THE LAST WEEK OF JESUS' PUBLIC MINISTRY AND HIS CRUCIFIXION

-Jesus Predicts His Crucifixion, The Jewish Leaders Plot, Judas Decides to Betray

-Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16; Mark 14:1-2, 10-11; Luke 22:1-6

-The Passover was now two days away and as it grew closer so did the time for the crucifixion.

            -“We may regard Jesus as having entered the temple Tuesday morning, and as having taught

             there until the evening...He then retired to the slopes of Olivet and delivered the discourse...

             The discourse finished, it is likely that he arose about or a little after sunset (which the Jews

             reckoned as Wednesday) and proceeded on his way to Bethany, where he remained until late

             Thursday afternoon.  On the way to Bethpage he spoke the words of this section.  The two

             days mentioned are Wednesday and Thursday.  The Passover was eaten Thursday night

             after sunset, which the Jews reckoned as Friday” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 641).

            -“Passover is used in the general sense of the feast of unleavened bread, as Luke explains.

             The feast of unleavened bread followed the Passover meal, beginning the next morning

             and lasting a week.  But the one term was used to include the other.  The Passover was

             expanded to mean the entire feast that followed, and vice verse” (Robertson, pg 280).

                        -The Israelites were to remove all leaven from their homes for the duration of the

                         feast and any violators were to be cut off from Israel (see Ex 12:15).

-The chief priests and the scribes had gathered together to plot against Jesus. 

            -“Unable to make a defense of their course by fair words and arguments, they were

             determined to destroy him who had exposed them” (Dorris, pg 319).

            -Having seen the welcome that the people had given to Jesus at His triumphal entry, the

             Jewish leaders did not want to take Him openly during the feast for fear of the people. 

             However, they still wanted to put Jesus to death and sought an opportunity to seize Him in a

             subtle or secretive manner.  Judas provided them with that opportunity.

-Judas, evidently still very displeased with the rebuke he received regarding Mary’s use of the

 expensive ointment a couple of days prior (see John 12:4-8) fell to the temptations of Satan and

 approached the Jewish leaders with an offer to betray our Lord.  Matthew and Mark’s accounts

 give us a record of the previous supper at Bethany at this point in order to demonstrate the

 connection between the events of that evening and Judas’ decision to betray Jesus.

            -Luke 22:3 tells us that Satan entered into Judas.  He did not do so by forced entry.  Rather,

             a door was opened to him by the free-will decisions of Judas.

            -“The language implies that Judas appeared before the council and bargained openly with

             it” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 643).

            -Of course, the Jewish leaders welcomed the opportunity and were glad to accept Judas’

             offer and agreed to pay him thirty pieces of silver (see Zech 11:12).

            -For thirty pieces of silver the traitor of traitors agreed to betray the Lord of lords.

            -At this point, the Tuesday (our time - now Wednesday according to Jewish time) now comes to

             a close.