May 26 – Reading Luke 22:1-6

Read and believe in Jesus.

“And the chief priests and scribes were seeking how to put Him to death…”  Luke 

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The Gospel according to Luke 

Review – Jesus foretold of wars, persecution, the destruction of Jerusalem, and His return in power and glory. He uses a fig tree to illustrate, and gives a final warning to “watch, stay awake, and pray for strength.”

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Vss. 22:1-2.

It’s Passover time. 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was seven days long, with the Passover meal taking place on the first day. 

(NOTE: On the first day, the lambs were killed and then eaten that evening. For the next six days, NO LEAVEN could be eaten or even be found in the house.  This was to remember Israel’s hurried escape from Captivity after the firstborn of Egypt were killed, while the blood of the lamb on the doorposts caused the Death Angel to “pass over” their homes.  They then had to escape Egypt THAT NIGHT.  There was no time to let the bread rise and bake.  They took dough without leaven (carried in bowls on their backs), which could be baked quickly on an open fire. These later would become what we know as Matso crackers.)

Anyway, the Jewish religious leaders wanted Jesus dead, but NOT at Passover. They preferred for the deed to be done AFTER the seven days, when Jerusalem was not filled with people, many of whom thought Jesus was the soon-to-be king.

Nevertheless, when Judas offered to betray Jesus, they were glad and gave him money to do it. (Matthew says 30 pieces of silver.)  Judas then sought an opportunity to betray Jesus “in the absence of a crowd.”   The Jews meant AFTER Passover, but God had a different plan. Jesus was to become THE Passover Lamb, who would save whoever trusted in Him from the curse of death.

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Vss. 12:3-6

“Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve.”

(Iscariot, or Ish Kerioth, simply means “a man of the town of Kerioth in Judea.” Judas was not from Galilee like the others.)

Judas was possessed by Satan himself, not by a demon. Satan actually entered into Judas here, and later at the Passover meal (Last Supper), when Jesus excused him and said, “What you are going to do, do it quickly.”

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And so begins the “hour” Jesus had anticipated throughout His ministry.  The very reason He left Heaven.  To redeem mankind from the curse of death.  Our Salvation. 

God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense = GRACE.