Verses 1-2 - The Sanhedrin decides to get rid of Jesus.
Verses 12-21, 26-31 - At Passover Jesus knows Judas will betray Him, and Peter will deny knowing Him.
Jesus knows all of our deliberate choices against Him.
Verses 3-9 - A woman pours really expensive perfume over Jesus, worth a middle-class annual salary! His death and burial is well worth it.
There are times that call for great sacrifice for Jesus.
Verses 10-11 - Did Judas decide to betray Jesus because of the prior event? He wanted to embezzle some of what they could give "to the poor"?
Don't let selfishness move you to go against Jesus.
Verses 22-25 - Jesus morphs the Passover ritual into the Eucharist (or Lord's Supper, or Communion). Why does He use bread, instead of the Passover lamb itself? I believe it was to make the point to us, after the crucifixion, that the sacrifice is over. No longer do we need to kill a lamb every year, every day. The bread and wine show us the result of the sacrifice, as much as the sacrifice itself.
Communion is a forward-looking event: "not until I drink it anew in the kingdom of God." This is the real meaning of Passover - not, "next year in Jerusalem."
Verses 32-42 - Jesus prays in Gethsemane, while the disciples sleep.
Pretty much the last words Jesus says to His disciples before He dies: "after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee." Did He walk all that way after the Resurrection? (70-ish miles north!) Or fly? Did anyone notice Him?
It's easy for us to be caught off guard at key spiritual moments.
Verses 43-51 - They arrest Jesus. His disciples are ready to fight until He submits to the arrest. Then they flee.
We are fight or flight people. But Jesus calmly submits to trouble, and trusts His Father.
Verses 53-65 - the Sandhedrin condemns Jesus without evidence, against Jesus' truthful witness, at night.
Believers in Jesus will be accused and condemned against justice and truth, because they are a standing witness to the guilt of their accusers.
Verses 66-72 - Peter denies knowing Jesus, three times.
Society is so set against Jesus, it will be very tempting to let on that we are not followers of His.
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