Prophesy You Christ - Matthew 26:68

Matthew the apostle wrote how the high priest demanded of Jesus, “I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God”, and “Jesus said unto him, You have said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall you see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Matthew continued, “Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He has spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now you have heard his blasphemy. What do you think? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse sixty-eight of his book, Matthew wrote how the religious leaders said, “Prophesy unto us, you Christ, Who is he that smote you?” where we read:

Saying, Prophesy unto us, You Christ, Who is he that smote you?

The verse reads, “Saying, Prophesy unto us, you Christ, ...” Matthew began word, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” “Prophesy unto us” or “speak forth to us religious leaders by divine revelations and counsels”, “you Christ” which means “you anointed one, Messiah and Son of God”. Matthew shared how the religious leaders began to mock and cajole Jesus as “the Messiah” while asking Him to “speak by divine revelation” .

The verse goes on to say, “Who is he that smote you?” Matthew continued with the words, “who is he” or “what man is the person” “that smote you” which means “who hit, struck and stung Jesus like a scorpion”? Matthew shared how the religious leaders mockingly asked Jesus to tell which one of them “hit and struck” Him.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, tears will flow to our eyes as we imagine these religious leaders treating the “Son of God” in this manner. What restraint Jesus portrayed as the “Creator of the Universe” allowed His creation to “mock Him as the Christ” and then demanded that He “prophesy” as to which one of them “struck” Him. Jesus endured all these things so mankind could be “saved” from eternal damnation because of their sin. Separation from God was and is imminent for all who do not receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, and Jesus paid this price so they might “believe and trust” in Him. Let all who read these words carefully examine in their own minds whether they are among those who “mock” Jesus or know Him as the “Christ” that He truly is.

Next time Matthew shares how, “Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.