HOLY WEDNESDAY 2021 : The Betrayal Of Judas
By : Bro. Nathan
Commentaries On
Matthew 26 and Luke 22
"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified. Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people." (Mt. 26:1–5)
As the Feast of the Passover approached, the Savior knew na malapit na ang kanyang suffering and crucifixion and He prophesied to His disciples that these things would occur during the feast time. The chief priests and scribes gathered together at the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest, to consult about how they could take Jesus and kill Him without creating an uproar among the people. The chief priests and elders represented the religious and lay leadership of the great Jerusalem Sanhedrin. They knew that many people admired Jesus Christ, at nagaalalala sila na kapag aarestuhin nila si Jesus habang madami pang tao sa Jerusalem, magkakaroon ng malaking kaguluhan.
The chief priests promised to pay Judas Iscariot “thirty pieces of silver” to betray Jesus Christ into their hands (Mt. 26:15). This sum fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah:
“If ye think good, give me my price. … So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver” (Zech. 11:12).
According to the law of Moses, thirty shekels of silver would compensate an owner for the death of a slave (Ex. 21:32). Thus, in addition to fulfilling prophecy, the betrayal price reflects the low regard Judas and the chief priests had for the Savior.
Walang forordained para gumawa ng masama. nagbetray si Judas because of his own free agency. The JST explains that one reason for Judas’s betrayal was the doctrine the Savior taught: “Nevertheless, Judas Iscariot, even one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests to betray Jesus unto them; for he turned away from him, and was offended because of his words” (Mk. 14:31 JST; cf. 14:10).
(New Testament Student Manual 2014)
Luke 22 begins Luke's version of the passion. The story of the crucifixion extends through chapters 22--23, while resurrection is the topic of chapter 24. The account begins with Judas's betrayal and Jesus' final meal with his disciples. Jesus is the exemplary righteous sufferer, even as Satan again works to foil God's plan (22:3). The brief mention of the archdemon makes it clear that the battle over Jesus is not merely a human conflict. Cosmic forces are concerned about the outcome.
Jesus' final moments with his disciples involve a farewell meal. As he celebrates the Passover and adds his own new elements to it, Jesus reveals that his work is modeled after that sacrifice. His humility is to mark the disciples' own efforts to serve others. Their service will occur in the face of rejection, but service is still the disciple's calling.Judas's Plan to Betray Jesus (22:1-6)
The solution to the leaders' desire to get Jesus is Judas, one of the disciples. Enlisting him in their scheme clears the way for Jesus' arrest.
Jesus probably suffered no greater personal disappointment than Judas's betrayal. Sometimes rejection and failure come from within the ranks of those who minister. Success is not guaranteed for those associated with Jesus. Yet such failure is always tragic.
The final act begins on the feast of Passover, also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex 12:1-20; Deut 16:1-8; Jeremias 1967:898-904; Josephus Antiquities 14.2.1 21; 17.9.3 213; Jewish Wars 2.1.3 10). Actually the two names represent different feasts that come right after one another, so often a reference to one really meant both. Passover came on Nisan 14-15, while the Feast of Unleavened Bread came on Nisan 15-21. Passover celebrated the night of Israel's exodus from Egypt (Ex 12), while the Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorated the exodus journey as well as the beginning of harvest season (Lev 23:5-8). During this time pilgrims from all over the region flocked into Jerusalem for a national celebration, rather like a combination of the Independence Day and Thanksgiving holidays in the United States. The combined Jewish feast celebrated salvation.
Yet the leadership is plotting to execute the one who claimed to be the fulfillment of all the exodus deliverance represented. The irony is not to be missed. Luke intends to show the distortion of perspective that accompanies sin, especially when it is the sin of rejecting Jesus.
The only obstacle to the leaders' desire to get Jesus is the people. Their fear of a popular backlash makes them cautious. It does not look as if anything will happen in this holiday period.
But things change rapidly once Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot. Luke's statement reveals a behind-the-scene actor in this drama. Judas does not act alone. Deception has infiltrated the camp. The passage does not explain how this happened or what may have led to it. What is important is that the subsequent events occur because Satan has his way with Judas. No matter what the devil promises, Satan's entry into one's life is destructive; Luke has already offered the illustration of the Gerasene man (8:26-39). For when Satan enters a life, he leads the person in sinister directions.
So Judas goes to confer with the leadership, the chief priests and the officers. Religious officials and temple guards are in view here. Since someone from the inside is willing to betray Jesus, the leaders can now plan to intercept him in a more private setting than the crowd-filled temple region. They must be rubbing their hands together with anticipation: at last Jesus can be stopped. A sum of money is exchanged. The amount is not given here, but the mere mention of money makes the act look even more underhanded. This is not an act of honor for Judas, for the betrayer makes sure he has more to gain than merely the removal of a messianic movement's leader.
Judas's involvement is doubly fortunate for the leadership. First, they can now seek Jesus away from the crowds and take him in private. Second, if trouble arises and their plans go disastrously wrong, they can make the case that one of Jesus' own has been the cause of his downfall. Judas can be blamed for whatever follows. The leaders can say they have just done their duty in dealing with Jesus. So Judas's offer simplifies matters greatly.
With the agreement in place, the leaders only need a good opportunity. Double-dealing has led to betrayal. The Jewish celebration of national salvation becomes the occasion for a plot to arrest and convict Jesus. Once again, irony abounds. The leadership steers a course of murder in the name of righteousness. Sin always distorts reality. In addition, a cosmic chess match comes to its crucial moment. Satan will put Jesus in check, but Jesus will make the final move that means checkmate.The Last Supper and Jesus' Final Teaching (22:7-38) (IPV Commentary)
