Day 304 – Jesus’ Passover Prep

• In today’s passages we read that Passover was coming. Do you remember the reasons why the Jews celebrated the Passover? Don’t worry if not – we’ll read Exodus 12 as part of the next set of readings, when we look more closely at the event.
• Who led the plot to have Jesus killed in Matthew 26:14-16? Can you remember the last time we met him? Jesus knew of the plot – what reasons do you think he had for sharing it with His disciples?
• Look at the story of the woman in the earlier verses in Matthew’s passage (who, by the way, was Mary, Martha’s sister), who poured the expensive oil on Jesus, and then look at the story of Judas betraying Jesus for 30 silver coins. You should be able to spot the clear distinction between the two. What is it?
• The words in John that we read today are helpful and interesting. It shows that it was Judas himself who complained about the “waste” of the perfume. Do you think Judas really cared about the poor? If not, what reasons do you think Judas had for being so annoyed at the way the perfume was used? Does the fact that you know Judas as someone who stole from the money bag change things?
• What was Mary showing by pouring the expensive perfume on Jesus? Why did Jesus allow it? Do you think Judas had a point?
• Money can be a powerful idol. Just think about this situation – Judas was one of Jesus’ disciples, and saw much of what Jesus did. Even still, he was willing to betray Jesus for money. Is this a warning to you?
• How do you think Judas would have been feeling about what he had agreed with the Pharisees? Would it have been on his mind? Do you think he would have felt guilt?
• Why do you think Jesus went to a house He hadn’t been to before to celebrate Passover with His disciples? What do you think He might have been concerned about?

Judas’ greed today starts in motion a series of events which will, as I’m sure you know, lead to Jesus’ arrest. It was an evil action by a man who knew Jesus but was blinded by worldly riches.

That, of course, is even more acutely displayed next to the story of Mary. You could put a mirror between the two stories, that’s how different they are. Mary considered the riches of the world as nothing in comparison to giving glory to Jesus, and know what Jesus meant for her eternal future.

Matthew didn’t put these two stories together by accident! They play off each other to highlight the beauty of Mary’s act and the wickedness of Judas’ act.

Of course, God, in His sovereignty, used Judas and his actions to bring about the death and resurrection of Jesus, which is the most amazing moment in human history. This doesn’t mean Judas was right though. God can bring goodness despite man’s evil. That doesn’t make Judas’ actions good!