Verses 1-5, “Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
I love how Jesus told the disciples beforehand what would happen, even though they wouldn't get it in the present. I'm sure that many things Jesus spoke did not make sense to them until after they were fulfilled. Jesus predicted that the disciples, including Peter, would all stumble. Peter did not want to receive it...but it was true. He needed to hear it, that when he did stumble, he would respond in humility over his sin. Verses 31-34, “Then Jesus said to them, 'All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: "I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered." But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.' Peter answered and said to Him, 'Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.' Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.' ” Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves. This is why we cannot trust our flesh, but we can trust His word.
Often we forget the frailty of our human condition and are deceived by ourselves and others. Peter never imagined he would betray Jesus, but he did, and his pride blinded him from the truth of his own condition. 1 Corinthians 10:12, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” We need to be humbly submitted to God, and in prayer for strength from the Holy Spirit, in order to avoid the temptation to betray Jesus in our own actions. Verse 41, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” We know that our enemy is out to get us, just looking for our weaknesses to exploit. 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” We have warnings throughout the Bible to "beware" and "take heed," because Jesus knows the human condition. He was tempted, but never betrayed the Father, remaining faithful and obedient even through His death.
Verses 6-16, “And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.”
I'm sure Judas surprised the disciples with his betrayal of Jesus. As one of the people closest to Jesus, and trusted to oversee the finances, it was not obvious to the rest that there was evil in his heart. We have people like Judas in the church today. They often justify their evil intentions with something that sounds really spiritual, deceiving those around them. For instance, Judas' indignation when Jesus was anointed with costly fragrant oil, had nothing to do with a noble cause to help the poor, but he certainly made it sound godly. John 12:4-6, “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 'Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?' This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.” Judas was an opportunist and most likely followed Jesus when he thought that He would become a King. However, when things weren't working out the way Judas expected, he bailed and went to the opposing side. You'll notice the people within the church jockeying for position, and when they don't get it, they get bitter and might just leave. Pray for discernment to see the truth. You cannot judge merely by outward appearance.
Continuing our walk in the faith is not an easy thing to do, and we cannot let our feelings guide us. Jesus is our ultimate example of obedience and endurance through trials and persecutions. We are told beforehand, just like the disciples, what we should expect. So none of us should be taken by surprise. 2 Peter 3:14-18, “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” Those who remain faithful until the end, enduring temptations and persecutions have something glorious to look forward to!
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