The Holy Week – Wednesday

Greetings and welcome to our blog series on the Holy Week.

The Holy Week is the week between Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday. It is observed by Christians as a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. The Passion was the final period of Jesus’ life in Jerusalem, which spans from when He triumphantly arrived in Jerusalem to when he was crucified. On each day of the week, there is an event that happens. Today, we are going to take a look at what happened on Wednesday.

Yesterday we focused on the “Authority of Jesus” as a teacher and healer, power over the natural and supernatural, power over life, death, and all things! Today we are considering the overall subject of “Christ’s Betrayal is Brewing”. Our primary Scripture is Matthew 26:1-16. Supporting passages are Mark 14:1-11, Luke 22:1-6, and John 12:1-11.

As we open our Bibles to Matthew 16 and look at the first two verses, we note that Jesus had completed the Olivet Discourse, a series of teachings from the Mount of Olives. As you read verse two, you must admire how the Master knows what His enemies are plotting and stays one step ahead of them until it is time for him to be delivered up and crucified. Next note,

1. Treachery Grows (verses 3-5). The chief priests, scribes, and elders have concluded that they cannot overcome Jesus with arguments and foolish traps and conclude he must be killed; but how and when. So, the High Priest, Caiaphas, consults with them and determines the trap of ensnarement must be sprung just after Passover.
2. Treasure Given (verses 6-13). As we read further from Matthew 26, we notice that Jesus attends a banquet in the home of a man named Simon, who has been healed of leprosy by Christ, most likely. Here our Master enjoys a time of gaiety and relaxation just before the storm of trial breaks upon Him. And a most beautiful act of worship and generosity occurs. A woman whom John names Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, anoints the head of Jesus with precious perfume. Some rush to condemn her, calling this a reckless and wasteful act, the money from which could have gone to better use. Again, John explains in his Gospel that Judas led this argument. He was the treasurer of the group. John explains Judas wanted this money for himself. It is this greed that will lead him to betray Jesus. However, our Lord commended this woman for her act of generosity. He called it His pre-burial anointing and stated her act of worship would be recalled as long as the Gospel is preached on this earth. What a tribute! May we always remember to worship Christ with our best, even when faced with harsh criticism.
3. The Traitor’s Greed (verses 14-16). It is this tiff that sends Judas over the edge. Led by Satan as John so rightly calls it, the traitor Judas could hardly wait to get in the audience of other traitors and plan out their treachery. Judas agreed to betray our Master for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a lowly slave. Yet here we see the loving and forgiving heart of our wonderful Savior. John tells us in John 13 that Jesus will wash the feet of Jesus and serve the Lord’s Supper to him. Yet, Judas would go on to carry out his act of betrayal and later take his own life.