Texts: Matt 26. Matt 27. Mk 14. Jh 18.
The Chief priests and the Elders: It will surprise you to know that it was not the robbers and prostitutes that handed Jesus over to be crucified but the senior men at the synagogues (Matt 26: 3-5, 59-60).
In Matthew 26:59-60, the Jewish leaders, including the chief priests and the Sanhedrin, failed to find credible evidence against Jesus, despite seeking false witnesses to justify His condemnation. Many false witnesses came forward, but the Jewish leaders couldn’t find any credible testimony to support their charges. Finally, two witnesses came forward with a false claim, says Bible Ref.com.
Elaboration:
- The Setting: The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, were desperate to find a way to put Jesus to death. They needed a legally justifiable reason, even if it meant fabricating evidence.
- Seeking False Testimony: They actively sought false witnesses to testify against Jesus.
- Unsuccessful Efforts: Despite their efforts, they were unable to find any credible evidence.
- The False Testimony: Eventually, two false witnesses did come forward.
- The Claim: Their false testimony was that Jesus had said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days”.
They gather false witnesses to lie against Jesus. They delivered Him out of envy to Pontius Pilate to be tried (Matt 27:1-2, 18).
In Matthew 27:1-2, after Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin, the chief priests and elders of the people take counsel to put him to death. They bind him and deliver him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.
They mocked Him (Mk 15: 31- 32).
They called Him the Deceiver (Matt 27:63).
They made sure the tomb was sealed with Stone and set a watch to stop His rising. What are you doing with Jesus? (Matt 27:22)?
Woman with the Alabaster box of ointment: she came at the appointed time to fulfill prophecy (Mk 14:3-9, Ps 16:10).
Psalm 16:10 is a verse about God’s faithfulness and power over death. It assures the psalmist that God will not abandon his soul to Sheol (the realm of the dead), nor allow his Holy One to decay. The verse is interpreted as a declaration of faith in God’s deliverance and a potential early understanding of resurrection.
Explanation:
- Sheol:In the Old Testament, Sheol is often understood as the place of the dead, a realm of darkness and separation from the living.
- Holy One: This refers to God’s chosen or special individual, and in the context of the New Testament, it’s often interpreted as a reference to Jesus Christ.
- Decay: This refers to the physical corruption of the body after death.
- God’s Faithful Deliverance: The verse expresses confidence that God will not leave the individual in the realm of the dead, implying a belief in deliverance from death and a potential understanding of resurrection.
- New Testament Interpretation: The verse is cited in the New Testament (Acts 2:27 and Acts 13:35) to refer to Jesus Christ’s resurrection, Bible Hub says.
In essence, Psalm 16:10 expresses a belief in God’s power to overcome death and bring about a life beyond the grave, which resonates with the New Testament concept of Jesus’ resurrection and the promise of a resurrection for believers.
Beloved we don’t have all the time to do the will of God. May you not waste your Kairos time!.
The door of opportunity will not always be opened (Matt 26:11).
If she had missed that opportunity, she would have missed it forever!
What opportunity do you have today to do good (to Jesus and to His body – the Church) that you are ignoring and postponing to a later date? She didn’t not know that, that singular act will earn her a generational and eternal blessing( Mtt 26: 13)! She ‘wasted’ the ointment that cost one year salary to preserve the body of Jesus and save him from shame(stench)! What are you doing with Jesus? Do you know how far reaching effect of what you do or refuse to do?
Judas Iscariot: a friend turned enemy as a result of bitterness (Jh 12: 4- 8, Mk 14:6-10). A bat, friend of the Righteous and the wicked (Matt 26: 14). He became a pawn in the hand of the wicked (Jh 13:27). Moved by the spirit of Mammon, he sold his Master for 30 pieces of silver ! The price of a slave (Ex 21:32). He didn’t really know the worth of Jesus. Every man has his own price. What is yours? For Judas, it was as low as 30 pieces of silver. The love of money made him to be on the negative side of prophecy (Ps 69:25-27, Acts 1:20). He became a curse to his generation ( Ps 109: 6-15). What are you doing with Jesus?
The Steward of the large upper room: when Jesus wanted to eat the last supper with His disciples before going to the cross, He needed a room (Mk 14: 12- 16). The Good man of the house understood that Jesus is the Owner, he is just a steward (a caretaker) therefor he laid down the best room: large not small, upper not lower, furnished and prepared not empty and unkempt. Who is the real owner of all that you have? If Christ is your Lord, then all that you have is his. How do you give to the Lord ? In trickles or bountifully? In describing how to locate this Goodman, Jesus told the disciples to follow the man bearing a pitcher of water. This signifies a man that is under the Lordship of God’s word. Jesus further said, ” say ye to the Goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? This signifies that this man took Jesus as the Master- Didaskalos in Greek which means Teacher , an instructor. He has received Jesus as the final authority over his life. What are you doing with Jesus? How many times the body of Christ has been hurt by “badmen” who see themselves as sole owners of their treasures and capitalize on every coin they give to manipulate the body and cast off every cord of the Word and Righteous restraint over their lives. What are you doing with Jesus? We pick up from here next week. Happy Easter.