Image

Holy Week 2022: Wednesday

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Matthew 26:1–5

Since the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, hostility towards him has been mounting. In their fear of Jesus, the chief priests and the Pharisees who typically opposed one another were in unison. They were desperately plotting to arrest and kill Jesus. However, with the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover) approaching, there were more people than usual in Jerusalem, and Jesus was beginning to gain quite a passionate following among the people. Fearing an uprising and riot, the chief priests and Pharisees continued plotting in secret and decided to wait until after the Passover to unleash their plan.

You can hear the fear in their voice when they say, “lest there be an uproar of the people.” What might they be afraid of? They’re afraid of what they might lose. They fear losing their power. Losing their influence. Losing their status. You see, when Jesus is King, nothing else can be.

The human heart clings to these “lesser gods” like power and status, even when we know we shouldn’t. This Holy Week, we remind ourselves that Jesus’ path to the cross is really a path to the throne. And when he takes his seat on the throne of our lives, all other kings must be deposed. It hurts when the Lord reveals our idols. But it is a gift from God. As we prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday, let’s make sure the throne is clear for Jesus and Jesus alone to rule our lives.

Questions for Reflection

  1. What things compete with Jesus for your worship? It could be power, influence, or status like the Pharisees. Or it could be something else. Spend time asking the Spirit to bring it to mind.
  2. What steps are required to remove those things from the throne in your life so that Jesus is supreme?
  3. Is it worth it to crucify those idolatrous parts of your life? What do you stand to lose if you don’t? What is gained if you submit more of your life to Christ?