SEVEN DAYS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD – Day 4

Day 4 Wednesday: Christ’s Betrayal

Day 4 Wednesday: Christ’s Betrayal

Key verse

“Now while Yeshua was in Bethany at the house of Simon ha-Metzora, a woman came up to Him with an alabaster jar of very expensive oil. And she poured it on His head... But when the disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? It could have been sold for a lot, and the money given to the poor!” But Yeshua, knowing this, said to them, “Why do you cause trouble for this woman? She’s done Me a mitzvah. You always have the poor with you, but you won’t always have Me. For when she poured this oil on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial” (Matthew 26:6-12, TVL). 

“Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas, went to the ruling kohanim and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they weighed out thirty shekels of silver for him. From then on, Judah began looking for a chance to hand Him over (Matthew 26:14-16, TLV).

In the book of Matthew, God reveals two examples of behavior that are extreme opposites. Mary is freely spending in love, while Judas is selling his Master for money. Her act of love provoked Judas to his despicable deed, and this rebuke of Jesus added to all the rest. The Sanhedrin then weighed out the money in the scales, ever careful in the most orthodox way, completing the prophesy given in Zechariah 11:12. Taken from the Temple treasury, these shekels were heavier than the standard weight. Why thirty pieces of silver? According to Jewish law, this was the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). No doubt Judas and the Sanhedrin held Jesus in the greatest of contempt. Our Lord, the sacrifice for men, was paid for out of sanctuary money, destined for the purchase of sacrifices. He “taking on the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7) was sold at the legal price of a slave.

Today’s Prayer

Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, Father of Jesus, the initiator and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), you alone are God and we honor and respect You. Remove the pride of our hearts and of our eyes. Relieve us of the worry and anxiety, of these great matters that are too difficult for us Please calm and quiet our souls; let us rest on You like little children resting with their mother (Psalms 131:1-2). In returning to You and in rest, we are saved; In quietness and in confident trust we are strengthened (Isaiah 30:15). May we too become servants for Your name and for your glory. This we ask in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Additional Prayers

• Pray that we all will seek rest and comfort from You, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3).
• Pray that we will spend ourselves in the manner of godly love as Mary of Bethany did when she anointed Jesus.
• Pray that during this pandemic we will consider the needs of others and rise-up to meet them.