How does Matthew 26:24 connect with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? Key Verse “The Son of Man will go as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed; it would be better for him if he had not been born.” — Matthew 26:24 Why Jesus Says “As It Is Written” • Jesus anchors His coming death and betrayal in what God had already revealed. • He affirms that Scripture has foretold both His path to the cross and the tragic fate of His betrayer. Prophecies Pointing to Betrayal • Psalm 41:9 — “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” – Literary and thematic bridge: a trusted companion turning traitor. • Zechariah 11:12-13 — thirty pieces of silver paid for the Shepherd, money later thrown to the potter (fulfilled in Matthew 27:3-10). • Psalm 109:7-8 — “May another take his office,” applied in Acts 1:20 to Judas’s replacement. Prophecies of the Suffering Messiah • Isaiah 53:3-7, 10-12 – Verse 6: “the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” – Connects with “The Son of Man will go” — a planned, substitutionary death. – Graphic details of crucifixion foreshadowed, underscoring that Jesus’s path “was written.” – “The Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing,” aligning with the Messiah’s death prior to kingdom triumph. Divine Sovereignty vs. Human Responsibility • Scripture foretold the betrayal; Judas still chooses it. • Acts 2:23 echoes the tension: Jesus was “delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you…put Him to death.” • Matthew 26:24’s warning—“woe to that man”—shows God’s justice upholds moral accountability even when events fulfill prophecy. Messiah’s Mission Confirmed • Luke 24:25-27—Jesus later explains “Moses and all the Prophets” speak of His sufferings and glory. • The phrase “as it is written” in Matthew 26:24 affirms: – God’s Word is trustworthy and exact. – Every detail of the Messiah’s journey, including betrayal, is under divine orchestration. Takeaway for Us • The Old Testament is not a disconnected prelude but a unified revelation culminating in Christ. • Jesus’s conscious submission to Scriptural prophecy reassures believers that God’s redemptive plan is certain, purposeful, and fulfilled down to the smallest detail. |
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