How does Matthew 26:56 connect to Jesus' predictions of His betrayal? Setting the Scene Matthew 26 records the tense hours just before the cross. By verse 56 the arrest in Gethsemane is underway, and the moment crystalizes everything Jesus had already predicted. The Text: Matthew 26:56 “But this has all happened, so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled. Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.” Jesus’ Earlier Predictions of Betrayal and Abandonment • Matthew 16:21—“From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem… be betrayed and be killed, and on the third day be raised to life.” • Matthew 17:22-23—“The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” • Matthew 20:18-19—“The Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes… they will condemn Him to death.” • Matthew 26:21—At the Passover table: “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.” • Matthew 26:31—Citing Zechariah 13:7: “This very night you will all fall away on account of Me.” Direct Links Between Prediction and Fulfillment • Betrayal by a close companion foretold → Judas arrives with the arresting party (26:47-50). • Delivery to Jewish leaders foretold → Chief priests and elders orchestrate the arrest (26:47). • Universal abandonment foretold → “All the disciples deserted Him and fled” (26:56b), exactly matching 26:31. • “This has all happened” (26:56a) ties the real-time events back to Jesus’ own words and to prophetic Scripture, underscoring literal fulfillment. Old Testament Foundations Confirmed • Psalm 41:9—“Even my close friend… has lifted up his heel against me.” • Isaiah 53:3—“He was despised and rejected by men.” • Zechariah 11:12-13—Thirty pieces of silver foretold. • Zechariah 13:7—Shepherd struck, sheep scattered; explicitly cited in Matthew 26:31 and visibly fulfilled in 26:56. Implications for Faith Today • Every detail God speaks comes to pass; the coherence between prophecy and history in Matthew 26 invites unshakable confidence in Scripture’s reliability. • Jesus’ willing submission verifies that the cross was not an accident but God’s redemptive plan, foretold and executed with precision. • The disciples’ flight highlights human frailty, yet their later restoration (John 21; Acts 2) magnifies Christ’s grace and the transforming power of the resurrected Lord. |
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