Title Matthew 26:1-25
Contents
*** Those who plotted the death of Jesus (verses 1-5)
At the moment when Jesus prophesied suffering and death, those who hated Him were planning to kill Him. They squeezed their heads together and came up with a plan, but in the end they ended up playing the villains in a drama of pre-determined redemption. People may plan to frame or harm others, but are unaware of how evil they are doing. Am I doing the same thing as these people without realizing it now? It is important to realize that any intention to put another person in trouble, no matter how trivial, is no different from a plot to kill Jesus.
*** Woman preparing for Jesus' death (vv. 6-7, 12-13)
At the same time, a woman was pouring perfume on Jesus' head. This woman did not know about the death of Jesus, but in the end, she prepared for Jesus' burial. Because of her love for the Lord, she was privileged to take on an important role in something she did not know. Efforts to know the Lord's will are important, but more important is the heart to love the Lord. You also need the pure love this woman had.
*** Disciples who were indifferent to Jesus' death (verses 8-11)
The words of the disciples who rebuked the woman who poured perfume sound very plausible. It seems to be consistent with what the Lord taught us earlier. But there was neither love for the Lord nor love for the poor in their hearts. Only a dry intellect remained, making him indifferent to the death of Jesus as a disciple. Doesn't this dry and shabby figure remain in me?
*** Judas who betrayed Jesus (verses 14-16, 20-25)
Judas, who had followed Jesus for a purpose of his own, decided to betray his teacher when it was judged that he could not achieve that purpose. From Judas' point of view, this was purely an act of his own calculation, but from God's point of view, it was necessary to accomplish God's will. So, in a way, you may feel unfair in that Judas could not avoid playing the villain in Jesus' drama of redemption. However, unlike the other disciples, when he answered Jesus' point without feeling any remorse or called Jesus "teacher", he could only see that he had decided his own destiny. Ultimately, you realize that you are ultimately responsible for your actions. These days, am I not acting according to my own account regardless of God's will? When you are pointed out a mistake, do you not admit it by giving excuses like this?
*** Disciples who obeyed Jesus (verses 17-19)
Compared to Judas, the disciples who prepared the Passover feast literally followed Jesus' instructions without making any calculations on their own. So, in the end, I took a part in accomplishing God's will at the appointed time. They could have raised meaning to Jesus' suggestion or expressed their thoughts, but they simply obeyed.
Am I living a life of unconditional obedience like them?