Sheep Without a Shepherd (Matthew 26:31-35)
Throughout this class, we have explored Matthew’s use of how Old Testament prophecies point to Jesus. We’ll do that tonight (Matthew 26:31/Zechariah 13:7). However, tonight we also have the opportunity to see Jesus, the Messiah, has a prophet. In our passage, Jesus makes two prophecies. Both of Jesus’s prophecies take place just as he had said.
In context, this is immediately after the Last Supper. Jesus has just instituted the Lord’s Supper. Jesus and his disciples have sung a hymn and have gone out to the Mount of Olives.
Throughout Matthew 26, Jesus has predicted his coming death. Verses 18, 21, 24, 28. The disciples should have understood at this point.
In Luke (22:31-31) and in John (13:36-38), this conversation took place while Jesus and the disciples are still in the upper room. Matthew and Mark both change the order. The purpose of changing the chronological order seems to be to demonstrate the gravity of the situation. Jesus knows that his time is at hand. Even his closest disciples are going to desert him.
Jesus’ arrest and the disciples’ desertion are very close—”this night.”
Jesus’ arrest would be a cause of offense/stumbling block for the disciples. How did Jesus’ arrest cause the disciples to stumble? Do people still stumble because of Jesus? Do we sometimes stumble because of Jesus? How might we stumble because of Jesus? How could we keep ourselves from stumbling because of him?
Jesus uses Zechariah 13:7 to demonstrate that what is about to happen was known by God for all of eternity. Sometimes the question is asked, “Did prophets prophesy because God knew what was going to happen, or did the prophecies come true because God caused them?” It seems this is a case where we know that God used prophets to predict what would happen. God wouldn’t cause someone to stumble.
Zechariah 13:1-7 certainly seems Messianic to its core. The prophet speaks about the prevalence of apostasy, and that God will cut off about two-thirds of the land. Yet, there will be a remnant (“one-third shall be left in [the land].” The disciples seem to form the core of the remnant who would remain. Do the religious leaders of Jesus’ day stand for those who would apostatize?
When the Shepherd is struck, the sheep will scatter. Why would the sheep scatter? Why is a shepherd so important? How is Jesus a shepherd? “I am the good shepherd” (Jn 10:11). “When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Pet 5:4). How do we follow Jesus as our Shepherd?
It’s interesting to note that Jesus here makes a prediction about what’s going to happen with the disciples. Jesus has supernatural knowledge about what is to occur and how his disciples are going to act. Does Jesus still have supernatural knowledge? Does he know how you are going to act? How should Jesus’s knowledge impact the way that we live?
Jesus promised that after he was raised, he would go before the disciples to Galilee. Matthew 28:16-20. This statement would give the disciples hope and direction. Jesus wasn’t going to remain dead; he would be raised. The disciples had direction/purpose. They were to meet Jesus in Galilee. From there, Jesus would send them all over the world. Doesn’t Jesus still give us direction/purpose?
Peter boldly says that even if all the other disciples stumble because of Jesus, he never will. Where did Peter get his arrogance? What did his arrogance cost him? What does arrogance cost us?
Before the rooster crows, Peter would deny Jesus three times. What’s the significance of the rooster crowing? The significance seems to be that Peter would deny Jesus that very night. Roosters crow in the morning, and this discourse is likely taking place late at night. We know that Jesus’ prediction took place just as he had promised (Matt 26:69-75).
This Bible class was originally taught by Dr. Justin Imel, Sr., at the Dale Ridge church of Christ in Roanoke, Virginia.