17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 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.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”[a]
The beginning of this passages sets the stage for what is going on in Jerusalem. Matthew says, "On the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, " or otherwise known as the Passover.
The "Passover" was used to refer to two different things. The first was the actual passover meal, in which the family would sit down and celebrate a meal together, remembering how God sent the death angel and killed all the firstborn in Egypt, except for those who had killed a lamb and spread it's blood on the door frames of their houses. The death angel literally "passed over" their house and didn't kill anyone. This final plague led to Pharaoh letting the Israelites go free from their slavery and led to the liberation of the entire nation of Israel. This celebration took place on the 14th day of the first month of the Jewish calendar, which is called the month of Nisan.
This is the first thing that the word "Passover" refers to. The second thing that this word is used to describe is the feast of Unleavened Bread. This feast began the immediate day after the Passover and lasted for one week. This feast's main focus was that no leaven was consumed in any of the bread they ate. Hence the name, "Unleavened Bread". The first and last day of the feast of unleavened bread were days of rest and worship. This week was also referred to as "passover", because it was remembering the same event, God rescuing the Israelites from Egypt.
This Passover celebration was the largest celebration amongst the Jews. Somewhere around 250,000 Jews would make a pilgrimage to the city, requiring 25,000 to even 100,000 sacrificial lambs to be killed in the temple. This feast could only be celebrated in Jerusalem, and it consisted of each family getting a lamb and having it sacrificed on the "Passover" (14th of Nisan) night, then eating the lamb and enjoying the feast.
This is what Jesus' disciples are sent to prepare for. Look at what Jesus tells them:
17 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
Remember what has happened this week.
Saturday--anointed by Mary
Sunday--The triumphal entry and Cleansing of the temple
Monday--Cursing the fig tree
Tuesday--Day of Questioning, woes against the pharisees and Olivet Discourse
Thursday--The passover meal
Jesus has entered into the city triumphantly, cleansed the temple, had debate club with the Jewish leaders, preached a sermon against the Jewish leaders, and finally predicted the destruction of the temple.
He has not made a lot of friends. The Jewish leaders have wanted him dead for months, and now Judas has offered his services in making their wish come true.
This is what we see in the second part of this story, the actual character of Jesus' betrayal.
This is what we see in the second part of this story, the actual character of Jesus' betrayal.
20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 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.”
25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
Jesus has predicted a number of times up to this point the fact that he was going to be betrayed and crucified. Yet, the disciples had not got it. Here, Jesus states it very clearly, "The one who is going to betray me is among you."
Each one is shocked.
"Is it I?"
That is how each one responds, which signifies a healthy dose of self-awareness.
We are all capable of Judas did.
Did you catch that statement?
We are all fallen beings and have the ability to betray our faithfulness to Jesus.
I know I have been there.
Yet when we look at Judas, we seem to think, "There is no way that would happen to me." Really? I have betrayed Jesus all the time.
I can't tell you the number of times I have shied away from his call to step out of my comfort zone and do something big for him. This is a betrayal. And yet, God works through our betraying nature to bring about his will.
Looks what happens after Judas betrays Jesus. Jesus is handed over to the Jewish leaders and crucified, which paid the penalty for the sins of the universe.
God is faithful even when we aren't.
So imagine what he can do with us when we are actually working with him instead of against him.
Don't underestimate your own ability to betray Jesus. Guard it, and commit to be faithful today.
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