Easter Story-Gospel of Matthew Chapter 26

Last year during Easter I read the stories of Easter from the four gospels and wrote down some stories of Easter. This year I went back to read what I wrote last year and found it a collection of facts from the Bible. Here are a few thoughts from what I wrote last year about Easter. The gospel of Matthew starts the Easter story in chapter 26. This chapter is a long chapter and packs a lot of information and stories. It has 75 verses. First Jesus tells His disciples that Passover is two days away. Jesus tells His disciples that Jesus would soon be crucified. Meanwhile the Jewish leaders are plotting to kill Jesus. Then a woman anoints Jesus head with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume. And an argument ensues about whether the woman is right in using such an expensive perfume to anoint Jesus. After this, Judas agrees to betray Jesus. Then it is the feast of the unleavened bread. Jesus tells them to prepare for the last supper in a certain place. During the last supper Jesus predicts Judas betrayal. Then they go to the mount of olives. Jesus talks about the verse I will strike the shepherd and sheep will be scattered as in Jesus would be arrested and all the disciples would be scattered. But Peter boasts that even if all the disciples leave Jesus he will not. Jesus predicts that Peter will deny Jesus three times before dawn that morning. Then it is the scene of prayer in Gethsemane. After that it is the scene of being arrested by soldiers. Then Jesus is taken to the trial. Then Peter actually denies Jesus. Then Peter weeps bitterly. This is how chapter 26 ends. There is so much going on here. Starting with the discussion about Passover before Passover. Jesus knowledge about the plot by the Jewish leaders. The woman anointing Jesus at the house of Simon. The discussion about whether it was right to spend money on anointing Jesus instead of giving the money to the poor. Judas going to the Jewish authorities and agreeing to betray Jesus. Then the feast of the unleavened bread. In the very first Easter on Thursday, on the day of the feast of the unleavened bread, that night Jesus is arrested. Immediately Jesus is taken to Caiphas or Annas. Then Jesus is taken to Pilate. Pilate sends Jesus to Herod and Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate and finally the verdict is given to crucify Jesus. So all this presumably takes place during the night or early morning of good Friday. Good Friday is the day Jesus carries the cross to Golgotha. The crucifixion takes place on good Friday. The same night Jesus is buried because they do not want a body on the cross on Sabbath. So Joseph of Arimathea takes Jesus body to a cave tomb and Jesus is buried. No one comes to the tomb on Saturday since it is Sabbath but not just an ordinary Sabbath. It is Passover Sabbath. Then early Sunday morning the women and disciples go to the tomb and find it empty. So the first Easter is on the Sunday after the Passover Sabbath of that year. So many events take place within the space of four days if you include Thursday and Sunday. The feast of the unleavened bread, the betrayal, the prayer, the arrest, the trial, the denial, the trial, the mocking, the verdict, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion, the sour wine, the dividing of clothes, the inscription, the earthquake, the tearing of the curtain, the taking down of Jesus body, the wrapping in linen and burying according to Jewish custom, the guards at the tomb, the huge stone at the tomb, the women coming on Sunday morning, the angels announcement, the disbelief, the joy, the doubts, the reassurance, and finally Jesus ascension into heaven. But chapter 26 contains only till the weeping of Peter after he denies.