Luke 22:1-6
Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” …in the absence of the multitude. (v. 6) The NASB has …apart from the crowd. It’s something that I had written about a few days ago, when the Jewish leaders did not want to seize Jesus in the temple because they feared that the people might create an uproar. Luke makes this very clear.
Satan entered into Judas… (v. 3). Luke is the only synoptic writer who makes this point. I typically think of Luke as an historian, not a theologian. But here he is making a statement none of the others are making. John makes the same point in John 13:27, at the Last Supper as Judas departs.
What struck me most today was the following verse: He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. (v. 4) I was struck with “He went away…” because it shows Judas taking the initiative. The Jewish leaders gladly accepted. The next verse says, And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. (v. 5) So it seems that Judas sought out the Jewish leaders looking for a deal. Evidently greed had overwhelmed him! What a sad state of affairs. I’ve always wondered about Judas’ reversal. But I’m getting ahead of our reading. We’ll deal with that in a few weeks.
Slava Bohu!
I too ponder on what Judas might have been thinking. I don’t think that the coins were the initial reason, though he certainly took them. Was he trying to get Jesus to use his power, by turning him over? Was he so disillusioned with a spiritual kingdom instead of an earthly one? Or both? He seems to have convoluted political power with God’s kingdom. Whoa! That sounds like us today!
I forgot to add that I read an article this morning about how Jesus treated a known enemy, Judas. He washed his feet too, ate with him, shared the first Passover eucharist, etc. Gives us a pretty high standard of treating our enemies, beyond praying for them.
I always feel sad when I read the beginning of the betrayal.
True dat, Jim. And there’s a lesson in that for all of us, turning our backs on Jesus – however big or small.