The Murder of Jesus #1 Good Questions: these lesson have groups talking www.joshhunt.com

Matthew 26.47 - 50 ⁽¹⁾

ACCOUNTABILITY

• What three fellowships do we have planned for the next three months? Who will invite every member? Who will invite every prospect? Who will help plan the fellowships?

OPEN

• Each share your name and one murder-mystery/ crime-drama show you enjoy, if any.
• Are you familiar with the term "mole"-a seeming insider that turns out to be working for the enemy? Who has seen a movie with a shocking revelation of a mole? What movie shocked you that way? ⁽²⁾

DIG

1. Notice how Judas is described in Matthew 26.47. Do you see any hint that anyone thought of Judas as a mole? ⁽³⁾
2. Psalm 55.12 - 14. ⁽⁴⁾ Why is an enemy's insult easier to take than a friend's?
3. What experience did David have with this? What friend (hint: or family member) betrayed him? ⁽⁵⁾
4. Who can refresh our memory on the story of Absalom? ⁽⁶⁾
5. Imagine how that felt for David when his own son became his enemy. What words would you use to describe how David must have felt? ⁽⁷⁾
6. Judas did not come alone. He came with a large crowd with swords and clubs. What does this tell you about his intent?
7. How many people do you picture in this crowd? ⁽⁸⁾
8. Matthew 26.53. ⁽⁹⁾ What could Jesus have done if He had not been willing to be arrested?
9. Matthew 26.48 - 49. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, a common form of greeting among close friends back in the day. How might Jesus have done it today?
10. Try to imagine how this felt to Jesus. You might imagine it as we might express a greeting-maybe through a hug. How did that hug feel to Jesus? Can you put it into words?
11. Why do you think Judas betrayed him with a kiss? Why not just come out in the open and yell and point and say, "That man! That is Jesus!"
12. How do you think this kiss felt for Judas?
13. What was Judas' motive? Why was he doing this?
14. At what point do you think it hit the disciples: "Judas is a mole"?
15. Matthew 26.50. Why do you think Jesus asked Judas why he had come?
16. Matthew 27.3 - 5. ⁽¹⁰⁾ How did Judas eventually come to feel about this act?
17. Is sin always this way-do we always come to regret it eventually?
18. Matthew 26.24. ⁽¹¹⁾ Do you think Judas was ever forgiven? Was he ever saved?
19. Does it seem strange to you that someone could be so close to Jesus and see all his miracles and hear all his teaching and still not truly believe in Him?
20. What is the lesson here? ⁽¹²⁾
21. Judas betrayed Jesus, but the rest of the disciples were not exactly heroic. Why did they do after this mob arrived?
22. Part of Jesus' pain in the cross was the he was betrayed by a friend. I would like for us to get in touch with this pain today. Have you ever been betrayed by a friend? Who can tell us your story? ⁽¹³⁾
23. In some ultimate sense, God could have arranged these events any way He wanted. Why do you think he allowed it to happen where one of the disciples betrayed Him with a kiss?
24. Have there been other betrayals of Jesus? Have we ever betrayed Jesus? In what ways do modern believers betray Jesus?
25. What do we learn about God that God is the kind of god who would allow Himself to be hurt this way?
26. In some sense, Jesus, as part of the godhead participated in the planning of these events. Jesus, in a way, set it up where He would be betrayed by a friend. How does this make you feel about Jesus?
27. How can we pray for one another this week?

1. While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 26:48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him." 26:49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him. 26:50 Jesus replied, "Friend, do what you came for." Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. Matthew 26:47-50 (NIV)

2. We have been watching the TV show 24 recently and there are several shocking revelations of moles that get us in touch with this feeling.

3. One of our problems in understanding Scripture is we know too much. The first time we are introduced to Judas we know the end of the story. The name Judas is virtually a synonym for traitor. But, as the story unfolded in real time, I think the revelation of Judas as a traitor was as shocking as any movie you have ever seen with a shocking twist of a mole.

4. If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. 55:13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, 55:14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God. Psalms 55:12-14 (NIV)

5. Absalom comes to mind. Adam Clark's commentary says this is likely referring to Ahithophel.

6. ABSALOM (ab' ssuh luhm) Personal name meaning, "father of peace." See Abishalom. Third son of King David, who rebelled against his father and was murdered by Joab, David's commander (2 Sam. 3:3; 13-19). Absalom apparently resented being ignored by his father and resented his brother Ammon going unpunished for raping Tamar, Absalom's full sister. Being overindulged and ambitious, Absalom became the spokesman for the people (2 Sam. 15:1-6). They, in turn, gladly proclaimed him king in Hebron (15:10), where David was first crowned (2:4). Battle ensued. David left Jerusalem and sent his army to find Absalom but not to hurt him (15:5), but Joab murdered him (15:14). David's lament over Absalom shows the depth of a father's love over the loss of a son as well as regret for personal failures which led to family and national tragedies.--Holman Bible Dictionary

7. The best lessons are personal. If you have someone who can tell a touching story of how their child hurt them, it will get us in touch with how David felt. The goal of the lesson is to better appreciate what it felt like for Jesus to be betrayed by an insider.

8. We don't know, but asking the question makes the crowd more real in our mind.

9. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? Matthew 26:53 (NIV)

10. When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 27:4 "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." 27:5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. Matthew 27:3-5 (NIV)

11. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born." Matthew 26:24 (NIV)

12. Proximity does not necessarily cause belief.

13. One of the things that makes divorce painful is that it is a betrayal by a friend. You may have some stories like this in your group.