A Purposeful Plan

Julius Caesar, the”dictator for life” of the Roman Empire, is murdered by his own senators at a meeting in a hall next to Pompey’s Theatre. The conspiracy against Caesar encompassed as many as sixty noblemen, including Caesar’s own protege, Marcus Brutus.

Cassius Longinus started the plot against the dictator, quickly getting his brother-in-law Marcus Brutus to join.

Reportedly, Caesar was handed a warning note as he entered the senate meeting that day but did not read it. After he entered the hall, Caesar was surrounded by senators holding daggers. Servilius Casca struck the first blow, hitting Caesar in the neck and drawing blood. The other senators all joined in, stabbing him repeatedly about the head.

Marcus Brutus wounded Caesar in the groin and Caesar is said to have remarked in Greek, “You, too, my child?”

What a betrayal. Julius Caesar had plenty of warnings and much could have been avoided or at least delayed. Yet, one of the closest individuals to him was part of the plot against him.

However, that is where the similarities between him and the betrayal of Jesus stops. For Jesus knew exactly who would betray Him. He knew that those who pretended to love God were really haters of God and that they would stop at nothing to destroy Him. However, we all know that death could not hold Him in the grave.

Today, we’ll be looking at some situations that may seem out of control, but were actually quite purposeful and part of God’s plan. First, we’ll be looking at the Hearers and Haters. All of them had listened to Jesus. Sadly, there were some who were actually hearing what was being said, while the others became hateful because of what was being said.

Then we’ll look at the Betrayal and Bribery. We’ll see one who was among the twelve that should have known better, but to accomplish what he felt was best, he decided to betray his Master. Sadly, the religious leaders knew that some coinage to seal the deal was all it would take to turn someone completely against Jesus.

Finally, we’ll be looking at Preparation for the Passover. The setup for this appears to have been done in a somewhat secretive, covert manner, instead of being open and celebrated. Yet, it was still all part of the plan.

Today, my desire is that We should be careful to exercise trust and obedience to our Lord.

Hearers and Haters - 21:37 - 22:2

Luke 21:37–22:2 NASB95

Now during the day He was teaching in the temple, but at evening He would go out and spend the night on the mount that is called Olivet. And all the people would get up early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him. Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.

Jesus has just concluded His teaching about His second coming, according to Luke’s writing.

As we finished chapter 21, we saw that Jesus was continually teaching publicly in the temple, even though He knew the crucifixion was coming soon. He would leave to camp out at night at Mt. Olivet, then be down at the temple during the day to teach. For Jesus to have stayed in Jerusalem overnight would have the potential of Jesus being arrested or killed. Interestingly, a large number of people were there early in the morning to come to Him in the temple to listen to Him.

I don’t want to add anything to what is written here; yet, I do feel compelled to share what I believe is a principle that we could possibly take from this. Regardless of whether these hearers were there because of fascination or genuine hunger for God’s Word, they made that effort to get up early in the morning for the purpose of going to listen to [Jesus]. As I reflected on this, I began to wonder how we as people who claim Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, really make the effort, whatever time it may be, to listen to Him, whether it be through the reading of the Bible, through prayer, through worshipping together with our church family. Then I asked myself the question, if not, then why not? Is it possible that many Christians have become complacent and comfortable in their position in Christ, so that they don’t feel it necessary to make the time to listen to Him? Can it be that we have become so involved in the things of this world, that they take precedence and priority over the intimacy of quietly listening to the Lord? I leave this with you and God to consider together.

Then as we look at the beginning of chapter 22, we are introduced to the setting of the event and the haters. According to Deuteronomy, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was a separate event from the Passover. However, at this point in Jewish history, the Passover celebration was tied together with the longer period of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This Feast was one of the three major feasts for the Jews. This feast would have taken a full week. The Passover was supposed to be the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Thus, they were brought together.

This Feast was one of the three major feasts for the Jews. This feast would have taken a full week. The Passover was supposed to be the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Thus, they were brought together.

I wonder if you see the irony as we read that the Passover is about to take place, yet the religious leaders are continually looking for ways of putting Jesus to death. The Passover celebrated the freedom the Israelites experienced as God removed them from the bondage of slavery to the Egyptians and led them on a journey to the promised land. However, the religious leaders were enslaved to their sinfulness of worshipping their religion and were trying to destroy the very one who wanted to deliver them from their bondage to sin and to experience freedom in Christ with the promise of a home in heaven. They had all the scholarly, theological brilliance in one area, yet they were so hopelessly blinded and lost.

As we look at the last part of verse 2, we might wonder why Luke would comment on the fact that the religious leaders were afraid of the people. Obviously, they couldn’t just go out and have Jesus arrested in public. After all, Jerusalem’s population increased tremendously during the Passover celebration. Jesus’ popularity was at an all-time high. If they had him arrested, there would surely have been a riot and potentially an attack upon them for promoting such a thing. Plus, they would then be looked down on by Rome. They would have lost their lucrative and crooked income. They would be forever exposed for their hypocrisy. They would no longer be able to manipulate the people through their religious propaganda to do their bidding.

So how, exactly, would they be able to accomplish their desire while still looking good to the people?

Betrayal and Bribery - 22:3 - 6

Luke 22:3–6 NASB95

And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. They were glad and agreed to give him money. So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.

In these verses, we see the most infamous betrayal in history. Judas, who had been with Jesus over a period of three plus years and had heard all the teachings, was willing to listen to Satan and pursue a bribe. Interestingly, Luke states in verse 4 just how intentional Judas was in all of this. . . . he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. In other words, his intentions were to set Jesus up to be captured.

Luke is the only one of the Gospels in which Satan is spoken of as being involved. Some might want to exonerate Judas since verse 3 tells us that Satan entered into Judas. We must remember that Jesus spoke of the religious leaders in as children of the devil. However, Judas has already shown us in other situations that his mind was not exactly in line with Jesus. He seemed to be more concerned about appearances, what was best for him, and of course, the liberation of the Jews from the Romans. Jesus wasn’t on the same page, nor would He ever be on that same page. Judas willingly took responsibility for his actions, though the ideas were planted in his mind by Satan. Satan merely took what was already there and put fuel on the fire.

There is an interesting comment by Luke in the last part of verse 3, belonging to the number of the twelve. It is as if Luke is making it quite clear that though he was part of a group that walked with Jesus, that doesn’t make him a true follower of Jesus.

There are many unanswered questions we may have about Judas. How could he have experienced all that he had with Jesus for that period of three years or more and still not believe Jesus to be the Messiah? He was one of twelve people who experienced this. Interestingly, Judas is the only one of the original twelve disciples who was not from Galilee. Yet, according to , , Jesus knew about the evil in Judas’ heart from the very beginning. Again, obedience to the Father was paramount to what might have made better sense from a human perspective. John himself, called Judas a thief.

Friends, Judas is like many people who want Jesus to perform according to their wants and wishes. Then there becomes a dissatisfaction and a disconnect between the person and their idea of Jesus. They then begin to listen to voices and ideas which contradict the Bible. Finally, Satan begins to whisper his lies into their ears and they begin to act on them. Sadly, for the one who merely professes to be a follower of Jesus, but has not genuinely surrendered their lives to Him, Satan has that access to literally take over a person or have one of his demonic henchmen take possession of a person.

Sadly, we see in verse 5 that there was almost a gleeful attitude about this. Taking money that was given for the glory of God and using it to try and destroy God’s plan, didn’t seem to bother them at all. In fact, it is even more ironic that the amount given was that of the price of a slave. After all, Jesus was supposed to have been his Master. The reason this is so pleasing to the religious leaders is found in verse 6: a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd. So, you see, this alleviated what was most concerning to the leadership. If it’s done behind the scenes, they can avoid a riot or being attacked by all of Jesus’ supporters.

Preparation for Passover - 22:7 -13

Luke 22:7–13 NASB95

Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. “And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ “And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.” And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

In this section, we see a strange situation in the preparation for the Passover meal. We are no longer on Wednesday evening, but now we are on Thursday, in getting ready for the Passover. John MacArthur shares: The design of God was that Jesus would die on Friday afternoon during the period between the two evenings (; “twilight” literally means “between the two evenings”). At that time (between approximately three in the afternoon and sunset) tens of thousands of lambs would be being sacrificed. Jesus would die then because He is, as Paul wrote in , our Passover; “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” ().

MacArthur, John. MacArthur New Testament Commentary Set (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series) (Kindle Locations 27703-27706). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

MacArthur, John. MacArthur New Testament Commentary Set (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series) (Kindle Location 27705). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

The disciples would have been aware this whole time that the whole reason that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem was to die. They probably didn’t understand, nor did they know the exact time. We probably should understand that since Jesus is God, He would have known that Judas had set the wheels in motion in that ultimate betrayal. Knowing that the general public would be in their homes celebrating the Passover meal, would have made a great opportunity for Judas to have the religious leaders arrest Jesus out of sight of the general public. So, the location is not specifically given. Instead, Peter and John are tasked with the responsibility of the preparation in the form of a mystery where all the pieces have to fit together. You see, Jesus was not going to allow the time frame to be set by anyone but His heavenly Father. Interestingly, none of the Gospels show that Peter and John went back to inform Jesus or anyone else.

MacArthur, John. MacArthur New Testament Commentary Set (MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series) (Kindle Location 27703). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.

The challenge is now to find all the specifics. There are some unique things that will make this obvious to Peter and John. First of all, they were told they will find a man . . . carrying a pitcher of water. The two disciples would readily discover this as it would have been highly unusual to see this. The reason is because in that culture, the women were the ones to carry water in pitchers. When the men carried water, it was usually in water skins.

Then they are to follow this particular man into his house. That may seem somewhat rude. However, it would most likely be that Jesus would have already arranged this or at least had a close connection to Jesus. He would have been someone who was a follower of Jesus and would have also known Peter and John.

Instead of asking questions and trying to get further clarification and understanding, Peter and John did exactly as they were told. What a great example for us today. Instead of thinking that we have to figure out all the details and understand the big picture, we need to be obedient to what God has revealed to us and told us to do.

Earlier, I had stated that most likely, Peter and John didn’t return. Another reason is that it takes quite a bit to prepare a Passover meal. They would first take the lamb to the temple to be slaughtered. Then they would roast it. In addition, all kinds of other items had to be purchased that went with the meal.

The Passover meal had so much symbolism to what was about to take place. At the first Passover, anybody who did not do exactly as God had instructed them would have experienced death. However, strange as it may have seemed, if they did exactly what they were told to do, the angel of death passed over them and all were safe. Jesus is about to become the Passover Lamb in Luke’s writings.

For all who think they can do things their way and refuse to look only to Jesus for salvation, they will experience death. However, for those who, even without understanding, can accept by faith what Jesus Christ did on the cross by dying for our sins in order to purchase our salvation, they will experience eternal life in the presence of Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

One of the things which this passage seems to remind us of is the fact that Jesus was in complete control of His life and the events surrounding it. Jesus’ plan and purpose was going to happen just as the Father wanted it to happen.

The other item that stems right from that is the fact that God’s love for us was so great that, even though many things looked out of control and so wrong on so many counts, He had a purposeful plan.

We should be careful to exercise trust and obedience to our Lord. That would include those times when we’re around those who want others to believe that they are spiritual and in love with God, when in reality, they are in love with themselves and the recognition they receive. They will speak hatefully of you to your face or behind your back. They will come up with worldly, yet spiritual sounding ideas, in an attempt to discredit you or the absolute truths of God’s Word. But we don’t give up proclaiming the Gospel message of God’s great love through Jesus Christ. We do not cease to live and proclaim true biblical principles. We exercise trust and obedience to God for there are many who are genuinely listening and wanting to live for Jesus.

We should be careful to exercise trust and obedience to our Lord. Even betrayal by someone else is no excuse for us to stop giving our message of Jesus Christ. We know that compromise of God’s Word in any form is not of God. Even if it may look as though it’s “paying off” for someone else.

We should be careful to exercise trust and obedience to our Lord. Sometimes, we must be in the background, simply doing what Jesus has called us to do. All of that could very well be preparation for something amazing which God is about to do for the world around us.

Everything we do is for the glory of Jesus Christ. We must simply exercise trust and obedience.

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