Bible Lover's Blog , Conclusion, Matthew, Chapters 26-28 - 3/31/2026

Last Friday evening, Caroline and I watched Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. It was the first time I'd watched it since it was first released 20+ years ago. Watching it was uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable. At the cinematic depiction of Jesus's death on the cross, I found myself sobbing, weeping.

I love Jesus Christ, and I am unworthy of His death and suffering. He did it anyway. He is an awesome God.

My study of the Gospel of St. Matthew has taken place in three phases. First, I read the entirety of the Gospel in my Ascension Press Great Adventure Note Taking Bible. I tried to do a chapter a day, and I miss a couple, so it took right at 30 or so days. I chose Matthew as my starting point, primarily because it comes first in order published. No other reason than that.

After I had finished, making occasional notes in the space provided, and making some text highlighted, I started reading anew, this time in the St. Ignatius Study Bible. This study Bible is a masterpiece, and I encourage you, Catholic or Protestant, to check it out. If you're a Bible lover, this Bible loves you back. It often has more notes on a given page than it does Bible text! I have learned so much from it, and often I found myself back in my note taking Bible, either checking notes and highlight from my earlier reading, or making new notes and highlights from what the Ignatius has taught me. The notes in Ignatius often led me into the Old Testament, as various prophesies and foreshadowings of the life of Jesus were delineated for me. I know when I study those books: Psalms, Isaiah, etc., the highlights and references to Matthew will add a richness and beauty I didn't enjoy when reading previously.

During this time, as I was working through the Gospel for the second time, I learned of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS) series. It looked promising. I ordered the book on the Gospel of St. Matthew. I wasn't sure I needed it, considering all the other work I was already putting in, but I found myself thirsting for more understanding, more richness. I was immersed, not drowning. Also during this time, again and again the Liturgy of the Word at Mass included Gospel readings from Matthew, and Old Testament readings from the Book of Isaiah, whose prophesies are shown to be fulfilled over and over everywhere in Matthew.

So, about a month ago, I started the 370 or so page book from the Catholic Commentary series I just mentioned. This became a third time through the Gospel. The CCSS was really helpful, at times pointing out significance in choice of words and phrases, similar to how the Ignatius does, but often adding different explanation and or hypothesis as to what Old Testament or other cultural significance the author may have been trying to capture. In concluding my study with it, the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture added depth, richness, and beauty. And, as Lent was drawing toward Palm Sunday and Holy Week, I was coming to the conclusion of the book.

Matthew has 28 chapters, and the last three being Chapters 26, 27, and 28. These chapters comprise the Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, perfect timing as Lent was drawing to a close. Last Friday morning I read Chapter 26, then in the evening, we watched the Passion. On Saturday, Palm Sunday Eve (I've never actually heard it called that.) I read Chapter 27. Afterward, I told Caroline reading it was as if I was reading the script for the movie, so vivid and accurate is the imagery in Mel Gibson's brutal masterpiece. This past Sunday at Mass was Palm Sunday, and at the outset, in conjunction with the Introductory Rite, the Gospel of Matthew account of Jesus's entry into Jerusalem was read. Then, for the regular Gospel reading, the entire Passion narrative from Matthew. Between all my reading, study, and the movie, I found myself drawn completely into the Mass reading in a way that it hard to explain with mere words.

Yesterday morning I finished the Chapter on Matthew 28 in CCSS: The Resurrection. All tolled (told?), I've spent three months studying Matthew. I've gotten so much out of this study of this Gospel. I've fallen in love with it. I could do it all again. I really could. But the Bible is too big, and contains too much that I can't bypass to stay in just this one, beautiful book. I'll resume study with the Gospel of St. Mark in a month or so. I've a trip to Italy in the meantime. I hope to get through Mark and Luke this year, and then the Gospel of St. John before Easter next year. From there I'll have to decide if I shift to the Old Testament, or continue with Acts and some of the Epistles of the New Testament, which at the moment is how I'm leaning.

I'm going to depart in format from the first three installments here. Rather than to relate a whole lot of my study notes, I'll simply close with one line from each of the last three chapters that speaks to my faith in Jesus. Are there more than one important, meaningful line in each? Certainly. On a different day, I might, probably would choose different lines. But for this purpose I will continue to choose just one line per chapter.

Chapter 26 - Matthew 26:26-28 - "Take, eat, this is my body." ... "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

Chapter 27 - Matthew 27:46 - "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

Chapter 28 - Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go therefore and make disciple of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the close of the age."

Prayerfully submitted. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.