This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Shadows: A Glimpse of a Savior! (WATCH HERE)
Wednesday of Holy Week fall silent amidst a week of activity. Sunday Jesus rides into Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna!” Monday, Jesus enters the temple and clears the money changers. Tuesday Jesus spends time teaching about the end of the world and his second coming. Wednesday…not much.
But in the silence of Wednesday, the plan of God was allowed to continue under the cover of “secrecy.” Most commentators suggest that Wednesday is when Judas negotiated the betrayal of Jesus for the 30 silver coins.
Matthew 26:14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
What is interesting about Judas’ response was not just the thirty pieces of silver, but the fact that Judas now thought he was in control of the fate of Jesus and “watched for an opportunity to hand him over.” This was his agreed upon deliverable for the payment of silver. What is also interesting is that this was the mindset of the leaders, Matthew 26:3 “Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
The leaders did not think that the Passover celebration was the “opportune time.” They sensed the loyalty of people toward Jesus would cause a rift and riot among the people. They had to balance the need to get rid of Jesus with the need to have secrecy.
So I am sure when Judas met with them, they communicated three stipulations: 1) Help us get Jesus, 2) Find a secret time, and 3) not during the Passover.
The leaders felt they had their perfect partner for the deed, a follower of Jesus and one who had the inside scoop of his movements. Judas thought he had an easy 30 pieces of silver and was on the look for the perfect time to hand Jesus over.
But neither the leaders or Judas was in control of what they thought.
Matthew 26:1-2 records (before the words quoted above), “When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
Jesus was in charge of the timing and timeline. On Thursday night he would call out Judas and invite him to do what he must do. He knew that the Passover celebration was not a time to avoid, but the perfect timing for his crucifixion to fulfill the picture of the Passover lamb observed for centuries. He was not the victim of a nefarious plot that caught him off guard, he was the Son of God deliberately carrying out his mission to save the world.
The secrecy of silent Wednesday is the reality of the subtlety of God to carry out his plan in spite of and with the help of sinful human beings for sinful human beings.
The plot of the Jewish leaders and the agreement of Judas led to events that put Jesus on the cross. However, the actions of Judas and the Jewish leaders didn’t put Jesus on the cross, the sins of their heart did.
And for that reason, we can all relate with Judas and the Jewish leaders. In the silent of our heart, we allow sin to brew that may or may not manifest itself, but it is equally the cause of Jesus’ death on the cross. And his death on the cross is equally sufficient for the forgiveness of your sin and mine. And for that reason, I am thankful for the silence of Wednesday to contemplate the profound sacrifice Jesus was willing to undertake for me.
Apply: What are the secret, silent sins of yours that Jesus took to the cross for you?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for carrying out your plan in your way and in your time to bring me and all people full forgiveness for all our sin. AMEN.