As we remember every detail fulfilled by Jesus the last week leading to the cross, we can stand in Awe of God’s Sovereign control of every detail. He is still in Sovereign control of every detail today. So, as we look at the passages in Luke 22, let us look with awe and wonder. Let us remember that all God plans, Jesus amazingly completes. Therefore, all that He has planned for you and I will also be completed perfectly as God has planned. Knowing this and remembering all He has already done, we have reason to rejoice always.
As noted in previous lessons from the series in Luke, Jesus was born in the exact location where the sacrificial lambs were born, swaddled, and laid in the manager. He triumphally entered Jerusalem exactly on the day prophesied by Daniel. Additionally, that was the day the sacrificial lambs were also brought into Jerusalem, the 10th of Nissan (as the Jewish calendar does differ from ours).
The Jewish leaders wanted desperately to place Jesus in jail until the Passover was past, then place Him on trial. Their initial plans were not to crucify Him amid the Passover festivals. Truth be told, neither did Satan want this to finalize. Remember this scene from Matthew 16: 21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. 22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, [i]“Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” 23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan!”
Satan’s temptations were always to thwart the completion of God’s plan of salvation.
The Plans of Men to Destroy Jesus
So, it was there was an urgency to capture Jesus when He was away from the crowd. He had been teaching in the temple every day. So, it would have to be at night.
From the history of the time as recorded by Josephus, it had become necessary that not all the lambs could be slaughtered within the hours of 3. Although this was when initially in Exodus everything was laid out. The feast of the unleavened bread did not begin until the day after. However, these had been changed slightly, as the northern Jews counted the day from sunrise to sunrise while the southern Jews counted it from sunset to sunset.
Therefore the 14th day of Nissan began in the evening (Thursday evening) for those from Galilee as was Jesus and His apostles. This provided a way to divide the sacrifices between the two days and still fulfill them as the 14th of Nissan. It was perfect also for Jesus to be able to fulfill all righteousness with His apostles, partake in the Passover supper and still die exactly at 3 pm when the Passover lambs on Friday were beginning to be slain.
God’s Plan and Timing is Perfect
Judas would have thought the perfect time to turn over Jesus would be at the supper, for Judas had already made a deal with the Jewish leaders earlier in the house of Caiaphas at a big meeting they held to rid themselves of Jesus. Yet, notice. Jesus did not tell them where the supper would be. He sent them to follow a man carrying a pitcher of water. (Usually only the women carried the water). And He sent only two apostles, John and Peter. As such, Judas did not have a chance to betray the place in time, as he was not able to get away once the festival began. That is not until Jesus told him to go. Then, Judas would have to take them to the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane to betray Jesus.
Then all these religious men who wanted Jesus out of the way, but not dead until later. After all they certainly did not want a riot to occur. Nor did Satan, however they became so furious with the answers Jesus gave, they could not help themselves. They ultimately did exactly as God had planned from before the creation of the earth.
God’s Plan in Motion, Regardless of how it looks
John McArthur wrote it beautifully,
“God goes into motion. The religious leaders go into motion. The devil goes into motion. Judas goes into action, and the disciples move. And they’re all moving in preparation for the cross to accomplish the purposes of God.
On the surface, as you read this chapter, God is hidden. God is invisible. He is behind everything. But He is moving everything. Isaiah 53:10 says, “The Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief as a guilt offering for His good pleasure.” It is the Lord God who is behind the death of Jesus Christ. It is His plan and His purpose with which Christ is in perfect agreement.”[1]
God is the only one who wanted and designed that Jesus would die exactly at 3pm on Friday, just as the sacrificial lambs began to be slaughtered. Jesus amazingly completes the Father’s plan. He voluntarily agreed to do the will of the Father for the JOY that was set before Him in providing redemption for sinners with whom He would fellowship forever in Glory.
Jesus precisely at 3pm, cried out, “It is finished. Then, Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” Jesus gave up His Life, ransom for you and for me. He had just spent 3 hours receiving the full wrath of God against our sin, though He had never sinned. So that He might justly provide our salvation. Here He committed His spirit into the hands of the Father to do as He will and that was to raise Him from the dead in three days. IN FULL AND ABSOLUTE SURRENDER, JESUS AMAZINGLY COMPLETES THE FATHER’S WILL. Regardless of the cost to Himself.
Therefore, Remember Jesus
As we look at these verses, let us remember Jesus and all that He has done for us. Remember where you began and all the acts of grace He has poured out on you throughout the years. Then know this, He is coming again that you may be with Him forever in paradise. Can you imagine heaven and all its wonders? If this broken world holds so much beauty to explore, how magnificent heaven will be.
Luke 22:
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
Jesus and His Disciples Prepare the Passover
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be [a]killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
Jesus Institutes the Lord’s Supper
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the [b]twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, [c]I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. 21 But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
Remember all God plans, Jesus amazingly completes!
Notice what Jesus said as they drank the wine? “This cup is the new covenant in My blood whish is shed for you.” Yet, just before that He had spoken these words, ““18 for I say to you, [c]I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
In a Galilean wedding, the covenant is made with a glass of wine. The groom takes a sip of the wine and then passes the cup to the bride to be. She at that moment has a choice to either take of the wine, accepting the proposal or refusing the grooms offer by not tasting of the wine. Once she accepts, the bridegroom says, “I will not drink of the fruit of the vine again until I drink of it with you on our wedding day.” He then goes to prepare a place for her, just as Jesus has said, “I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. “ (John 14:2-3)
In the Galilean tradition, the bridegroom nor the bride determine the day in which the wedding will take place. That is determined by the Father of the bridegroom. Again, Jesus said regarding His return, “ “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of [f]heaven, but My Father only. (Matthew 24: 36)
So, how can we rejoice, always? Remember all that God Plans, Jesus amazingly completes. He has always throughout the ages, and He will throughout eternity. Never forget, He is coming again to talk us to be with Him.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2021
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Credits
New King James Version (NKJV)
[1] John McArthur, https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/42-268/gods-preparation-for-the-final-passover, written 1/20/2008, accessed 4/24/2021