Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve

 

 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.  Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."  So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"  And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'  Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready."  So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.

 

- Luke 21:37—22:13 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus spoke a parable to those to whom He prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and also His return in power and glory:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." 

 

 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.  Jesus stays on the Mount of Olivet, with other pilgrims who've come to Jerusalem for the Passover feast.  

 

 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.  And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.   My study Bible explains that the Passover (Pascha/Πασχα in Greek, which is also the name for Easter) is the celebration of the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt and the deliverance of God's people from bondage (Exodus 12 - 14).  In remembrance of this, Jews would slaughter an unblemished lamb, and partake of it with unleavened bread.  My study Bible says it is a prefiguration of Christ's Passion, in which the only-begotten Son of God is slain in order to deliver His people from their bondage to sin and death, and is then raised to lead them into the eternal Kingdom.  Therefore, Pascha is the primary term by which most Christians around the world (and in particular Orthodox Christians) refer to the death and Resurrection of Christ, known in the West as Easter.

Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.  My study Bible says that Satan does not enter a human being except by that person's consent.  It explains that the reason Satan chose Judas and none of the others is that Judas had a place for Satan in his heart, while the others did not.  Luke's mention of Judas being numbered among the twelve is an emphasis on the depth of his betrayal.  It also shows that a religious position is worthless if it is not accompanied by faith and virtue.  

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed.  And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."  So they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"  And He said to them, "Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says to you, "Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'  Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready."  So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.   The term Passover (Greek Pascha/Πασχα) can refer to several things:  it can refer to the original event itself, the celebration of that event, the food that is eaten, or the lamb that is slain.  My study bible suggests that according to the patristic writers, Peter represents zeal and John represents spiritual understanding, the virtues with which we are to partake of the Lord's Supper.  

If we think about the Passover, we are to understand that Christ Himself is our Passover lamb.  He honors reverently all the traditions and spiritual history of the Jewish people, as a devout Jew and spiritual Teacher.  But as the Christ, He also fulfills this entire history and its promise of His Incarnation and the life He lives for the salvation of all people.  Jesus has said that He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.  In the midst of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares:  "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17).  As such He is our Passover.  He is the One who frees us from slavery on every level possible.  As we start today's reading, we are taught of the plot that gels and materializes to kill Christ, the sacrificial Lamb.  And there is one ultimate culprit assigned in the text, and in the patristic reading of the text, who works through and motivates others to this end.  St. Cyril of Alexandria comments on today's passage regarding the plot to kill Jesus:  "The devil had implanted in the leaders of the Jewish synagogue envy against Christ, which even leads to murder. This disorder always leads, so to speak, to the guilt of murder."  Envy is in some particular sense an archetypal sin, as we're told that it led to rebellion against God, just as it leads these religious leaders to plot to kill Jesus.  Ultimately, St. Cyril's commentary places the blame for the desire to kill Christ on this spiritual source of evil, Satan who rebelled against God, and Satan's influence.  Later, the text tells us that "Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve."  St. Cyril comments that Judas -- as opposed to the other disciples -- was susceptible to the influence of Satan through his particular weakness, a passion of greed.  In John's Gospel, in the passage on the anointing of Christ by Mary of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus, we're told that Judas criticized Mary for this use of the costly perfumed oil (see John 12:1-8).  In that passage, we're told that Judas said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"  But, John tells us, Judas said this, 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.  St. Cyril goes even further to explain to us that Christ's mysterious instructions to John and Peter in today's reading, regarding meeting a man carrying a pitcher of water, are given so as to avoid identifying the owner or the house itself containing the upper room:  in this way Judas will not be able to name him.  Therefore Christ will be able to eat the Passover with His disciples before His arrest in Gethsemane.  Let us note that in so doing, not only will Christ be able to institute the Eucharist at that time, but He will also be able to offer another chance of repentance to Judas as well.  In all things, let us note Christ's fulfillment of every possibility and potential, even in this most evil of times, and among the plots of Satan.  We should keep in mind that the saints of the Church see Christ Himself, as the human object of the plot to murder Him, as a baited hook for the powers of destruction.  The powers of evil which work through human beings do not understand that the plot to murder Christ will end their rule over this world, and what will be the outcome of this Pascha for all eternity and all humanity.  Let us enter into the upper room with Christ and the disciples as we follow what happens in our next readings.