"The Plot Against Christ" 

    Three people stand out in the account of the last hours of the Lord before Calvary: Christ Himself, Peter, and Judas Iscariot. It is interesting to see how Peter and Judas are contrasted in this chapter, each one teaching us spiritual lessons by his failures. Judas is a warning against resisting the Word of God and rejecting Christ; and peter is an illustration of how a believer may backslide and loose his testimony. Look at where these events took place:

1. AT BETHANY -- 26:1-19

    This is also given in John 12, where the woman who anointed Christ is definitely called Mary. While the "religious" Jewish leaders were potting to kill Christ, the believers at Bethany were honoring Him.
I do not know who Simon the leper was; but he must have been cured by the Lord, for the Jews would never feast in the house of a leper. This was NOT the home of Mary and Martha, although these friends were there and Martha served (John 12:2).

    Mary's act of love was accepted by Christ and criticized by the disciples, Judas being the chief accuser. John explains why Judas criticized her; he was a thief and wanted the money for himself. It is sad to see Peter agreeing with Judas and "walking in the council of the ungodly." Soon he would be standing in the way of sinners and sitting in the seat of the scornful, where he would deny his Lord three times. It is a dangerous thing for Christians to judge one another, for that judgment always comes back on our own heads. To this day, wherever the Gospel is preached, Mary and her loving deeds are mentioned. "He that doeth the will of God abideth forever."

    This stinging rebuke from Christ made Judas all the more anxious to betray Him. He left Bethany and went to plot with the Jewish leaders to arrest Christ. They agreed for 30 pieces of silver, as the Scripture promised (Zech. 11:12). Peter, on the other hand, went with John to prepare the Passover feast for Christ. With all of his failings, Peter loved Christ and trusted Him; while Judas "went out from them, because he was not of them." (1 John 2: 18-19).

2. THE UPPER ROOM -- 26:20-35

    Here we see Judas as he LIES and Peter as he BOASTS. Jesus announced that one would betray Him. When Judas asked, "Master (Rabbi -- not Lord), is it I? His language suggest he expected a negative reply. He was pretending to be faithful to Christ, when he had yielded himself to the devil (John 13:2 and 27).

    It was after Judas left that Christ instituted the Lord's Supper. Note in verse 29 that He promised a literal kingdom to the Jews. The "hymn they sang in Psalm 115:18. It was as they were leaving for Gethsemane that Peter boasted and all but denied the words of Christ that the disciples would forsake Him. When a Christian opposes the Word of God, he is heading for trouble.

3. IN THE GARDEN -- 26:36-56

    Here we see Judas pretending to honor Christ by repeatedly kissing Him; and Peter apparently failing Christ by sleeping when he should have been praying, fighting with a sword when he should have been yielding, and fleeing when he boasted he would die for the Lord. "The cup" (verse 39) was the price Christ would pay by being made sin on the Cross. His holy nature revolted at the prospect of being made sin, yet His holy will was one with the Father and He willingly laid down His life.

    Peter, a fisherman, tries to be a soldier and win spiritual victories with a carnal weapon. We need to remind ourselves that Christ does not need to be defended. We fight Satan, not flesh and blood
(Eph. 6:10-18), and the weapons we use are spiritual, not fleshly
( 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Heb. 4:12). Moses made the same mistake (Acts 7:22-28), and had to spend 40 years learning to let God fight his battles.

4. IN THE HIGH PRIEST'S HOME -- 26:57-75

    Peter should NOT have followed at all!! In Matt. 26:31 it was prophesied that the sheep would scatter; and in John 18:8, Jesus plainly told the disciples to "go their way."

    Christ had warned Peter that Satan was after him (Luke 22:31-34), and that he would deny his Lord that night. But when a believer fails to heed the Word of God he always gets into trouble. Peter now reaches the "end of the rope" as he joins with Christ's enemies and warms himself at the fire (John 18:18). It was a cold night, yet Christ had SWEAT great drops of blood. Peter had a cold heart; and because his heart was not right, he had difficulty answering those who questioned him (1 Peter 3:15). When the cock began to crow, Peter remembered the Word, his cold heart was warmed again (Luke 24:32) and he wept in repentance. Later, after His resurrection, Jesus met Peter and the disciples were restored in fellowship. What a contrast to Judas. When Judas was convicted of sin, he confessed his sin TO THE PRIESTS, not to Christ, and went out and hanged himself. Peter's sorrow was a godly sorrow that results in repentance and forgiveness; Judas sorrow was the "sorrow of the words (that) worketh death. (2 Cor. 7:10)

    Keep in mind that Peter started downward back at Bethany when he joined Judas in JUDGING Mary. Then he BOASTED of his devotion and failed to pay attention to the Word of God, particularly Christ's warnings, he did not watch and pray, but went to sleep instead; yet he tried to appear spiritual by using his sword. He followed Christ when he was cautioned to go away, and he mingled with the enemy, seeking fleshly comfort while Christ was enduring great suffering and shame. But Peter was honest enough to admit his sin and confess it (1 John 1:9).
Peter lost his DISCIPLESHIP, not his SONSHIP; and his commission was restored in John 21. Judas rejected Christ and went to hell (Acts 1:15-25).