Year 2, Week 37, Day 5 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 37, Day 5

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Matthew 26.

Today’s reading records the beginnings of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. Even though Jesus has been predicting what would happen to Him for some time, the unfolding of things is imminent: “When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified” (Matthew 26:1-2). This is the fourth instance that Matthew’s Gospel account references Jesus’ announcement of His death (the others are Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, and 20:17-19), but this update specifies that it will be during Passover week. Some from among the Jewish religious establishment secretly conspire the killing of Jesus: “Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him” (Matthew 26:3-4). However, while they are making their plans, they wish to wait until after Passover week: “But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people” (Matthew 26:5). But what the religious leaders do not fully grasp is they are not ultimately determining either what they are planning nor the timing of it: “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23). With this reality in mind, the rest of Matthew 26 describes Jesus’ activities surrounding Jesus’ arrest and appearance before the High Priest: “Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered” (Matthew 26:57).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the treachery of Judas: “Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him” (Matthew 26:14-16). The presenting occasion of Judas’ decision to betray was an event that happened a few days early. While Jesus was at Bethany, a woman anoints Jesus with costly perfume: “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table” (Matthew 26:7-8). Matthew records that the disciples were taken back by the woman’s actions: “And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor” (Matthew 26:8-9). John’s Gospel account specifically reports Judas’ words: “But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” (John 12:4-5). John also Judas’ motivation for speaking out against the woman’s actions: “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6). Judas used the funds, which were for the support and ministry of Jesus and His disciples, crookedly. While all the disciples express concern for the poor, the woman understood something about Jesus’ imminent death that they disciples did not: “In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her” (Matthew 26:12-13).

While the woman’s actions triggered Judas to betray Jesus, Luke’s Gospel account adds another component to his parallel report of this whole episode: “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd” (Luke 22:3-6). While Judas was a selected disciple, one of the Twelve, he was not a true disciple of Jesus, but someone whom God allowed to be near Jesus in order to carry out the role he was selected to perform: “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him” (John 6:70-71). Satan’s entering into Judas does not absolve him of responsibility, for his own greed and annoyance with Jesus stimulated his own motivations and actions. Judas is making his own choices, but he is also carrying out the very purposes of God in playing a strategic role in bringing about Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion: “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:12). God is sovereign over all the things being accomplished in the death of Jesus. Judas, however, has freely chosen his course of action. No one forced him to do something he did not want to do. Judas is responsible for what he chose to do, but what he has done carries out God’s plans: “Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do” (Matthew 26:48-50a).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe