Wednesday
The Day is getting closer. Did Jesus know? Of course he did. He's known for some time that "his time" was coming. I can't even imagine what might have been going through his heart and mind as one day slipped into another during this final week. It's Wednesday—we often call it "hump day." If we can just get past Wednesday, we can make it to the weekend.
For Jesus, the "weekend" held death—a painful death on a cross. And the rapid movement toward that death in many ways began today: Wednesday.
Read Matthew 26:14-16.
Again, the chronology is not as clear-cut as we wish, but many believe it was on Wednesday when Judas went to the chief priests and offered to sell Jesus out. Between Sunday and this day, Judas had decided Jesus was not going to do what he wanted him to do. While money may have been a motivating factor, the best "guess" is that Judas was profoundly disappointed in Jesus. Jesus had failed him. Jesus had failed to do what Judas expected him to do. Jesus had failed to do what a lot of people expected him to do. And so Judas, I believe, decided he would push Jesus into doing what he should be doing. Create a threat, make Jesus reveal himself as the king. And if he could make a little money at it, all the better.
Tomorrow evening, Judas will be sitting next to Jesus. Today, he had to have returned to the circle of the Twelve. Did anyone suspect? Did anyone wonder where he had been? Did he have an excuse all made up, ready to give? In the moment the coins dropped into Judas' hand, everything changed. Jesus may have failed him personally, but he failed them all. He may have thought he was helping Jesus, but he was actually betraying them all.
This day, Judas makes a decision he cannot turn back from. He will regret it, and it will cost him his life. His actions will also cost Jesus his life, but in that moment, the whole world will gain the possibility of life. Judas' actions are despicable, no doubt. But even this can be redeemed.
For Jesus, the "weekend" held death—a painful death on a cross. And the rapid movement toward that death in many ways began today: Wednesday.
Read Matthew 26:14-16.
Again, the chronology is not as clear-cut as we wish, but many believe it was on Wednesday when Judas went to the chief priests and offered to sell Jesus out. Between Sunday and this day, Judas had decided Jesus was not going to do what he wanted him to do. While money may have been a motivating factor, the best "guess" is that Judas was profoundly disappointed in Jesus. Jesus had failed him. Jesus had failed to do what Judas expected him to do. Jesus had failed to do what a lot of people expected him to do. And so Judas, I believe, decided he would push Jesus into doing what he should be doing. Create a threat, make Jesus reveal himself as the king. And if he could make a little money at it, all the better.
Tomorrow evening, Judas will be sitting next to Jesus. Today, he had to have returned to the circle of the Twelve. Did anyone suspect? Did anyone wonder where he had been? Did he have an excuse all made up, ready to give? In the moment the coins dropped into Judas' hand, everything changed. Jesus may have failed him personally, but he failed them all. He may have thought he was helping Jesus, but he was actually betraying them all.
This day, Judas makes a decision he cannot turn back from. He will regret it, and it will cost him his life. His actions will also cost Jesus his life, but in that moment, the whole world will gain the possibility of life. Judas' actions are despicable, no doubt. But even this can be redeemed.
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