Thirty Pieces of Silver

14Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14-16, NRSV)

So what made Judas go to the chief priests? In John’s gospel, it says the devil entered him, but Matthew doesn’t say anything. The story before this passage is the woman anointing Jesus’ head. So why would Judas want to betray Jesus?

And remember the word here for betray is παραδίδωμι which means hand over. Maybe Judas thought that Jesus would call down an army of angels to stop anything from happening and bring about the Messiah they were all waiting for, the victorious military leader.

Maybe he had had enough of what was going on and wanted out but didn’t want to go home.

Why do you think Judas handed Jesus over?

An Extravagant Anointing

When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, 2“You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” 3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5But they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.” 6Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, 7a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. 8But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? 9For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.”10But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. 11For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. 13Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” (Matthew 26:1-13, NRSV)

Let us not get this story confused with the one in Luke where the woman comes and washes Jesus feet with her tears and then dries them with her hair. Because when I did a search for an image, there was only this image I found that was of someone anointing His head. The rest of the images are of a woman washing Jesus’ feet. But now that is the story in Luke which gets confused with the earlier story in Luke 7:36-50.

Herein all of the gospels a jar of ointment here and is named as spikenard in other gospels is used on Jesus and that would have cost around a year’s wages. it was not cheap. and the money from its sale could have fed a lot of people, but it was used for a purpose to make Jesus ready for his burial. It was extravagant, this woman knew Jesus was worth this and she anointed Jesus. And she will always be remembered as the woman who anointed Jesus.

What have you anointed Jesus with?

Teaching is the Temple

23When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” 24Jesus said to them, “I will also ask you one question; if you tell me the answer, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. 25Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” And they argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we are afraid of the crowd; for all regard John as a prophet.” 27So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 28“What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went. 30The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go. 31Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. 32For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. (Matthew 21:23-32, NRSV)

Why do they want to know by what authority? Isn’t it pretty clear to everyone by now that Jesus is working under the authority of God?

But Jesus asks them a  question and they feel trapped, they can not give either answer because either answer will mean that they should have done something or that they are going against the people. They can not give an answer because it will put them in a bad place. Have you ever had to answer a question and you knew the answer you gave would not be received well? It’s hard to do, but if it is the answer you have to give it.

And neither of the sons did what the father asked, the first one told the father he didn’t want to go to the field and didn’t and then felt bad so he went, he didn’t do what the father asked but was moved by remorse. He didn’t do it because he needed to, or should have, but to make himself feel better. The second one just lied to the father and told him he would go and then did whatever he wanted. Neither of these 2 have a respect for authority and do whatever makes them feel good. God calls us to go and to follow where He leads so that his love may be made known to all the world.

So do you follow after God and go where He leads, or do you tell Him you will and then do your own thing?

Triumphal Entry

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. 3If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” 4This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5“Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” 6The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them;7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” 11The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” 12Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a den of robbers.” 14The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. 15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became angry 16and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for yourself’?” 17He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there. (Matthew 21:1-17, NRSV)

This is the beginning of Holy Week, the last week Jesus is alive before the crucifixion. Jesus knows what is coming and so he tells the disciples to go into the village ahead and they will find a donkey and her colt tied together, they are to untie them and bring them back to Jesus so he can ride them into Jerusalem. And if anyone stops them, the disciples are to tell them that the Lord needs them.

So what do you need? A new phone, a new car, a bigger house, a new couch, a different job…

In all of the New Testament, there is only 1 time that Jesus ever says he needs something, and here it is, a donkey and her colt so that he can fulfill the prophecy about the Messiah in Zachariah.

So the next time you need something think about how much you really need it and know that God truly is providing you everything you actually need.

Faithful or Wicked

45“Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? 46Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives. 47Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his possessions. 48But if that wicked slave says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ 49and he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and eats and drinks with drunkards, 50the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know. 51He will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 24:45-51, NRSV)

Have you ever been in a position of power or being in control? How did you handle it?

Were you a boss that told everyone what to do while you sat back and watched from the sideline and yelled at people when they messed it up? Or were you a leader and a person who worked alongside the others and did your fair share of the work?

It is not for us to lord our control over others. We need to serve at all times and know that by serving we are doing what Christ has called us to do.

The Unexpected Hour

36“But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 37For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, 39and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. (Matthew 24:36-44, NRSV)

We don’t know the date or time that Jesus is coming back, according to Jesus he doesn’t even know.

Can you imagine that car ride, God the Father driving and Jesus behind him kicking the seat, “is it time yet, dad?” “How about now?”

We are not to know the time because we aren’t supposed to be focused on that. We are supposed to be living the way he told us to be living, loving God and loving our neighbors and helping everyone see the love God has for them.

Don’t worry about when Jesus is coming, just know he is coming and we just need to be following him so we are ready.

The Son of Man

30Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. 31And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. 32“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 33So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 34Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:30-35, NRSV)

Look for these signs, when the fig tree puts forth its leaves you know summer is near, and so we can learn to determine the signs of when Jesus is near.

But what is meant by this generation will not pass away until all of these things have taken place? I am pretty sure there have been many generations since Jesus said this. According to the International Society of Genetic Genealogy a generation is 25 years from the time the parents have a child, it could be 20 but varies by set of individual parents. So if Jesus said this in the year 30 then there are between 79.56 and 99.45 generations since he said this…

So what does Jesus mean this generation?

Here is again something we can not explain but have to wait to get an answer, it is called faith. Jesus means that nothing will change until the fulfillment of God’s plan. And we can see the signs.

Let us always look to him and follow where he leads.

The Day of the Lord is Near

6Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty! 7Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt, 8and they will be dismayed. Pangs and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame. 9See, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the earth a desolation, and to destroy its sinners from it. 10For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. (Isaiah 13:6-10, NRSV)

The day of the Lord is not going to be a pleasant day. There will be judgment and no one will be comforted until it is over.

Hands will be feeble and unable to do anything and hearts will melt, not like a good melt, like my heart melts every time I see you. A bad melt like the opening of the Ark of the Covenant on Raiders of the Lost Ark kind of melt…

It is not a day we want to happen, but we need to know that we will make it through because we are covered by the blood of the lamb. We are set apart and will endure. Doesn’t mean there won’t be judgment or anguish, but we will survive.

So help others know the love God has for them so that they might be set apart with us.

Hard Times to Come

15“So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. 19Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! 20Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a sabbath. 21For at that time there will be great suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22And if those days had not been cut short, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. 23Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘There he is!’ —do not believe it. 24For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25Take note, I have told you beforehand. 26So, if they say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.29“Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. (Matthew 24:15-29, NRSV)

Let the reader understand…

Let the reader understand what? What happened with the sacrilege of holy items in Daniel, where the king took the items from the temple and used them as common everyday dishes. Or is there something else we should understand?

If it is the taking of items for daily use that should be for holy use, what is there to understand, that we shouldn’t do this? Or those of us who are doing it because we are revering the items and not taking them because they are made of precious metal and have intrinsic value. The king in Daniel raided the temple and took the items because they were valuable, not because they were holy and using them for daily use when they are holy when you see them only as valuable is wrong. Because every moment of our lives is holy, there is never a time we are not with God, so know that God is always with you and every moment is holy and use the implements of the holy time in your daily life because it is holy, not because of its value.

Let the reader understand…

Don’t Be Lead Astray!

As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2Then he asked them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” 3When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: 8all this is but the beginning of the birthpangs. 9“Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. 10Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:1-14, NRSV)

Beware you are not led astray. I worry about this that I am the one to lead others astray.

For we know that lots of terrible stuff is going to happen before the end is here, but a lot of terrible stuff has already happened, how do we really know when Jesus is coming back and if the things we are enduring are the final days?

My easy answer is we don’t. We just have to hold on and know that when Jesus does return we will know it. Until then we should just keep loving as he told us to and helping others see that love.

As his followers, we will endure lots of strife because the world doesn’t know him or believe him. But we are to stand firm in our convictions and know that all of his promises are true and he is coming back for us. Let us not be deceived or led astray into thinking we have missed him or someone who isn’t him is him. We must love one another so the world will still see his love for us all.