Matthew 26:17-29 The Passover with the Disciples

Today, we celebrate Maundy Thursday. It is the time when Jesus celebrated his Last Supper with the disciples. That Supper was none other than the Passover celebration. The Passover is a celebration that remembers how God liberated Israel from slavery in Egypt. This celebration was held in a home with family. The celebration begins with the search for leaven in the house. The house must be cleansed from all leaven, a symbol for sin, disobedience and rebellion towards God. After the burning of the leaven found, people sip on the first cup of wine which is the cup of sanctification, symbolizing the purging of our souls from sin followed by a ceremonial hand washing.

Next, the people at the table dip parsley in salt water and eat it. The parsley represents the hyssop that was used to place the blood of the lamb on the doorposts. God instructed Israel to place the blood of the lamb to be cooked and eaten that night on their doorposts so that the Angel of Death would pass over their homes and spare the lives of their firstborn. Jesus is identified as the Lamb of God and by his blood, we are spared from condemnation on the final judgment. The matzahs, unleavened bread, are uncovered representing the bread of affliction.

After remembering the plagues by which God afflicted the Egyptians to let Israel go, the presider shows a shankbone to remember the lamb that was sacrificed on that night to spare the lives of God’s people. The second cup is taken which is the cup of judgment followed by another washing of hands. After giving thanks, a piece of matzah bread is eaten by all. Then a piece of matzah with bitter herbs representing the suffering and oppression in Egypt. Then a piece of matzah is eaten with “charoseth,” a mixture of apples and nuts representing the mortar used by Israel during their hard labor as slaves. This is the point at which Jesus announced his betrayal. Judas was dipping in the dish to eat the charoseth. And then the meat of the lamb is eaten.

Now the “aphikomen” was the middle piece of the three matzah breads that was hidden while people ate the lamb and later the children hunt for it all over the house. Once found, the bread is brought out and distributed to the people to eat. It is at this point that Jesus gives the command (mandate, that’s why it is called Maundy Thursday) to eat this bread because it represents his body. The “aphikomen” is followed by the third cup of wine, the cup of redemption. It is this cup that Jesus uses to command the disciples to drink because it represents his blood in the new covenant.

The ceremony ends with the fourth cup, the cup of praise and people worship with songs that praise the greatness and power of God in the liberation of his people Israel. Just like Israel was freed from slavery in Egypt, we have been freed from sin in this world. Through the blood of the paschal lamb, Jesus Christ, we are cleansed from all sin and spared from all condemnation. Praise the Lord! The command to celebrate communion is rooted in the Passover ceremony filled with so much meaning for Israel and for us.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. May I always remember the liberation he has mightily performed on our behalf.

Acts 1:12-26 Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

After Jesus' ascension, the apostles obediently returned to Jerusalem and waited in prayer. Many others joined them (120 people total) including Mary, the mother of Jesus. Peter, stands and speaks to the brethren gathered there. He explains Judas' treason and fate as a fulfillment of the Scriptures as written by David in the Psalms. So the Scriptures are used as the authoritative source to understand and explain what has happened.

Many see a contradiction in the this account of the field's purchase as compared to Matthew 27. It is best to see them as two different perspectives on the same event and they are reconcilable. Peter recounts that Judas acquired the field with the reward, but Matthew states that Judas came back to the Pharisees with a guilty conscience and threw the money at them in the temple and hung himself afterwards. It is not difficult to think that the Pharisees purchased the field in Judas' name since they knew it was blood money and could not keep it for themselves. None of them would want a property in their name associated with blood money. So much so, that the people called the field a Field of Blood (Akeldama). Peter quotes Psalm 69:25 as a prophecy to be fulfilled - it would be desolate and no one would dwell in it.

Moreover, the Scriptures also are the authoritative source, not just to understand what has taken place, but to decide what must take place. Peter quotes the Psalms (109:8) as the basis for their first decision as apostles - Let another take his office. Understanding that Psalm 109 predicts Jesus' suffering and the final fate of his betrayer, they decide to choose a replacement for him. They established the requirements, they prayed, and they selected by casting lots.

Concerning casting lots... It was a method of selection that eliminated human influences like popularity, money and other controlling factors from the process. It is important to note that the selection criteria was established beforehand and the candidates had to meet such criteria. Manny people don't feel that there is an election unless there is a popularity vote with at least two people competing against each other. Not so in the Scriptures. It is best to have the leadership establish the requirements and choose those who meet the requirements. If there is more than one meeting the criteria for a given position, then cast lots!

The Scriptures are central to the believer's life. They are the only authoritative source for all of life and faith. I must make the Scriptures central in my life. In order to derive the benefits that the Scriptures offer, I must meditate on them often. I must also take them seriously. The Scriptures should always be my light and my guide.

Father, make me hungry for your Word every day. May I seek what it says. May I strive to live what it commands. May I delight in it every day of my life. Amen

Matthew 27:1-10 Judas Hangs Himself

Did Judas repent? Not at all. The word used in this passage ("metamellomai") is different from the word used for true repentance ("metanoeo") that implies conversion and forgiveness of sins. The ESV translates "changed his mind" and it can also imply regret and even sorrow, but it is not to be stretched to mean genuine repentance. The return of the thirty pieces of silver show that Judas realized that what he did would cost Jesus his life and he wanted to withdraw, but it was too late. Jesus was marked for death and they were taking him before Pilate to ask for execution.

Another compelling evidence for Judas' unrepentant heart is the way in which he deals with his guilt-ridden conscience. He hangs himself. Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation. Worldly grief leads to death (2Cor.7:10). Self-destruction is not an unpardonable sin, but it is nonetheless a sin. In those days, there were two types of hanging: one by crucifixion, and the other by impalement with a sharpened stake. Judas threw himself over a large sharp stake. The picture of using a rope to hang from a tree is unlikely. 

Suicide is not the answer to my problems. Paul weighed the pros and cons of being with the Lord vs. remaining on earth and concluded that it is very important to remain faithful to the Lord in his service in the here and now. The promises of a better future may be enticing. Why remain in the flesh suffering when I can enjoy bliss after death? There are many arguments against suicide, but the bottom line is this: God is the Creator. He determines the end of my days. Paul is very clear in 1Cor.3:16-17. I belong to him and only He has the right to determine the length of my life.

The hypocrisy of the chief priests and elders is so evident in their unwillingness to take the money into the treasury of the temple because it was "blood money." Yet, they were willing to minister in the temple though they had plotted murder against an innocent man. The money was used to buy a potter's field used as a cemetery for strangers and it was called "Field of Blood." The money used to betray Jesus was used to care for the bodies of strangers who could not afford a plot of their own. Everything about the life of Jesus resulted in the benefit of others, especially those who were disadvantaged.

Lord, give me great respect for life. May I never try to take your place to decide when and how to end my life. May suffering and pain motivate me to seek you more and lead me to genuine repentance unto salvation. Protect me from worldly grief that leads to death.

Matthew 26:17-25 The Passover with the Disciples

The Passover is a Jewish feast celebrating the liberation of Israel, God's people, from Egypt, the land of slavery. Specifically, it alludes to the night in which the firstborn children of the Israelites were spared because they put the lamb's blood on their doorposts. Death passed over their houses and caused no harm to their firstborns. Jesus gets ready to celebrate this feast with his disciples. It must've been an occasion with mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was a joyous occasion because Jesus is the lamb to offer his blood for the redemption of mankind. On the other hand, the price for that redemption is his life and before then, his betrayal.

Judas had been with the Lord for over three years now. He walked with him. He witnessed his miracles. He heard his teachings. But more than that, Judas experienced the intimate fellowship that few human beings have experienced with the Lord. Jesus loved him and cared for him. But it was Judas who sold Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver and the Lord knows it. Yet he continues to love him and care for him, but it must have broken his heart.

Betrayal is a breach in trust of such magnitude that it seems nothing can repair it. But the love of Jesus never stopped flowing towards Judas. The pain and the agony his betrayal caused Jesus was used for a great purpose. Unfortunately, Judas' end was not glamorous. Why is it that some people cling to the Lord and others don't? Ultimately, the answer is in the hands of a Sovereign God. Can I trust him? Can I trust his purposes?

I have betrayed my Lord plenty of times. The pain and the suffering I have caused cannot be measured. But the love of God has reached my heart and filled me to overflowing, forgiving my past and giving me hope for a better future. Many have betrayed me as well. Will I continue to love? Will I forgive? Will I pray that God will reach them with the same hope that is in my heart?

Lord, I pray that you fill me with love and compassion for those who betray me so I may forgive. Thank you for your forgiveness as my betrayal caused you much pain. May your mercy and benevolence flow through me unto others.

Matthew 26:1-16 Jesus Anointed at Bethany

After arriving in Jerusalem, Jesus announced to his disciples that it was a matter of days before his death by crucfixion. The chief priests and the elders were plotting to arrest him and kill him. It is at this time that Judas Iscariot offers them his services for thirty pieces of silver and seeks for an opportunity to betray him. Hatred and betrayal are at their peak. 

In the midst of such high tension, the Scriptures paint one of the most beautiful pictures of worship to Jesus. Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, brings a pound of ointment made of pure nard. It was a very expensive perfume used for very special occasions and it was valued at the total wages for a worker in a year. Combining the perspectives from Matthew and John (12), she anointed Jesus, head and feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. Jesus called it a "beautiful thing" unto him as she unknowingly prepares his body for his burial.

For many, this act of worship was a waste. In fact, some questioned why the perfume wasn't sold and the proceeds given to the poor. Jesus intervenes on behalf of Mary and declares that there will always be opportunities to serve the poor, but not many opportunities are left to serve him due to his impending death. Jesus was pleased while the world was angry.

Giving my best to honor Jesus is never a waste. It is a beautiful thing. A heart of worship does not put a price tag on what it offers. It is not ashamed to display its passion and fervor in public. It does not care about the criticism of others. It is not afraid to honor and exalt the worth of Jesus. True worship is to offer my best in humility for the glory of my Lord.

Lord, I want to honor you as you deserve. May I always give you my best without fear of criticism. May I never hold back anything from you.