Matthew 27 - Part 1

 

Read Matthew 27

The kangaroo court had reached its verdict and Jesus was to be taken to Pilate for execution.  Judas became remorseful when he saw what had come of his betrayal.  He took the 30 silver pieces back to the chief priest and his cohorts.

“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”

They replied, That’s on you.”  They had what they wanted and the facts would just get in the way.

Judas threw the money at them and left.  He hanged himself. The 30 pieces of silver was the price of a slave according to the Lex Talionis and other biblical references lead us to God removing the bad shepherds.  Enough on the money.

You might think that the confession of Judas to betraying innocent blood would be cause for pause in this sham of a trial and plan to execute Jesus.

You might think that Judas hanging himself might give the Chief Priest and the other religious hypocrites cause for reflection upon their present course.

It did not.  The only question before the hypocrites was what to do with the money.  It was blood money and couldn’t go into the treasury, so they bought a field for burying foreigners and perhaps the poor.

It was called the Field of Blood.

That’s the end of the story of Judas.  Was he consigned to hell immediately upon death?  Was redemption possible for him?

The gospel writers do no speak kindly of him.  Whenever Judas is mentioned in the gospels, he is noted as the one who betrayed Jesus, even though the betrayal does not come until near the end of each gospel.

Even Jesus said that it would be better that he was not born.  Was he talking about his eternal soul or about the gravity of the remorse he felt in this chapter?

What Judas did was necessary to get Jesus to the cross. Last week we looked at how impossible and illogical it would be to convict Jesus in an actual trial; yet, he was convicted and sentenced to death.

Here we see the Chief Priest and other religious leaders turning away a man who wanted to confess his sins and exonerate one they had condemned to death.  This behavior was required to get Jesus to the cross.

We don’t know what eternity holds for Judas, but we do know that he did his part to get the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world as step closer to the altar on which he would be sacrificed.

I’m glad I wasn’t Judas but I’m also glad he did his part so that the blood of Jesus parted me from my sin.

Amen.

 

Matthew 26 - Part 1

 

Read Matthew 26

If you were watching this chapter as a play or a movie, there would be multiple scene changes.  Jesus would remind his disciples that he would be crucified.  It would happen very soon.

The scene changes to Caiaphas and other senior religious leaders plotting to kill Jesus.  They can’t do this publicly.  They can’t do this in broad daylight.  They can’t do this during the festival but it must happen soon—very soon.  But how?

The scene changes back to Jesus and his disciples at Bethany.  They are gathered for a meal in the home of a man named Simon.  An unnamed woman brings a jar of very expensive perfume and pours it on the head of Jesus.

The disciples can only see the economic value.  This perfume could have been sold and could have bought a bunch of food and fed the poor.  Jesus noted that the poor will always be with you but Jesus would remain with them only a little while longer.

She prepared Jesus for burial.  Jesus noted that what she had done would be told wherever the gospel was spread.  We don’t know her name but we know what she did.

It’s time for another scene change.  Those who wanted to kill Jesus needed some help.  Enter Judas Iscariot.  For 30 pieces of silver, he will lead those who want to seize Jesus to him.  He just needs the perfect opportunity—someplace off the beaten path and sometime at night.

The scene shifts to Jerusalem and the disciples follow the instructions of their Master and secure a place to celebrate the Passover with a meal.  It would be the most special meal they ever shared with their Master.

During this meal, Jesus noted his betrayal but gave us words that we continue to use as we remember Jesus in the way that he instructed us.

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

The scene changes again and Jesus and his followers adjourn to the Mount of Olives.  They are singing as they go.

Jesus lets his closest friends know that the time has come and that they will desert him for a time.  Peter does not believe that he could ever abandon his Master, but Jesus tells him that is exactly what he will do.

Jesus also affirmed that he would rise from the dead and meet them in Galilee once he had risen.  This was a lot to take in.

The next scene change takes four men to a place within the Mount of Olives called Gethsemane.  Jesus, Peter, James, and John have adjourned to this place.  Jesus needs to pray and does.  Things are getting real.  Jesus is God but Jesus is also man.  He is human.  What lies ahead would deter any human.

Jesus, knowing there was no other way, asked his Father if there was another way.  The three disciples who accompanied him fell asleep.  They did not yet realize the magnitude of the moment.

Jesus knows what the next several hours hold for him and he is ready to do this last part of this Father’s will.

The time had come for him to be betrayed by Judas.  The scene remains the same but many will enter to bring about what had to happen.

We pause at this point to consider one thought.  His time had come.  For everything that was a part of his earthly ministry—teaching, healing, other miracles, confronting the religious hypocrites, and amazing people because he spoke with authority, the sine qua non was his trip to the cross, his death, and his resurrection.

Jesus was fully committed to enduring whatever this sinful world would put him through in the next hours.

The word of the hour is passion.  No person could do what Jesus did and even he required passion and love for us that we cannot comprehend.

If life ever gets so tough that you are ready to throw in the towel, consider the passion that Christ Jesus put forth for you.

His time had come.  He could have told his Father that they are not worth it, but evidently, we are.

Thanks be to God.  Praise the name of Jesus.

Amen.