Post by Fletch on Apr 28, 2009 9:22:37 GMT -8
This is most likely going to be a long post but bear with me. Hopefully, it will make sense in the end.
I want us to take a look at 4 different scripture references. They are Matthew 26:21-25, Mark 14:18-21, Luke 22: 21-23, and John 13:21-30.
These are all scriptural accounts of the Last Supper. In each and every account Jesus tell his disciples that one of them is going to betray him. In each account they start asking, “Is it me Lord, am I the one who is going to betray you?” Each time Jesus tells them who is going to betray him. He makes it very clear that the person who takes the bread from him, dips the bread in the same bowl that does, whose hand is on the table with his will be the one who betrays him. Jesus even goes so far as to tell Judas to do what he must do.
There are 5 different accounts of Jesus making it very clear who his betrayer will be. The disciples are so concerned with who will be the greatest among them, who will sit at Jesus’ right or left when he comes into his kingdom that they miss what is happening right under their noses. They are even so foolish as to believe that Judas is going to get more bread because they did not listen to the Lord.
I have always struggled with the idea that 11 of the 12 could sit eating with Jesus and totally miss what was going on around them. We have the Biblical accounts of the Last Supper from the 4 gospels and know what was happening. But, those 11, those with an all-access pass to Jesus, who were sitting there breaking bread with our Lord and Savior didn’t understand. They were so lost in their own visions of grandeur that they missed the true messiah being offered up as a sacrifice on their behalf. It difficult for us to understand how these men could be so distracted that they totally missed the signs that Jesus told them would be taking place.
I find it had to believe that these men could be so distracted that they would miss what was going on right next to them. After all we see Peter later that night in Matthew 26:51 taking out his sword and cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest as Jesus is arrested. What do you think the chances are of Judas leaving the Upper Room alive if Peter were paying attention? From my perspective 2000+ years later, Judas wouldn’t have had to worry about trying to give the 30 pieces of silver back the high priest. He would never have left the building alive.
Even through my struggle to understand the dynamic of the Upper Room, I know that God’s plan was fulfilled. In order for God’s plan to move forward, for Jesus to be crucified these men had to be so preoccupied that they missed everything that was happening around them. Ultimately, God purposed the 11 to completely miss the biggest betrayal in the history of mankind so our Salvation could be secured.
I would like to think I would have seen it differently then the 11, but most likely I would have been in the crowd yelling “Crucify!”
I want us to take a look at 4 different scripture references. They are Matthew 26:21-25, Mark 14:18-21, Luke 22: 21-23, and John 13:21-30.
These are all scriptural accounts of the Last Supper. In each and every account Jesus tell his disciples that one of them is going to betray him. In each account they start asking, “Is it me Lord, am I the one who is going to betray you?” Each time Jesus tells them who is going to betray him. He makes it very clear that the person who takes the bread from him, dips the bread in the same bowl that does, whose hand is on the table with his will be the one who betrays him. Jesus even goes so far as to tell Judas to do what he must do.
There are 5 different accounts of Jesus making it very clear who his betrayer will be. The disciples are so concerned with who will be the greatest among them, who will sit at Jesus’ right or left when he comes into his kingdom that they miss what is happening right under their noses. They are even so foolish as to believe that Judas is going to get more bread because they did not listen to the Lord.
I have always struggled with the idea that 11 of the 12 could sit eating with Jesus and totally miss what was going on around them. We have the Biblical accounts of the Last Supper from the 4 gospels and know what was happening. But, those 11, those with an all-access pass to Jesus, who were sitting there breaking bread with our Lord and Savior didn’t understand. They were so lost in their own visions of grandeur that they missed the true messiah being offered up as a sacrifice on their behalf. It difficult for us to understand how these men could be so distracted that they totally missed the signs that Jesus told them would be taking place.
I find it had to believe that these men could be so distracted that they would miss what was going on right next to them. After all we see Peter later that night in Matthew 26:51 taking out his sword and cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest as Jesus is arrested. What do you think the chances are of Judas leaving the Upper Room alive if Peter were paying attention? From my perspective 2000+ years later, Judas wouldn’t have had to worry about trying to give the 30 pieces of silver back the high priest. He would never have left the building alive.
Even through my struggle to understand the dynamic of the Upper Room, I know that God’s plan was fulfilled. In order for God’s plan to move forward, for Jesus to be crucified these men had to be so preoccupied that they missed everything that was happening around them. Ultimately, God purposed the 11 to completely miss the biggest betrayal in the history of mankind so our Salvation could be secured.
I would like to think I would have seen it differently then the 11, but most likely I would have been in the crowd yelling “Crucify!”