Rhyming Redsong: Matthew 26 (The Last Supper; Judas Betrays Jesus; Jesus Before The Sanhedrin; Peter Disowns Jesus)
When Jesus finished saying all these things,
had, he, to his disciples, said, words, these,
“As you know, the Passover now draws nigh,
two days, in–then the Son of Man will be
turned over, handed, to be crucified.”
. . .
While Jesus had in Bethany, sojourned,
the Leper, Simon, he was in his home,
a woman with an alabaster jar
filled with perfume, its price was very high,
as he was at the table there reclined,
upon his head, was where it was she poured.
When the disciples saw this, how they were?
Indignant, and they asked him, “Why this waste?
For this perfume, the high price that was paid,
if we’d sold it, and proceeds to the poor,
we could have given.” Of this, was aware,
he, Jesus said to them, “Why do you care,
why are you, with this woman, bothering?
To me, most beautiful, she’s done a thing.
The poor, forever, with you will be found,
but, always, you will not have me around.
When this perfume, my body, on, she poured
she did that act, as to prepare me for
my burial. I say to you for sure,
where’er in time this gospel will be preached
throughout the world, what she has done for me
will also be told in her memory.”
. . .
On the first day, the Festival, of that,
of, Bread, Unleavened, the disciples came
to Jesus and asked him, “Where do you want
for us, to eat, to, preparations, make,
the meal of the Passover, name the place?”
Replied, he, “Go into the city to
a certain man and, tell him these words, you,
“‘The Teacher says: My time, appointed, soon,
is near. With my disciples, it’s my aim,
at your house, to, Passover, celebrate.’”
So, as directed, the disciples did,
by Jesus: they, the Passover, prepared.
When evening came, the table, with the Twelve,
at, Jesus was reclining. And, they, while,
were eating, he said, “Truly, you, I tell,
you will betray me, one among you all.”
They, very sad, were, and they all began
to say one after, then another one,
“Lord, surely it is not me that you mean?”
Replying Jesus, “That one who’s just dipped,
his hand together, in the bowl, me, with,
betray me, will. The Son of Man will go
just as it’s written ‘bout him. But, to, woe,
that man who will, the Son of Man, betray!
It would be better for him, if that day,
when he was born, as fiction would have stayed.”
Then Judas, him, who would betray, the one,
said, “Surely, Rabbi, you, me, do not mean?”
“You have said so,” said Jesus, answering.
While they were eating, some bread, Jesus took,
and when he’d given thanks, the bread, he broke,
and the disciples, gave it out to them,
and said, “Take, eat this; this, my body, is.”
A cup, he then took, and when he gave thanks,
he gave it to them, saying, “From it, drink,
all of you. This is, of the covenant,
my blood, which will, for many, be poured out,
for the forgiveness of your sins, it’s used.
I tell you, I won’t drink from this vine’s fruit
from now on till that day when I will drink
it new with you, my Father’s kingdom, in.”
And after they together sang a hymn,
out to the Mount of Olives, where they went.
Then Jesus told them, “You, this very night,
will fall away, all, on account of me,
for it is written: ‘I’ll, the shepherd, strike,
and scattered will be, of the flock, its sheep.’
But after I have risen, I’ll proceed
ahead of you, there, into Galilee.”
Replying, Peter, “Even if all fall
away on your account, I never will.”
Then Jesus answered him, “I truly tell
you, this night, e’en before the rooster crows,
three times, me, as your friend, you will disown.”
But Peter, this, declared, “I never will
disown you even if I have to die
with you.” And the disciples, each and all
them, for themselves, his words, they ratified.
With his disciples, Jesus then went to
a garden that was called Gethsemane,
and he said to them, “Sit here while I go
o’er there to pray.” The sons of Zebedee
and Peter, he took them along with him,
and he began to be so sorrowful
and troubled. Then, “My soul,” he said to them,
“unto the point of death, is overwhelmed
with sorrow. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
A little farther, going on, he fell,
his face down to the ground and there, prayed, he,
“My Father, if it would be possible,
may this cup, taken, be, away from me.
Yet not as I will, but just as you will.”
To his disciples, them, he found asleep,
when he returned. “Could you men not, watch, keep
with me a single hour?” he, Peter, asked.
“Both watch and pray, both those activities,
so, you do not, temptation, fall to, that.
The spirit’s willing, but the flesh is weak.”
A second time he went away and prayed,
“My Father, if it is not possible,
unless I drink it, to take it away
from me, this cup, its contents, how it’s filled,
then, what it is that should be done: your will.”
How he found them again when he returned:
asleep, because their eyelids, heavy, were.
So he left them, that place, and went away
once more, a third time, and again he prayed,
the same words as before were what he said.
Then he returned to the disciples’ place
and said to them, “Are, resting, sleeping, and,
you, still? Look, the hour’s come, the Son of Man,
delivered, is, into the sinners’ hands.
Rise! Let us go! Here, my betrayer, comes!”
While he was speaking still, there, Judas came,
one of the Twelve. A large crowd was with him,
with swords and clubs, how it was they were armed,
sent from the people’s elders and chief priests.
Now the betrayer, with them, had conceived
a signal: “He’s the man, the one I kiss;
arrest him.” Judas said, going at once,
to Jesus, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
“Do what you came for, friend,” Jesus enounced.
Then the men, forward, stepped, and, Jesus, seized
and, him, arrested. With that, one of these,
companions, Jesus’, for his sword, he reached,
and drew it out and, that, of the high priest,
the servant’s, cutting off his ear. “Now sheath
your sword back in its place,” what Jesus said
to him, “for all will die who draw the sword
by that, the sword. Do you think I can’t call
upon my Father, and, at once, he will,
at my disposal, angels, legions, twelve.
put, but then how would scriptures be fulfilled
that say that it must happen in this way?”
In that hour, to the crowd, this, Jesus said,
“Rebellion, is that what I now lead,
that you have come out with your clubs and swords
to capture me? Each day, there in its courts,
the temple’s, where it was I sat and taught,
but you did not arrest me. But this all
has taken place so that the prophets’ words,
so that their writings here might be fulfilled.”
Then all of his disciples, from there, fled,
and, him, deserted, in their terror, dread.
To Caiaphas, the high priest, him, conveyed,
those who’d arrested Jesus, at that place
where, teachers of the law and elders, they’d
assembled. But, him, followed, Peter did,
a distance, at, right up to the high priest’s,
his courtyard. Entered, he, and took a seat,
the guards, with, so, the outcome, he would see.
The whole Sanhedrin and, too, the chief priests,
‘gainst Jesus, they looked for false evidence
so that the sentence: death, they could pronounce.
Though many witnesses, false, forward, came,
but they found none that could incriminate.
But two came forward and declared, fin’lly,
“This fellow said, ‘I’m able to destroy
God’s temple and rebuild it in, days, three.’”
To Jesus, said, he stood up, the high priest,
“Are you not going to answer? What is this,
this testimony, bringing, you, against,
these men are?” Silent, Jesus, but, remained.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you, by
the living God, if you, now testify,
pursuant to an oath (by that, you should)
are the Messiah, him, the Son of God.”
“You have said so,” how Jesus then replied.
“But I say to you all: you, from this time,
will see the Son of Man, where he reclines,
the Mighty One, sits on his hand, the right,
and on the clouds of heaven, he’ll arrive.”
Then the high priest, his clothes, tore, and he said,
“He, blasphemy, has spoken! Why do we
need any witnesses, more? Look, you’ve heard,
the blasphemy, now. What is it you think?”
They answered him, “He, worthy, is, of death.”
Then they spit in his face and struck him with
their fists. Him, others slapped, and said, “Us, to,
Messiah, prophesy. Who has hit you?”
Now Peter, sitting, in the courtyard, out,
was, and a servant girl, up to him, came.
“You also were with him,” she said aloud,
“with Jesus from the Galilean lake.”
But he denied it all before those there.
“I don’t know what you speak of,” he averred.
Then he went out, the gateway, that place, near,
another servant girl, where, him, observed,
and to the people there, what she expressed,
“This fellow was with him, from Nazareth,
with Jesus.” He denied this once again,
and with an oath: “I do not know the man!”
After a while, a little longer then,
those standing there went up to Peter, and
said, “Surely you are one of them; away,
your accent gives you, where you’re from: betrayed.”
Then he began to call down curses, and
he swore to them, “I do not know the man!”
Immediately, loud, a rooster crowed.
Then he remembered those words Jesus spoke,
did Peter: “Three times, me, you will disown
before the rooster crows.” And where he went,
outside the gate and, bitterly, he wept.
T.H. Chalm 