Matthew 26:47-56 is about 'Jesus’ arrest'.
Matthew 26:47-50 is about Judas Iscariot who led the arrest.
Matthew 26:51-56 refers to the condition of other disciples.
Matthew 26:51-56
26:51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
26:52 But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
26:53 "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
26:54 "How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"
26:55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.
26:56 "But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
In Gethsemane, Jesus suffered in the flesh without any sin until He was arrested as if He was a criminal by a great multitude led by Judas Iscariot.
In the last days, the Church of God or His body must also experience the suffering without any flesh as Jesus has experienced, in the form of suffering because of service and ministry, because of experiencing injustice or slander, et cetera. It is called the time before the persecution done by antichrist that will continue to the persecution done by antichrist itself.
All of them can only be defeated by watching and praying as well as being in the spiritual revival.
Matthew 26:37,40
26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
Jesus took with Him three chosen disciples to watch and pray but they slept three times. It equals to spiritual sleep.
The spiritual sleep means negligence in watching and praying, not being serious, and negligence in sanctification of the sword of God’s Word.
Matthew 26:51
26:51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
John 18:10
18:10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
The consequence is Peter was wrong using the sword as he cut off the ear of Malchus.
Genesis 34:25-26
34:25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males.
34:26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out.
In Old Testament, Simeon and Levi had also been wrong using the sword to kill many people.
Dinah liked to wander outside the tent, so she was raped. In spiritual meaning, one who likes to wander outside the shepherding will not become holier but being overcome by false teachings.
'Being wrong in using the sword' means as follows:
Matthew 26:46
26:46 "Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."
We have to enter the spiritual revival, so we can use the sword in right manner.
Exodus 32:26-28
32:26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side -- come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
32:27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' "
32:28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
The figure 3000 refers to perfection.
The sons of Levi were on the Lord’s side. They did not follow the flesh sound, so they could reach the figure 3000.
Entering the spiritual revival means as follows:
2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.
2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Peter was in the spiritual revival by the power of Holy Spirit, so he could deliver the Word of God. It means he had an opportunity to use the sword in the right manner.
The result was same, namely reaching the figure 3000.
3000 = 2000 + 1000.
The figure 2000 refers to the Holy Place of Tabernacle, whose length is 20 cubits, width is 10 cubits, and height is 10 cubits, so the volume is 20x10x10 = 2000 cubits cube).
The figure 1000 refers to the Most Holy Place of Tabernacle, whose length is 10 cubits, width is 10 cubits, and height is 10 cubits, so the volume is 10x10x10 = 1000 cubits cube).
In the Holy Place, referring to the shepherding, there are three equipments which have perished. The three equipments refer to three kinds of perseverance doing service in the First Rain Church.
Perseverance in the shepherding makes us not fall and rise in sin up to the peak of sin, and not be deceived by other teachings.
Christians who are not willing to be shepherded to reach the figure 2000 (the Holy Place) will reach the figure 2000 in negative meaning, namely the shepherding of swine.
Mark 5:11-13,17
5:11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.
5:12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."
5:13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
5:17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.
The shepherding of swine is false and conquered by Babylon.
Mark 5:15
5:15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon–possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
The health or right mind of our spirituality may be detected by our ability to sit.
Sitting refers to being shepherded. Not having ability to sit yet means not being health yet and not having right mind yet.
Psalm 49:14
49:14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
The figure 1000 refers to the Most Holy Place.
We are sanctified continually by the sword of the true teaching Word in the sheepfold until we are perfect and blameless (reaching the figure 3000). It equals to entering the Most Holy Place.
The false shepherding or the one without the true teaching Word but performance or fables which only please the flesh does not build the perfect body of Christ but the temple of Dagon which will perish.
Judges 16:25-27
16:25 So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, "Call for Samson, that he may perform for us." So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.
16:26 Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them."
16:27 Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there -- about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed.
John 21:15,17
21:15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
The Lord Jesus is Great Shepherd. He trusts shepherding system to human pastor.
Peter, a pastor, was sanctified in the shepherding until his heart was cut as follows:
John 21:18-19
21:18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
If we lift up our hand to the Lord, the Shepherd, He will stretch His hand for us as follows:
Matthew 26:47-50 is about Judas Iscariot who led the arrest.
Matthew 26:51-56 refers to the condition of other disciples.
Matthew 26:51-56
26:51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
26:52 But Jesus said to him, "Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.
26:53 "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
26:54 "How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"
26:55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.
26:56 "But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
In Gethsemane, Jesus suffered in the flesh without any sin until He was arrested as if He was a criminal by a great multitude led by Judas Iscariot.
In the last days, the Church of God or His body must also experience the suffering without any flesh as Jesus has experienced, in the form of suffering because of service and ministry, because of experiencing injustice or slander, et cetera. It is called the time before the persecution done by antichrist that will continue to the persecution done by antichrist itself.
All of them can only be defeated by watching and praying as well as being in the spiritual revival.
Matthew 26:37,40
26:37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
26:40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
Jesus took with Him three chosen disciples to watch and pray but they slept three times. It equals to spiritual sleep.
The spiritual sleep means negligence in watching and praying, not being serious, and negligence in sanctification of the sword of God’s Word.
Matthew 26:51
26:51 And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
John 18:10
18:10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
The consequence is Peter was wrong using the sword as he cut off the ear of Malchus.
Genesis 34:25-26
34:25 Now it came to pass on the third day, when they were in pain, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, each took his sword and came boldly upon the city and killed all the males.
34:26 And they killed Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah from Shechem's house, and went out.
In Old Testament, Simeon and Levi had also been wrong using the sword to kill many people.
Dinah liked to wander outside the tent, so she was raped. In spiritual meaning, one who likes to wander outside the shepherding will not become holier but being overcome by false teachings.
'Being wrong in using the sword' means as follows:
- The servant of God does not deliver the Word in the anointing of Holy Spirit, so the congregation cannot receive the Word and the service and ministry will be dead.
The attitude of the congregation must also be corrected. If they are hard-hearted rejecting the Word, the spirituality will be dead and the service and ministry will too. - Using own strength not in line with the true teaching Word to solve temptation.
Jesus gives us example to solve problem in line with the true teaching Word or Holy Bible. In Gethsemane, Jesus could have used His own power but He obeyed God’s Word that He must be crucified. - Saying something that hurts other people.
It is especially for the children that you must be careful of your saying to your physical parents, the spiritual one or the pastor and the heavenly one or God. - Being angry without any love even hating without any cause.
- Blaming other people to cover his own sin or to justify himself.
Consequently, other people who only hear from one side without checking to the other sides will get disadvantage. - Being stumbling-block for other people, so they cannot receive the true teaching Word.
Matthew 18:6
18:6 "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Being a stumbling-block, a millstone was hung around one’s neck. Meaning there is no beauty in life but weariness and heavy burden, and he will be drown in the sins of Babylon, namely sins concerning eating-drinking and marrying-being given in marriage or sexuality sin with all its kinds, including false marriage and mixed-marriage. Continuing in it, he will be drowned in the sea of fire and brimstone and perish forever.
Revelation 18:21
18:21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
Matthew 26:46
26:46 "Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."
We have to enter the spiritual revival, so we can use the sword in right manner.
Exodus 32:26-28
32:26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side -- come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
32:27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' "
32:28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
The figure 3000 refers to perfection.
The sons of Levi were on the Lord’s side. They did not follow the flesh sound, so they could reach the figure 3000.
Entering the spiritual revival means as follows:
- Being on God’s side = putting sword on side.
Every man of the sons of Levi put sword on his side.
Meaning every one of us must hold fast only ONE true teaching Word, obey and practice it. - Having opportunity to use the sword in right manner = having opportunity to get the sanctification done by the Word to reach perfection, referring to the figure 3000.
2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.
2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Peter was in the spiritual revival by the power of Holy Spirit, so he could deliver the Word of God. It means he had an opportunity to use the sword in the right manner.
The result was same, namely reaching the figure 3000.
3000 = 2000 + 1000.
The figure 2000 refers to the Holy Place of Tabernacle, whose length is 20 cubits, width is 10 cubits, and height is 10 cubits, so the volume is 20x10x10 = 2000 cubits cube).
The figure 1000 refers to the Most Holy Place of Tabernacle, whose length is 10 cubits, width is 10 cubits, and height is 10 cubits, so the volume is 10x10x10 = 1000 cubits cube).
In the Holy Place, referring to the shepherding, there are three equipments which have perished. The three equipments refer to three kinds of perseverance doing service in the First Rain Church.
- Golden Candlestick (in the days of Moses) -->perseverance in fellowship (in the First Rain Church, Acts 2:42) -->perseverance in doing General Service and the true fellowship (in the Last Rain Church).
The true fellowship is based on the true teaching. - Table of Showbread -->perseverance in doctrine and the breaking of the bread -->perseverance in doing Bible Study Service with Holy Communion.
- Golden Altar of Incense -->perseverance in prayers -->perseverance in doing Prayer Service.
Perseverance in the shepherding makes us not fall and rise in sin up to the peak of sin, and not be deceived by other teachings.
Christians who are not willing to be shepherded to reach the figure 2000 (the Holy Place) will reach the figure 2000 in negative meaning, namely the shepherding of swine.
Mark 5:11-13,17
5:11 Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.
5:12 So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."
5:13 And at once Jesus gave them permission. Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.
5:17 Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.
The shepherding of swine is false and conquered by Babylon.
Mark 5:15
5:15 Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon–possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid.
The health or right mind of our spirituality may be detected by our ability to sit.
Sitting refers to being shepherded. Not having ability to sit yet means not being health yet and not having right mind yet.
Psalm 49:14
49:14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
The figure 1000 refers to the Most Holy Place.
We are sanctified continually by the sword of the true teaching Word in the sheepfold until we are perfect and blameless (reaching the figure 3000). It equals to entering the Most Holy Place.
The false shepherding or the one without the true teaching Word but performance or fables which only please the flesh does not build the perfect body of Christ but the temple of Dagon which will perish.
Judges 16:25-27
16:25 So it happened, when their hearts were merry, that they said, "Call for Samson, that he may perform for us." So they called for Samson from the prison, and he performed for them. And they stationed him between the pillars.
16:26 Then Samson said to the lad who held him by the hand, "Let me feel the pillars which support the temple, so that I can lean on them."
16:27 Now the temple was full of men and women. All the lords of the Philistines were there -- about three thousand men and women on the roof watching while Samson performed.
John 21:15,17
21:15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."
21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
The Lord Jesus is Great Shepherd. He trusts shepherding system to human pastor.
Peter, a pastor, was sanctified in the shepherding until his heart was cut as follows:
- Feeling unworthy and confessing that there are many weaknesses.
- Feeling powerless and hoping only in God.
- Feeling as clay that is only to be trampled down, not as great human.
John 21:18-19
21:18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."
If we lift up our hand to the Lord, the Shepherd, He will stretch His hand for us as follows:
- John 10:11
10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
Good Shepherd gives His soul to the sheep, meaning as follows:- Preserving our life to the abundance.
Psalm 23:1
23:1 <<A Psalm of David.>>The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. - Making all things beautiful in His time.
- Preserving our life to the abundance.
- Hebrews 13:20-21
13:20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
13:21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
The hand of Great Shepherd is able to give us ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit, so we are employed in the revival of building Christ’s body on the last days.
The hand of Great Shepherd is able also to help us so our life can please the Lord, and He will please our life. - 1 Peter 5:4-6
5:4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
5:5 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble."
5:6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
The hand of the Chief Shepherd gives us the crown of glory, meaning He renews our life, beginning from our obedience and faithfulness(we do not fade but always being faithful and fervent in spirit serving and ministering God).
Being unfaithful and leaving the ministry mean being arrogant and resisting the Lord.
We have to keep our ministry, whatever thing we have to sacrifice.
If we are obedient and faithful, the hand of the Chief Shepherd will exalt us to make everything successful in His time.
John 19:30
19:30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
The Lord Jesus is the Chief Shepherd but He has obeyed God until He died on the cross.
If we are obedient and faithful, we are in the hand of the Chief Shepherd that will exalt us in His time and all matters are settled. We are perfected and exalted on glorious clouds when Jesus comes a second time.