Wednesday of Holy Week

Wednesday

 A day of rest and preparation 

The Passages

Luke 22:1-6

The Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is also called Passover, was approaching. The leading priests and teachers of religious law were plotting how to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples, and he went to the leading priests and captains of the Temple guard to discuss the best way to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted, and they promised to give him money. So he agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus so they could arrest him when the crowds weren’t around..

The Story

Judas. The guy we all love to loathe. His story is tragic. A part of Jesus’ 12 closest friends and yet in the end he took money to betray the Master. The Gospel writers do not paint a nice picture of Judas. When he is mentioned his name is connected to the following phrase: “the one who would betray him.” We are told that he was the money holder for the group but that he used to help himself to the change purse occasionally.

We know that his given name was Judas bar-Simon. The word Iscariot has all sorts of potential descriptions. The word Iscariot could be connected to his hometown – a city called Kerioth, a region in Judea. Another says that the word is similar to the Aramaic word for “liar” and that he was called this name after the events of Easter. It could have referred to the color of his hair – as the words background can mean red color.

My favorite of the possibilities has to do with a group called the Sicarii. This was a pretty radical group of Jewish rebels that were known for their skills with a blade. They were a group bent on revolution and ridding the Jewish people of Rome. It’s possible that this group didn’t do it’s primary work until after the time of Christ, but some form of it could have existed in Judas’ time

Regardless of what the name means, we still struggle with the character of the betrayer. Here is a guy, no matter his motives, who received a bribe of money to let a group of people that were widely known to hate the Teacher know the where’s, what’s, and when’s of Jesus’ actions. Maybe Judas did this as an attempt to push Jesus into action, but in any case he knew that a negative consequence could come about due to his choice. In any case, Judas took the occasion of a quiet Wednesday to make some plans and thus be entered into the discussion of one of history’s most despised individuals.

A Devotional Thought

Wednesday appears to have been a quiet day in the midst of this Holy Week. We are told no interactions of Jesus or of the 12. We can surmise that, if he hadn’t already, this was the time that Judas took to seek out the religious leaders. Everyone else in Jesus’ circle were either resting or preparing for what was to come. If he planned to celebrate the Passover the next night, then certainly a lot would be in the works on Thursday. It makes sense that everyone would stay close to home base.

There is another element that struck me this morning as I read over this passage. Beginning on Thursday morning. Jesus would be on constant movement ultimately until his death at around 3 pm on Good Friday. That’s 24+ hours of on the move plus all the emotional and physical pain that would be inflicted upon him.

As I reflected on that it became clear why a day of silence and quiet is so necessary for Jesus. Sure the disciples could be about planning the meal, but Jesus needed some time to prepare. He needed the opportunity to rest and renew one last time. This was no small feat that faced him (which I think he was fully aware of) and it would take all of who Jesus was to endure.

The Savior, the Lord of Life, the Master needed a day to prepare and be ready. Judas took that day of preparation to line his pockets. Jesus took that day to be still.

As we approach the next few days, I have a lot of preparation that is still in front of me, but that doesn’t mean I’m preparing. I have a lot to do, and even if I get it all done, it won’t mean I’m ready. I could go through this day, and the next few, with al my boxes checked and still not engage the moments before me that continue to change and challenge the world. And if I miss out, prepared though I may appear, I don’t just miss out on a holiday – I miss out on a chance to journey with my Savior.

What do you need to do on this day of quiet – this Wednesday of holy week, to prepare yourself? Maybe skip that evening show? Maybe have a conversation with your family about the days ahead? Maybe stay up 30 minutes later tonight and read the passages we’ve already gone over? Maybe look at a cross and sit in silence allowing the Holy Spirit to prompt and invite you in to God’s story?

Whatever you do, take some time to be silent and let your heart, mind, soul and body become prepared to interact with the story that will still change us, if we’ll let it.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, your word doesn’t tell us you did much on this day, but you had to have been doing a lot to be ready for what was to come. Use today to prepare me to enter into your passion. Invite me to be changed by what you endured and embraced for my sake. Give me time to be still and be with you. And as we rest tonight, give us a greater desire to not get caught up in the busyness of another week, but to seek out ways to encounter you. In your name I offer my prayer, Amen.