apostles, what might you have been thinking at this moment?
Invite a student to read Matthew 26:22 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for the Apostles’ response to Jesus’s statement.
- • What question did the Apostles ask?
- • What does the question “Lord, is it I?” teach us about the eleven faithful Apostles?
- • Based on this account, what principle can we learn about how disciples of Jesus Christ should respond when they hear the words of the Lord? (After students respond, write the following principle on the board: When disciples of Jesus Christ hear the word of the Lord, they examine their own lives to see how it applies to them.)
Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by President Uchtdorf:
“The disciples didn’t question the truth of what [Jesus] said. Nor did they look around, point to someone else, and ask, ‘Is it him?’
“Instead, ‘they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?’ [Matthew 26:22].
“I wonder what each of us would do. … Would we look at those around us and say in our hearts, ‘He’s probably talking about Brother Johnson. I’ve always wondered about him,’ or ‘I’m glad Brother Brown is here. He really needs to hear this message’? Or would we, like those disciples of old, look inward and ask that penetrating question: ‘Is it I?’ (“Lord, Is It I?” 56).
- • What are some examples of how we might be tempted to disregard the Lord’s words and assume they are meant for someone else?
Invite another student to read aloud the following statement by President Uchtdorf, and ask the class to listen for what President Uchtdorf invites us to do when we hear the words of the Lord:
“In these simple words, ‘Lord, is it I?’ lies the beginning of wisdom and the pathway to personal conversion and lasting change. …
“We must put aside our pride, see beyond our vanity, and in humility ask, ‘Lord, is it I?’
“And if the Lord’s answer happens to be ‘Yes, my son [or daughter], there are things you must improve, things I can help you to overcome,’ I pray that we will accept this answer, humbly acknowledge our sins and shortcomings, and then change our ways by becoming better” (“Lord, Is It I?” 56, 58).
- • How have you been blessed as you have applied the words of the Lord and made changes in your life?
Testify of the principle students identified previously. Invite students to examine their own lives whenever they hear or read the words of the Lord and to act quickly on the promptings they receive.
Invite a student to read Matthew 26:23–25 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for the Savior’s answer to the Apostles’ questions.
Explain that immediately after Jesus identified Judas as the one who would betray Him, Judas left (see John 13:30).
Matthew 26:26–30
Jesus Christ institutes the sacrament during the Passover
Display the picture The Last Supper (Gospel Art Book[2009], no. 54; see also LDS.org). Inform students that as the Savior ate the Passover meal with His Apostles, He instituted the ordinance of the sacrament.
Invite students to write in their class notebooks or scripture study journals their answers to the following questions (you may want to write these questions on the board before class):
When you last partook of the sacrament, what were you doing? What were you thinking? What did you feel?
Hold up the cup and the bread displayed on the table. Invite a student to read Matthew 26:26–29 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what the Lord did with the bread and the contents of the cup.
- • What did the Lord do with the bread and the contents of the cup?
- • According to these verses, what do these emblems of the sacrament represent? (Students should identify the following doctrine: The emblems of the sacrament represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ, which He sacrificed for us.)
Explain to students that the Joseph Smith Translation provides additional insight into these verses. Invite students to read silently the excerpt from Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 26:22 that is found in Matthew 26:26, footnote c. Also invite them to read Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 26:24–25 (in the Bible appendix). Ask students to look for what inspired changes were made to these verses, which can help us understand an important purpose of the sacrament.
- • Why did Jesus Christ institute the sacrament? (After students respond, write the following truth on the board: Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament for us to remember Him and His Atonement for our sins.)
- • What are some things we can do to ensure the sacrament helps us remember Jesus Christ and His Atonement for our sins?
- • How has trying to remember the Savior and His Atonement influenced your feelings and experiences while partaking of the sacrament?
To help students identify another principle, ask:
- • According to verses 27–28, what does the shedding of Christ’s blood allow us to receive as we partake of the sacrament? (A remission of our sins.)
Point out that merely eating the bread and drinking the water during the sacrament does not automatically qualify us to receive a remission, or forgiveness, of our sins. We must exercise faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and partake of the sacrament with real intent by always remembering Him and striving to keep His commandments. By worthily partaking of the sacrament, we renew our baptismal covenants. Write the following truth on the board: When we repent and partake of the sacrament with real intent, we can receive a remission of our sins.
Invite students to write in their class notebooks or scripture study journals how they will apply the truths concerning the sacrament that they have identified inMatthew 26. Invite a few students who feel comfortable doing so to share their responses with the class.
Invite a student to reread Matthew 26:29 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for when the Savior said He would next partake of the sacrament. Ask students to report what they find.
Explain that “the sacrament not only symbolizes the Savior’s Atonement but also looks forward in anticipation to the time when He will return to the earth in glory (see 1 Corinthians 11:26)” (New Testament Student Manual, 83). If we keep our covenants and endure to the end, we can be among those who partake of the sacrament with the Savior at this future time (seeD&C 27:4–14).
Conclude by sharing your testimony of the truths identified in today’s lesson.
Commentary and Background Information
Matthew 26:16. “He sought opportunity to betray Him”
The Joseph Smith Translation of Mark 14:10 clarifies one reason why Judas betrayed Jesus: “And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray Jesus unto them; for he turned away from him, and was offended because of his words” (Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 14:31 [in Mark 14:10, footnote a]).
Matthew 26:28. “For the remission of sins”
Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone of the Seventy taught what it means to partake of the sacrament worthily so that we might receive a remission of our sins:
“It is essential that we renew our covenants by partaking of the sacrament. When we do this with a sincere heart, with real intent, forsaking our sins, and renewing our commitment to God, the Lord provides a way whereby sins can be forgiven from week to week. Simply eating the bread and drinking the water will not bring that forgiveness. We must prepare and then partake with a broken heart and contrite spirit. The spiritual preparation we make to partake of the sacrament is essential to receiving a remission of our sins” (“Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament,” Ensign, Sept. 2001, 24–25).
Supplemental Teaching Ideas
Matthew 26:26–30. Video presentation—“Always Remember Him”
After students study Matthew 26:26–28 and identify the principle Jesus Christ instituted the sacrament for us to remember Him and His Atonement for our sins, you may want to show the video “Always Remember Him” (5:27) to help them further understand the purpose and importance of the sacrament. In this video, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explains that the purpose of the sacrament is to remember Jesus Christ and His Atoning sacrifice. This video is available on LDS.org.
After showing the video, you could ask the following questions:
- • What are some things that can distract us during the administration of the sacrament?
- • How can avoiding these distractions during sacrament meeting help us have a more spiritual experience?
Invite students to share what they do to help themselves to focus on the Savior and the significance of this ordinance and to remember Him throughout the week.
Matthew 26:28. “For the remission of sins”
After students have read Matthew 26:28, point out the phrase “this is my blood of the new testament.” Explain that one meaning of the word testament is “covenant.” To help students understand the phrase “new testament,” draw the following diagram on the board:
- • What did the Lord instruct His people in Old Testament times to do to point their minds toward the Atonement of Jesus Christ? (They were to perform animal sacrifices.)
Write animal sacrifices on the board under Old. Explain that “when the Lord made His covenant with the children of Israel [in Old Testament times], the people covenanted to obey the words of the Lord. Moses offered a sacrifice to the Lord, and then he took blood from the sacrifice and sprinkled it on the people, saying, ‘Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you’ (Exodus 24:8; see also Exodus 24:3–8). When Jesus Christ alluded to this statement, as recorded in Matthew 26:28, He taught that the new ‘testament,’ or covenant, was about to be ratified with blood, just like the old covenant, and that the blood He would shed for us would cover our sins and blot them out, just as the sacrificial blood symbolically covered the people in Moses’s day. … When Jesus presented the cup of wine to His Apostles, He was signaling the fulfillment of the old covenant and the establishment of the new covenant” (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 83).
Write the word sacrament on the board under New. Explain that just as the blood of animal sacrifices symbolized the old covenant God had made with His people, the water reminds us of the blood Jesus Christ shed as part of the new covenant.
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