THIS CHAPTER is a touching record of some of the last events in the life of the Lord Jesus here on earth. Here we find, among other things, expressions of the extreme hatred of His enemies, the devotedness of a heart that loved Him deeply, and the special parting request He has made to His own.
“After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by craft, and put Him to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.” (vv. 1-2.)
The scheming craftiness of these religious enemies reveals their murderous hearts. Yet, fearful’ of the people if disturbed on the passover day, they purpose to wait until afterwards to put their scheme into effect. Such was their plan, but God had decreed otherwise. Turning back to Exodus 12, note how every detail of that first passover spoke of the “Lamb of God” who would later be lifted up as a sacrifice, whose blood would be shed, and through whom deliverance from sin and from the enmity of Satan would be possible to all who in faith own Him as Saviour.
The time of fulfillment of that passover was drawing very near and in God’s counsels only one specific day would answer to what He had established in the sacrificial death of His beloved Son. This must be the same day of the year on which the first passover was celebrated. The unbelieving and hating Jews had tried many times before to kill Jesus, but God had His time when His Son should be offered up. All the schemes and craftiness of men could neither move that date one moment ahead, nor cause one moment’s delay. “When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son.” Galatians 4:44But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (Galatians 4:4).
It is extremely important for us to see that, while wicked hands nailed His Son to the cross, and both Jew and Gentile participated in that death, it was actually God who gave His Son for us. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). “... He sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:1010Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:10).
Nor must we ever think that the Lord was taken by surprise when condemned to death in Pilate’s court. We have read before His own words: “The Son of man came... to give His life a ransom for many.” And again, “The Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles... and they shall kill Him.” Mark 10:33, 3433Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. (Mark 10:33‑34). Yet the true heart of man, in his rebellion against God and the Lord Jesus, expressed itself in that cruel crucifixion and both Jew and Gentile stand guilty before God for the death of His Son.
We all stand equally guilty and hopelessly lost in our sins, unless we turn in faith to Christ as our Saviour. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:1515This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15).
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