Sharing Bread Matthew 26:1-5

SHARING BREAD

¹ When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, ² “As you know, the Passover is two days away--and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴ and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. ⁵ “But not during the Feast,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Matt 26:1-5 (NIV)

In our verses for today, the Savior reminds His guys about His impending suffering and death.  He often spoke of these at a distance yet now He speaks of them as close at hand.   Make no mistake; Jesus was fully aware of the future happenings.  No one took His life rather He willingly gave it on our behalf.  Matthew adding that the chief priests and elders – the leaders of the Jewish people - were the plotters of our Lord’s afflictions.  Evil comes cloaked in many disguises- here of the religious elite – wolves in sheep’s clothing.  I am reminded of Asaph’s description of the wicked in Psalm 73:

⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. ⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. ⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. ⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.   Psalms 73:6-9 (NIV)

 

“The carnal mind always maps out for itself a way in which self can work and become great, but the Lord’s way is quite the reverse.”   Charles H. Spurgeon

“If we suffer the good to grow weaker, the evil will surely gather strength and struggle desperately for the mastery over us; and so, mayhap, a painful desolation, and a lamentable disgrace may follow.”  Charles Spurgeon

After Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead these feigned religious leaders were hot on our Lord’s trail to get Him out of their picture - permanently.  They hated His popularity.  They loathed His ability to do the miraculous proving His claim of Deity.  They just wanted rid of their competition – He was a bother.  Their hypocritical hearts had become hardened.  Jealous for the accolades and respect of others, they stoop to actions which were anything but praiseworthy.

⁴⁵ “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”   Luke 6:45 (NIV)

These religious elite loved the praise, adoration and honor of men leaving no room on the throne of their hearts for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.  John’s account tells us:

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. ⁴⁸ If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”    John 11:45-48 (NIV)

 

“Pride alienates man from heaven; humility leads to heaven.”  Bridget of Sweden

“Men think that glory lies in being exalted over others –Christ…stooped when He conquered.”   Charles Spurgeon

Interestingly, these Pharisees remained un-awed by the power and majesty of God but awed by the fear and respect of the people.  This appeared to be their greatest concern.  How foolish and shortsighted. 

 

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.  Prov 1:7 (NIV)

 

Their safety, their honor, their respect, their standing among men was their chief concerns.  Seeking God’s glory appeared to be the furthest thing from their minds.  Therefore they wickedly – both slyly and subtlety - plotted to kill the Master; nothing less than His blood would bring them satisfaction.  Perhaps they momentarily met the fleeting approval of man but certainly not God’s.

  

¹⁶ There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: ¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, ¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, ¹⁹ a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.   Prov 6:16-19 (NIV)

 

"God does not honor men and women and their deeds or their books or their organizations.  The Father in heaven delights to honor His Son.  It is only the Life of the Lord Jesus - His activity, clothed with you and displayed through you - that ultimately will find the approval of God."   Major Ian Thomas

What I glean from this:

·       Jesus willingly gave His life for me.

·       Evil can be cloaked in many disguises.

·       To fear the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.