Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover

 

 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, following His prophesies of destruction to come in Jerusalem, and of the end of the age, Jesus spoke to the disciples a parable:  "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 the 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.   During this Passover season, in the final week of Christ's earthly life, He lives as another pilgrim to Jerusalem, staying on the mountain called Olivet.  The setting is here for what will happen.  We note His popularity as all the people come gladly to 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.  My study Bible comments that the Passover (Greek Πασχα/Pascha) 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, an unblemished lamb was slaughtered, and the Jews would partake of it with unleavened bread, as was eaten at the first Passover.  My study Bible says this 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 then is raised to lead them into the eternal Kingdom.  So, therefore, Pascha is the primary term by which the Orthodox and many others refer to the death and Resurrection of Christ, known in the West as Easter.  Note also how this passage explains that the religious leaders (the chief priests and scribes) fear the people due to Christ's popularity among them.

 

 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 explains that Satan does not enter person except by that person's consent.  The reason Satan chose Judas, it says, and none of the others, is because Judas had a place for Satan in his heart, and the others did not.  Luke's mention of Judas as numbered among the twelve gives an emphasis to the depth of the betrayal and shows that religious position is worthless if not accompanied by faith and virtue.  Once again, there is an emphasis on the popularity of Jesus.  His betrayal and seizure must happen 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.  Once again, my study Bible notes the use of the term Pascha, or Passover.  It notes that this word can refer to the original event itself, or the celebration of that event, or the food that is eaten, or even the lamb that is slain.  According to patristic commentary, Peter represents zeal and John represents spiritual understanding, the virtues with which we all are to partake of the Lord's Supper.    We note again, as we did with the disciples preparations for Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, the careful and deliberate preparations for this meal Jesus gives to the disciples.  

 

As today is celebrated the Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist in many Christian denominations across the world, it is perhaps fitting for us to consider the Baptist's testimony to Christ, and the role he played in Christ's ministry, for this reading involving the preparations for the Passover Supper, and the celebration of the Passover in Jerusalem at this last week of Christ's earthly human life.   It was John the Baptist who proclaimed, in introducing his own disciples to Jesus, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  In other words, John's role as a prophet is fulfilled in this prophesy of Christ as the Passover Lamb, who will be slain on the Cross, and in so doing, take away the sin of the world.  The Passover lamb was an offering in commemoration of God's liberation and freedom from slavery for the people of God; that is, Israel.  As St. Paul writes, "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7).  In the first Passover, all those with the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorpost of their homes were freed to become Israel, the people of God.  Christ is our Passover Lamb whose blood unites us into one people, and liberates us from slavery to sin.  For as our Passover Lamb, with His voluntary sacrifice, He will be the One who judges, the One who sets free, the One with the power to forgive sins, so that we may dwell in Him and in His name.  Moreover, in the tradition of the Orthodox Church, St. John the Baptist also preceded Christ into hades, and preached His coming to the souls there, where, after He was slain and before His Resurrection, He would trample on the power of the devil and death, another essential aspect of liberation in His role as Passover Lamb.  This is the power of our Passover Lamb who unites us into one people and gives us freedom.  In the Revelation, St. John the Theologian (the same St. John who was Christ's disciple, and gave us one Gospel and three Epistles) writes of a Lamb standing, as if slain, in the midst of the throne of heaven (see Revelation 5:6).  This is a clear reference to Christ our Passover, triumphant and in authority over the cosmos.  Christ is our Passover, not because He had to "pay" a debt, but because He takes His place as the Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8) for our liberation, for His authority to forgive sins and free us from the devil and death.  Ultimately the Cross is the great sign of victory for precisely this reason, for the power of the devil is debt and slavery to sin, and Christ is the One who holds all of it in His hand and has the power to forgive and to set free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

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"

 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 gave a parable, after warning His disciples about the destruction that was to come to Jerusalem in future, and also about the time of His second coming:  "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.

 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.  This is Jesus' practice during this Holy Week, in which pilgrims arrive and all prepare for the Passover.  Staying on Mt. Olivet was common practice for pilgrims to Jerusalem, and Jesus -- although welcomed as Messiah by His followers -- stays with them.  We note how all the people come to Him in the temple to hear Him.

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.  The Passover is the celebration of the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt and the deliverance of God's people from bondage, my study bible reminds us (see Exodus 12-14).  In commemoration, the practice was to slaughter an unblemished lamb and partake of it with unleavened bread -- such as the bread which was taken by the Jews as they fled Egypt in haste (see Deuteronomy 16:3).  My study bible notes for us that this prefigures the Passion of Christ, in which the only-begotten Son of God is slain in order to deliver His people from their bondage to sin and death, then is raised to lead them into the eternal Kingdom.  Therefore, in the Greek, Pascha (from a transliteration of the Aramaic word for Passover) is the primary term used to refer to the death and Resurrection of Christ, known in the West as Easter.  Passover can refer to the original event itself, the celebration of that event, the food that is eaten, or the lamb that is slain. 

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.  Satan, my study bible says, does not enter a man except by the man's consent.  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 tells us that Judas was numbered among the twelve, so that we understand the depth of the betrayal.  It shows us that religion position is worthless if it is not accompanied by faith and virtue, says my study bible.  In a kind of affirmation of Christ's words criticizing the scribes (given in Luke at the end of chapter 20), we understand that nominal members of the Church are not exempt from all of His warnings about position and hypocrisy and the true state of the heart.

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.  We see the careful preparations taken for Passover, even directions given in minute detail by Christ for what Peter and John are to do.  All is prearranged and known by Christ.  It tells us of the deliberate nature of what is going to happen, even in the humble and ordinary images of the instructions:  a man carrying a pitcher of water, a furnished upper room, the Teacher.  According to traditional interpretation, Peter represents zeal and John represents spiritual understanding, the virtues with which we are called to partake of the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist.

The themes of Passover seem to overlap and reflect upon one another in today's reading.  We can think of the Jews fleeing Egypt, with God's help, in complete haste:  hence, the commemoration with unleavened bread.  There is a message here of taking action when God demands and asks of us to go, having no time even to wait for bread to rise, for yeast to take its effects.  To be "unleavened" is also symbolic for purity in the Scriptures.   Jesus uses the word negatively when He says to His disciples, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees" (see Luke 12:1-3).  Contrary to this more prevalent use of leaven in a negative sense of impurity, Jesus uses it positively in the parable of the Leaven, in which a woman mixes it with meal until it is all leavened (Luke 13:20-21), giving us a different type of purity, illustrating the mysterious transforming action and working of the Kingdom.   This parable is found coupled with that of the Mustard Seed, also an illustration of the possibilities of growth in the action of the Kingdom.  As tradition tells us, Christ Himself is our Passover, the unblemished One who will be slain in His own work and mission to liberate us.  The story of the unleavened bread speaks to us of themes Christ has emphasized of not looking back, of keeping our minds focused where they need to be (see yesterday's reading, above), and we may even see it reflected in the specific directions given to Peter and John, their following the Teacher to the letter in their instructions.   The story of the unleavened bread also teaches us that we are sojourners in the world, but in search of the kingdom of God (again, bringing us to the parable of the leaven that permeates the whole of the meal).  Christ offers that Kingdom to us in a particular way, our liberation being one of transcendence, mystery, a working of the holy in our world -- both within us and among us.  He stays with the pilgrims in Jerusalem.  Although welcomed and hailed as king and Messiah in the Triumphal Entry, He remains a sojourner, without a place to rest His head.  And His departure from Jerusalem, His "exodus" as the Greek text has referred to it in the Transfiguration, will also be swift, at the proper time, "His hour" when it comes.  Even in the way Jesus has spoken (again, in yesterday's reading, above)  of our own distractions and forgetfulness being a sort of a trap as we await His second coming has ramifications in the story of the unleavened bread.  Our very alertness and wakefulness to the things of God are what our own liberation and freedom depend upon.  If we forget that we are sojourners, that we are meant to travel light, so to speak, then how may we, too, respond when called?  How are we to know what hour it is, and what we're to be about?  All of these themes are present and intermingle, as Christ makes arrangements for His last supper with the disciples, and for "His hour" in Jerusalem, which He's called the time of His glory.  St. Paul sums up all of these themes when he tells us, "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us"  (1 Corinthians 5:7).   The time of the Cross will be a time of sacrifice, but also of liberation and freedom and redemption for all of us, showing the way.  This is the glory to which we are all called, in which we follow Him.  

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

 Then He spoke to them a parable:  "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, who's been welcomed into Jerusalem as Messiah, doesn't stay in fancy lodgings and He's not the guest of the wealthy.  He stays with the pilgrims on Mr. Olivet.   But daily "all the people" come to hear Him in the temple starting from early in the morning

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 Passover (Pascha in the Greek) is a celebration of the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt, and the deliverance of God's people from bondage (Exodus 12-14).  At Passover, an unblemished lamb was slaughtered in remembrance, and eat together with unleavened bread (used as the Israelites departed in haste).  It is Holy Week, and the Passover prefigures Jesus' Passion -- the only-begotten Son of God is slain in order to deliver His people from their bondage to sin and death, and then is raised to lead them into the eternal Kingdom.  In the Greek, Pascha (known as Easter in the West) is the primary term by which one refers to the death and Resurrection of Christ.

 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 tells us that Satan does not enter a man except by the man's consent.  It says that the reason Satan chose Judas and none of the others is because Judas had a place for Satan in his heart, while the others did not.  It says, "Luke's mention of Judas being numbered among the twelve emphasizes the depth of the betrayal and shows that religious position is worthless if 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.   My study bible lets us know that the term Passover (Pascha in the Greek) can refer to the original event it commemorates, a celebration of that event, the food that is eaten, or the lamb that is slain.  It says that according to patristic commentary, Peter represents zeal while John represents spiritual understanding, "the virtues with which we are to partake of the Lord's Supper."

 Jesus honors the Law and the Prophets:  His fulfillment of His mission includes His devotedness to Jewish spiritual heritage.  It's important that we acknowledge that whatever is "wrong" with Judas, his betrayal is not done in the cause of Jewish heritage or its defense.  There is something completely different at work here.  My study bible gives us a clue when it talks about vulnerability in Judas to betrayal.  Was there something that triggered him?  John's Gospel suggests his love of money, that he was the "treasurer" and would steal.  We know the scene that happens shortly before betrayal, also given us by John:  Judas with others chastises the woman who uses a jar of expensive ointment to anoint Christ.   Christ says she has done it out of love, in preparation for His burial, and says, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.  For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."  It's a public rebuke to Judas.  But there we have a statement by Christ that goes beyond "legalism," and into the territory of love.  Jesus honors her gesture, but for a person who thinks strictly in terms of dollars and cents she's criticized for her choices; she's not following a rule.  Perhaps this exposes Judas' great blind spot, the place where Satan can take hold.  We've all got to open our hearts to where love calls us, because love is the reason and meaning behind all laws.  It's like all the "rules" we might find in churches for fasting, for example, or for ways we observe worship.  Those are helpful tools for the practice of our faith, but it's love that is the substance of the God we worship.  Sin is what is against God, not a violation of rules.   It's Jesus who taught that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.  It's in that place, the true object of our worship, that we go in Jesus' healing paradigm:  He has come to save, not to condemn.  Maybe Judas just can't quite "get" that message.  Some say he expected the Messiah to be a political ruler, overthrowing the Romans.  But what we do know is that Jesus will attempt until the last minute to save Judas, despite the fact of betrayal.  Let's look to ourselves and our own expectations to see where we, too, are vulnerable, where we have "blind spots."  Sometimes we have to give up the deepest fondest beliefs we have to follow Christ, even the things we rest our identity upon.  His love will call us to a wholeness we may resist, and draw us out of the groups we know.  Judas turns to the leadership who resents and envies Jesus, and betrays his Master.   Let us see how Jesus responds, and remember that it is His Way that defeats the devil, His light that shines in the darkness, always there on offer for us to heal, and be made truly whole.  Let's take a look at the darkness here, everything is done in hiding, via manipulation, in the shadows.   Jesus teaches openly in the temple by day.

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover

 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-Luke 22:13

In the recent readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem.  He has made His Triumphal Entry, cleansed the temple, and faced the challenges of the leadership.  He has also returned a few challenges of His own.  He speaks to the leadership, His disciples, and also the public.  (See readings from last Saturday,  Monday,  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).   In Friday's reading, Jesus began to speak about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, and how they are to endure what is to come, and on Saturday we read His teachings on both the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age, when He will return.  In yesterday's reading, He spoke to them a parable:  "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.  My study bible tells us:  "Olivet is the Mount of Olives, a hill on the east side of Jerusalem where pilgrims stayed when the city was overcrowded during festivals such as the Passover."

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover.   My study bible says that these two feasts were distinct but largely overlapping -- so they could be identified as one.

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.  My study bible notes:  "That the religious leaders feared the people means the populace at large favored charismatic figures such as Jesus.  Therefore, there is need for treachery, night arrest, and quick trial."

Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. A note tells us that "the Passover lambs were ritually slaughtered about noon on the first Day of Unleavened Bread, roasted in the afternoon, and eaten that evening -- marking the beginning of the Passover Festival.  Unleavened bread was eaten in remembrance of the urgent Exodus from Egypt, in which there was not time for the bread to rise."

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.  This scene given us in Luke reminds us of the earlier similar teachings of Jesus, in which two of His disciples were told where they would find a donkey's colt for Him to ride on, as He made His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. 

There are many elements in today's reading that we might call "elemental" to the Gospels, as they are hints of phenomena that surface again and again, giving us glimmers and reminders of events in common.  There's the prescience of Jesus on display again, as noted above.  First, before His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, He told two disciples they would meet a man who would give them the colt for Him to ride upon into Jerusalem.  Today, there's the particular exactitude again of the particular phrase they are to say to the man they will meet, and the particular room to make ready for the Passover.  These elements mirror and reflect one another, and they cause us to reflect.  Somehow the events and their exactitude, their precise elements described and foretold by Jesus give us a hint about what is happening here, and especially their importance.  We don't often see this side of Jesus, but it does occur and it teaches us something about Him, as well.  It's another quality of His holiness, although not used as often in His public ministry as powers of healing, or feeding, and casting out demons, and teaching; it's something shared with His apostles who are "sent" on these specific missions.  There's another familiar element in Luke and that is the fear of the leadership for the people.  Tellingly, Luke doesn't really give us a reason why Judas goes to the authorities, except to say that there is a spiritual battle going on here.  His betrayal of Christ is meant to teach us something about that -- and Luke's Gospel has just told us of Jesus' warnings of future betrayals and persecutions to His followers.  And there is His daily teaching of the people, who flock to hear Him, and His exchanges with the leadership.  He stays with the pilgrims on Olivet, a sojourner in Jerusalem.  The Passover teaches us something, the Feast of Unleavened Bread reminding us of Exodus.  Jesus will be our Passover Lamb, our sacrifice in His voluntary mission to us, and remains so for us today.  His "Exodus"  is imminent and will come at the end of this Passion Week.  ("Exodus" is the word used in Greek as He discussed what was to happen in Jerusalem with Elijah and Moses at the Transfiguration).  All of these various elements happen in a repeated pattern, so that we are reminded, we remember, and we reflect.  Over and over again, we get glimmerings of spiritual truths for our understanding, so that we understand what Jesus is about, what His holiness means, what He offers us, and His fulfillment of the spiritual history of Israel, as well as His example to us all.  The familiarity of elements teaches us what holiness is, and serves as a model for the future.  He cares for His disciples.  He takes care of every need appropriate to His duties, including making sure the Passover is properly cared for, the place where they are to meet all arranged.  The elements are set for what is necessary and what is to come, and especially the Last Supper at which He will introduce yet another remembrance and repetition from His ministry, something central (and truly "elemental" in a most phenomenal way) which we are told to repeat in the fullness of what is to come, which we will read about in tomorrow's lectionary reading.  The elements mix and tumble, even as elements in our own lives mix and tumble, of good and bad, high and low, exaltation and betrayal.  But Jesus is the pivot, the Teacher, the One around whom all things revolve.  What does His remembrance teach you today?