April 03, 2025 | Be God's Family
The Plot to Kill Jesus
Scripture: Matthew 26:1-5(NIV)
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 schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Devotional
It is interesting that those who had the most religious training were so against Jesus. What had he done so far to threaten them? He had taught the Sermon on the Mount, spoken in parables, healed the sick, loved the outcast, and challenged halfhearted religion. But He had also ministered on the Sabbath, challenged the authority of the religious establishment, and presented Himself as the Son of God and the Son of Man. That was a bridge too far.
So, they gathered in the palace of the priest to plot the crucifixion of the Christ. But they wanted to do it secretly. There was no use in stirring up the Passover crowds and ruining their religious festival. They were nothing if not pragmatic.
Jesus, though, knew exactly what was coming, predicting His own crucifixion yet again. In fact, He had known this day was coming for a very long time. Over two thousand years earlier, God made a blood covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15. At God’s command, Abraham cut in half a heifer, a goat and a ram, arranging the halves opposite each other, their blood spilling out to form a blood path. This practice was used as a means of two people walking the blood path, promising with their life to fulfill the covenant being made.
But in this instance, God walked the path for both Himself and for Abraham. In essence, He said, “Abraham, if you or your descendants fail to live up to my covenant, I will pay for it with my life.” In that moment the Son of God knew that He would one day be crucified for sinful humanity. Of course, Jesus knew this truth long before even that moment, such as when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6), or when Satan rebelled and fell like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18-20).
What the High Priest thought he could plot secretly from his palatial palace, Jesus knew from eternity He would suffer publicly on a criminal’s cross. Paul puts it plainly in 1 Timothy 1:15: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” That includes me… and you.
Give thanks to Jesus for knowingly offering Himself as the sacrifice to save sinners.
Poem
Vile Deceitful Schemes
Psalm 10
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak, who are caught in the schemes he devises. He boasts about the cravings of his heart; he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
Psalm 10: 2-4
Vile deceitful schemes behind veiled smiling faces
Dark plotting enshrouded by night
False witnesses gathered, gilded testimony
Great lies now on stage, full limelight
O, arrogant ones, who in greed line your pockets
Beware, for soon judgment will come
Do not be deceived thinking God’s not aware
Of your filthy, lewd, dark alley scum
Arise, now, O Lord, when Your timing is perfect
Arise, refine our sinful dross
Arise, O my Savior, who knows all our falsehoods
And nail deceit’s schemes to Your cross
Destroy all our lying, hush every false tongue
False witnesses bring to their knees
In sovereignty govern Your people in truth
And heal us from falsehood’s disease
