#1435 Luke 22 Part 1 Drew Near

 

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.

Judas to Betray Jesus

3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. Luke 22: 1-6 ESV

Luke 22: 1-6 Passover Week

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover - The Bible is not just words because it is full of word pictures as well, and there is hardly a better picture of the gospel message than that which is supplied by the Passover. Where leaven represents sin and the people are told to repent of sin, then there needs to be a bread without leaven to consume, the Bread of Life. A life for a life, an unleavened or sinless life to be given in the place of  my sinful life. During the first Passover, each family took a lamb without spot, clean, and they killed this lamb and placed the blood of it upon the doorpost of their houses. Wherever the blood marked the door the people inside were safe like those inside the ark during the flood of Noah's time. It is called Passover because the angel of Death went and killed the firstborn in every house of Egypt that was not marked by the blood. Jesus and the Apostles make it abundantly clear.

…18For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.… Luke 22: 18-20

…34“Sir,” they said, “give us this bread at all times.” 35 Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. 36But as I stated, you have seen Me and still you do not believe.… John 6: 34-36

…6Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven works through the whole batch of dough? 7Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old bread, leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and of truth.… 1 Corinthians 5: 6-8

For they feared the people - The priests and scribes had beef with Jesus because He didn't recognize them as the spiritual leaders they thought themselves to be. They had the titles, but they ignored God's laws for their traditions. These men ran all sorts of money making schemes on the temple mount and Jesus came in and flipped their tables. He was a thorn in their sides, and they wanted to kill Him, but they feared the people because He had performed many miracles in front of them. Remember, when Jesus came riding in on the donkey they gave Him a Messiah's welcome. 

…8A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” 10When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”… Matthew 21: 8-10

12Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. 13And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” 14The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them.… Matthew 21: 12-14

Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot - The Chief Priests have been looking for an opportunity to take Jesus out, and one is being provided for them. So why didn't Satan do this earlier? Well, Satan tried to kill Jesus when He was born, but as MacArthur rightly points out, "the devil is God's devil", he does nothing outside the parameters that God has made for him. Even when the devil wanted to go after Job he had to ask God for permission. Coming out of evangelicalism, the charismatic/Pentecostal movement and finding Reformed Theology, this was both a shock and ultimately a great relief, to find that the God of the Universe, the Creator, was sovereign over all. This has been a great encouragement to me through various trials, and the more I look to Christ the less I fear men or devils. 

…11But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.” 12“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. Job 1: 11-12

And they were glad and agreed to give him money - Not much even but this was what Judas was about. He wanted the kingdom to start straight away, for Jesus to drive out Rome and then put up Judas as a ruler. He wanted wealth, thinking that was the thing he needed most, yet he will become a tool to the greater need, God's plan for redemption. 

…5“Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it. 7“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “She has kept this perfume in preparation for the day of My burial.… John 12: 5-7

In absence of a crowd - The hypocrites didn't need Judas to take Jesus, they could have done that on their own, but they needed him to take Jesus quietly, to know where He resided. They didn't want to draw attention for fear of the crowds, but how fickle a crowd, cheering Him at the beginning of the week, welcoming the Son of David. 

26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Jeremiah 5: 26-29