Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Luke 22:1-6.
TEXT: Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew
near, which is called the Passover
(Luke 22:1).

Luke tells us the great Jewish festival of the
Passover with its Feast of Unleavened Bread is
drawing near. It is the reason the huge crowds have
come from all over the Roman Empire to Jerusalem.
It recalls Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt
by the death of the Egyptian firstborn. It was called
"Passover" because the Lord caused the angel of
death to pass over the Israelite houses marked with
the blood of the Passover Lamb.

The Jewish high court is meeting. Having already
determined to put Jesus to death, they are looking for
the best time and manner to accomplish this. They
won't consider an assassination; they want to find
Him guilty of a capital crime and persuade Pilate to
execute Him.

They keep coming back to one key problem: the huge
crowds of pilgrims are thronging around Jesus,
hanging on His every word. As long as the crowds are
in town, there is nothing they can do to Jesus. They
decide they must wait to kill Jesus after the Passover
is complete, when the crowds leave Jerusalem to
return home.

Suddenly, an unexpected possibility arises. One of
Jesus' hand-picked disciples, Judas Iscariot, offers to
betray Jesus to them for the modest price of 30 silver
pieces. The priests rejoice in this unforeseen opportunity.
They never could have predicted a defection from within
Jesus' camp. Now they have a man on the inside,
watching for the opportunity to hand Jesus over to them
before the Feast.

Jesus' predictions are falling into place: "the Son of Man
is about to be delivered into the hands of men."

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You knew Judas was plotting against You,
yet You continued to reach out to him in love. Reach out
to me with Your forgiveness and grace. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)