February 7, 2025 • 40 mins
Chapter 16 of Heroes in the Bible: Jesus with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by the Gospels.
The Last Supper - Jesus Spends a few final moments with his beloved disciples, and falls before God with sweat of blood. This episode begins with a tender moment interrupted by complete chaos. Jesus shows he is in complete control, although he is giving himself up to be tortured.
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Matthew 26:26, And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed
it and break it and gave it to the disciples
and said, take eat. This is my body Matthew twenty six,
twenty six. Because you value service to others above all,
I thank you, Jesus that even at the Last Supper,
(00:23):
you chose to wash the feet of your disciples. In
the midst of your most trying time, you did not
focus on yourself, but place the focus on serving others.
As this truth is illuminated before me, I will make
sure that this same character trait will remain in me
(00:46):
even in the midst of my own trials. I will
not take my eyes off of your commission to love
and to serve one another. When others around me seek
to betray me for simple pleasures, I thank you that
their betrayal is the prerequisite to my promotion. Whether it's
(01:06):
the Last Supper or the last dance, I will cherish
each moment I get to break bread and fellowship with
my loved ones as you did, Jesus, I will remember
that loving and leading others is what legacy is all about.
Your passover will not pass over my heart, but will
(01:30):
be planted deep so that you will be able to
grow and flourish beautifully in my life in Jesus name. Amen,
stay tuned to immerse yourself in the Greatest Stories Ever Told.
From pray do dot COM's podcast Heroes in the Bible.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Hi, I'm back to Tony Evans, your host for Heroes
in the Bible Jesus. If you've enjoyed this podcast so far,
please share it with your family and friends so that
they can know Jesus Christ in a personal way. Because
knowing Jesus is the key to understanding the Bible. Welcome
to the greatest story ever told. It is a story
of a shepherd's heart for his sheep, a father's love
(02:13):
for his children, and a hero's triumph over death and darkness.
This is a story that continues to shape and mold
the world around us, bringing the divine heart of God
right into the hearts of you and me. This episode
takes us high and low. We will crawl into deep
shadows with Judas and scale into the warm upper room
with Jesus. Darkness and light are separated by a thin veil,
(02:37):
and we will be left at the end both fearful
and hopeful at the same time. This episode is rich
with imagery. It is interwoven into the finer details of
the story. This episode will unpack the themes of worship, love, betrayal,
and sin. As you listen to this episode, do not
shy away from seeing it as a mirror. Allow the
(02:57):
actions of Judas to jar you O wake enough to
ask the question, am I capable of that same sin?
We will begin this story with the prelude, a story
captured from another time in space. We will be taken
back to Egypt, where Moses pleaded with Pharaoh to let
God's people go free. He refused, therefore inviting the judgment
of God upon him and his people. The prelude is
(03:20):
a booking of sords. The first passover Lamb pointed toward
a greater sacrifice to come. Jesus is the final passover Lamb.
I can't wait to go through this episode with you.
Stay tuned afterwards and unpack some of its themes with me.
Here is episode sixteen, the Last Supper.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Prelude to chapter sixteen. Listen, Moses said, banging on the
courthouse walls, its echoes were haunting. As they made their
way into the throne, Pharaoh sat there, looming over Moses
in a shroud of darkness.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
A final plague is coming.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Every first born in the land of Egypt will die.
Your entire nation will cry out in the same agony
God's people once did when you tossed their children into
the Nile. Do you even hear what I am saying?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Pharaoh sat there in silence. God had sent nine other plagues,
all of them hardened his heart even more. Moses stood there,
fuming at the ignorance of his childhood friend he had
grown up in Egypt. Although they were now his enemies,
not even he wanted to see them killed. However, Pharaoh
(04:39):
and his pride would not budge. It was time for
the wrath of God to be fully shown to him.
Moses stormed out of the palace and ran to the
slave quarter of the city. He gathered all the elders
together and said.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Go and select lambs for yourselves, kill them, and spread
their blood on your doorsteps. Do this, cook the lamb,
and enjoy a nice meal with your family. But whenever
you do, do not go outside until morning. The destroyer
is being set.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
The people of Israel did as they were told. They
sacrificed to lamb, and its blood was poured out into
a basin. They spread its blood over the doors for protection. Then,
like a thief and the dead of night, the destroyer came,
and the wrath of God was poured out on all
(05:32):
those who were not covered by the blood of the lamb. Enrage, agony,
and shame. Pharaoh let the slaves of Israel go. Because
a lamb was slain, the people were able to escape
death and live in freedom. It was for this reason
the people of God instituted a special day, a day
(05:56):
to remember the deliverance of God, to remember a time
when they were enslaved and how God's judgment passed over them.
This feast would be celebrated for generations. It would help
them endure captivity, poverty, and political unrest. For thousands of generations,
(06:18):
people would look to that day as a symbol of
God's faithfulness. The Passover was a day of salvation. Chapter sixteen,
The Last Supper. The midnight stars were hidden by the
storm clouds looming above Jerusalem. They had not left since
(06:41):
Jesus entered the city. The city's torches had been snuffed,
and all of Jerusalem and its inhabitants were sleeping soundly.
Yet there was one dim light flickering near the temple
estates down a dark stone hallway through a large wooden
door Chiaphe sat back at his table, staring intently at
(07:03):
his guests. The chief priests, pharisees, scribes, and sadducees had
bickered into the night on how to put an end
to Jesus. The plan had been to arrest him when
he walked into the city. However, he was too popular
to seize in public. Caiaphus rested his chin on his
(07:24):
folded hands, allowing the circular arguing to fill the room.
He gave a loud sigh, loud enough for the room
to go quiet. It must be by stealth, Caiphus said,
as I have said before.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
It cannot be with the people watching, nor can it
be within the temple gates. Too many loyal eyes will
be upon him. How will we know his whereabouts?
Speaker 3 (07:50):
One of the pharisees asked, I suspect we will need
someone who knows where he will be. Caiaphas replied, stroking
his beard.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
It will not be easy, for I know his followers
are devoted to him. They treat him like Jehovah himself.
You well need many soldiers.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
A scribe replied, surely a man who can raise the
dead can stop a sword or two.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
We must be ready.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Caiaphas nodded and gestured to the captain of the temple guard,
standing at the door.
Speaker 5 (08:22):
We will insure his capture. Our men will be ready
when the time.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
He is right.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
As he said these things, the men could hear a
shuffle down the hallway. The temple guards drew their swords.
The footsteps grew louder and louder, until stopping at the door.
The captain of the guard approached with his sword drawn.
There was a small knock, followed by silence. The guard
peeked through an opening to see a hooded figure standing
(08:50):
at the entrance. He opened the door, violently, grabbing the
man and pressing the blade to his throat. The guard
threw him to the ground and forced him to his knees.
The hooded figure bowed with his head low and hands raised.
Caiaphus stood to his feet. Reveal yourself, he demanded. The
hooded man raised his head slightly and removed his hood.
(09:14):
It was a younger man with keen eyes. He stared
at the high priest, intently waiting for him to recognize him.
Caiaphas tilted his head and walked forward. I know you,
Caiaphas said.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
You are one of them, one of the twelve. Has
that blasphemer Jesus sent you here to deliver a message.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
The man simply shook his head, not wanting to speak
unless prompted.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Do not waste my time, disciple, Why are you here?
Speak before I have my guard forced out of you.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
I am Judas. Judas is scariot, my lord. I I
have come to offer up my services.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Judas spoke with a slightly panicked and paranoid tone. Caiaphas
looked down at him, then looked at the other religious
leaders in the room. He snarled at Judas and said.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
You would betray your teacher. I thought he was your messiah.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Judas held his head low in shame. He paused for
a moment, considering what he was doing.
Speaker 6 (10:18):
Am I really ready to do this?
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Judas thought to himself, Am.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I ready to betray Jesus?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
After all I've witnessed? Judas looked up at Caiaphas. He
gumped and reassured his heart that money was a far
better reward than living outside with Jesus and a bunch
of fishermen.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
What will you give me if I deliver him over
to you.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Judas asked. The entire room laughed. Caiaphas looked around and mused.
At Judas's reply, he nodded to one of the crimes.
The man reached into his cloak and grabbed a bag
of silver. Caiaphas took it and counted the coins in
his hands.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Thirty pieces of silver for your masters whereabouts on the
night of passover. Caiaphas said, I want the exact place
he will be, and I want Hugh to direct my
guards to him. Can you do this? Judas nodded, very well,
here is your coin, take it and leave me. Send
for us when the time is right.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Caiaphus tossed the coins to him, then gestured for the
guards to escort him out. Judas held the sack of
coins under the darkened sky. Its weight was heavy in
his hands. He looked down at it for a long while,
contemplating what he had just done. It had only taken
(11:39):
a few moments for him to betray the Son of God,
The Messiah himself would be put to death all for
a few pieces of silver. Had he made a mistake
was it too late to turn back? Would Jesus know?
Judas blocked these thoughts from his mind. The purpose for
(12:00):
sin always requires a willing ignorance. He breathed in, deeply,
smiled at his coins, and merely walked back to the camp,
where Jesus and the others slept soundly. Watching Judas leave.
Was the serpent from ancient days, the deceiver and accuser.
(12:22):
Grinned as Judas walked, with silver clanging in his pocket.
He had won over his heart. Soon enough, he would
have victory. The sun rose behind the clouded sky. Its
orange hue was covered behind the brewing storm. A gray
(12:42):
haze overshadowed the city of Jerusalem. However, the city below
was bustling with life as the passover feast approached. Jesus
sat on a small hill taking in the city. Despite
the darkness dwelling above, the city below, oh was vibrant
and colorful. Men and women filled the streets, singing and
(13:05):
preparing for the feast. Jesus looked a little way into
the distance. The storm clouds were centering themselves over the hills.
In the distance. Goncarthur was preparing itself. There you are, Master,
Andrew said, climbing up a few stones. Jesus smiled and
(13:26):
gestured for him to have a seat next to him.
Andrew sat and looked out at the horizon for a
moment with.
Speaker 7 (13:33):
Jesus, where would you have us eat for the passover?
Speaker 6 (13:36):
Andrew asked, go into the city. Jesus replied, go to
a certain man. You will know him when you see him.
Simply tell him that the Lord has need of his house,
and he will offer it up to us.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Andrew nodded, a bit skeptical. His last mission was to
retrieve a colt for Jesus, and that ended with a
few cracked ribs. Nevertheless, Andrew took a few of the
disciples and departed into the city. As they entered, there
was a man standing outside his home sweeping. Andrew did
(14:09):
not know if he was the man Jesus told him about. However,
he thought it would not hurt to ask, sir.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Andrew called out, the Lord has need of your home
this evening.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
The man ceased his sweeping and looked up. His eyes
widened as he saw the disciples approaching. God had clearly
spoken to him the night before. He bowed and offered
off his home. So the twelve and a few others
prepared the Passover meal. They laughed, sang old hymns, and
(14:44):
enjoyed the process of celebration. However, Judas remained silent. His
heart had already grown bitterly cold, unable to be warmed
by good company. The supper begun, Delicious food had flowed
from the kitchen, and the disciples laughed and sang with
(15:06):
one another. The Passover meal had been a cherished tradition
for every generation since the exodus from Egypt. They kept
it closely to their hearts, remembering God's faithfulness to their ancestors.
The Passover meal was a constant reminder that God would
go to great lengths to protect and provide for his children.
(15:30):
This night was set aside for gratitude, contemplation, and worship.
Jesus looked among his disciples. He knew that his final
moments had come. He looked at each of them, filled
with love, overflowing love. Jesus was reminded of what it
(15:53):
was once like walking in the garden of Eden. He
longed for that again. He would go to great lengths
to restore that relationship. Jesus bowed his head and smiled
while the disciples were still talking amongst each other. Jesus
stood to his feet and walked over to the entrance
(16:15):
of the room. Near the door was a large pot
of water and a basin. Jesus removed his outer garments
and wrapped a towel round his waist. He poured the
water into a large basin and brought it over to
the disciples without a word. Jesus took Philip's feet and
(16:38):
began to wash them. The dirt and grime from the
day's travels washed out into the basin. Jesus took the
towel on his waist and tried off his feet. He
did the same with Bartholomew, scrubbing his feet and drying
them off. Dirty water splashed onto Jesus's chest as he washed.
(17:00):
The disciples were speechless. As Jesus proceeded to wash the
feet of Thomas Matthew James, Jude Simon James, the son
of Zebedee John and Andrew the entire room washed As
Jesus knelt down into the grime and dirt. Washing feet
(17:25):
was a job only for gentile slaves. Yet Jesus was
content to kneel down and wash the dirt, grime, and
excrement off their feet. Jesus eventually made his way to Judas.
Jesus looked up, smiling, then poured clean water into the basin.
(17:48):
He took Judas his feet and washed them. He gave
just as much time and attention as he did the others.
There was no partiality in Jesus, although he knew what
Judas was going to do. Judas's heart beat swiftly in
his chest. He averted his case from Jesus, ashamed. Then
(18:13):
Jesus made his way to Peter. Before he could grab
his feet, Peter.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Pulled back, Lord, are you really going to wash my feet?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
He asked. Jesus nodded and replied.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
I have washed the others, have I not. Do not fret, Peter,
what I am doing you do not yet understand, but
trust me, soon you will understand the meaning behind what
I am doing.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Jesus poured clean water back into the basin and proceeded
to reach for Peter's feet. He stood, shaking his head.
Peter was flustered. He was uncomfortable with the man he
considered a king kneeling down and washing his feet. It
was a job for servants. If anything, Peter should have
(18:56):
been washing Jesus's feet.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
No, Peter exclaimed, you shall never wash my feet.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Jesus never.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Jesus sat back for a moment. He could see how
upset this made Peter. Jesus opened up his hands and said.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
Peter, if I do not wash you clean, you cannot
share this life with me.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Peter tilted his head in confusion. It was yet another
metaphor he did not understand. He looked down at the
water near his feet. It rippled Jesus's reflection. He looked
up to see Jesus's warm smile. Well, then Peter began,
(19:39):
I suppose you should not only wash my feet, but
also my hands and my head. Jesus laughed and shook
his head.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Peter, if you've not been washed clean, you do not
need to be washed again. However, the feet still need
to be washed every now and again.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Jesus darted his eyes quickly at Judas, then at Peter.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
Not all of you are clean.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Then he washed Peter's feet, put his garment back on,
and sat back at the table.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Do you understand what I've done here?
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Jesus said to them.
Speaker 6 (20:13):
You all call me teacher and lord, and you're right
to do so. For I am surely both those things.
So if I, then, being your teacher and lord, am
willing to bend down and get dirty to bless you,
so you also should be willing to do for one another.
I have given you the ultimate example, wash one another's feet.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
The disciples nodded, understanding the meaning of Jesus's words. He
was establishing a new way to lead. He was showcasing
the ultimate call of every teacher, leader, and shepherd.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
A servant is no greater than his master. If you
understand these simple truths, blessed.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Are you, Jesus said. The evening drew on and theciples
settled into the comfort of the table. The group enjoyed food, wine,
and laughter. The warmth of fellowship filled the room like
the aroma of fresh bread. Jesus laughed with them, However,
(21:15):
his heart ached. He knew the hour was close. He
could hear the winds shift in the distance. The storm
clouds had not ceased their marching. John was reclined on
Jesus's chest. He was the youngest of the disciples, no
older than sixteen. Jesus loved him dearly and allowed him
(21:38):
to remain close as the final hour approached. On his
other side was Judas. He kept to himself, mostly looking
down at his food. Jesus scanned the rest of the
table and said.
Speaker 6 (21:53):
Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
The clanging of cups ceased and silence filled the room.
The disciples looked at Jesus, unable to comprehend such a thing.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Lord, is it i?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Philip passed. All of the disciples, asked Jesus if it
was them. They all were keenly aware of their potential
for wickedness. Being close to Jesus had taught them that,
compared to him, their righteous acts were like filthy rags.
The disciples were debating amongst each other, confused and alarmed.
(22:31):
As they spoke, John leaned over to Jesus and whispered.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Who is it.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Lord. Jesus looked at John, then dipped a morsel of
bread into the dish in front of him. It was
a symbol of honor to give a guest a dip
piece of bread. Jesus took it and looked at John.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
It will be the man who receives a dipped morsel
of bread.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
He answered. Then he gave the morsel of bread to Judas,
who was next to him. Judas looked down at the
piece of bread. It lingered there for a while. In
that moment, Judas could have repented. He could have looked
Jesus in the eyes and begged forgiveness. The pouch filled
(23:17):
with silver in his pocket was heavy, like Adam and
Eve with the forbidden fruit in the garden. Jesus gave
Judas a choice when he refused to eat and live
a life with Jesus, or would he take the food
and betray his creator. He looked at the bread, then
(23:39):
up at Jesus to the trembling hand. He took it
from Jesus and ate. It was at that moment the
enemy had fully taken hold of Judas's heart. Satan, who
had crawled his way to the twelve, finally found his victim.
(24:01):
Jesus looked at Judas. The other disciples were still talking
amongst themselves. He placed his hand on Judas's shoulder and said, what.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
You are about to do, do it quickly.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Judas's eyes widened, and he stumbled back and left the
room in a hurry. No one at the table knew
what Jesus told Judas. They had assumed he went to
buy more food for the feast. Judas ran down the
stairs into the streets. Torches illuminated the dark, dirty pathway
leading up to the temple. Estates he knew where Jesus
(24:37):
was going to next, and now he knew that Jesus
would go without a struggle. So he set his gaze
on the temple and ran to go tell Caiaphas. Jesus
looked out the window. The moonlight was barely visible through
the dense clouds above.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
The time has come for God to be glorified.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
He whispered. He gestured to the eleven remaining disciples and
caught their attention.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
I tell you it is time for the Son of
Man to be glorified, and for God to be glorified
in him. Little children, I am only with you for
a little while longer where I am going, you cannot
come while I am gone. I have a new commandment
to give you.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
The disciples leaned in intently. Jesus was about to give
a new commandment in addition to the ancient law of Moses.
Scripture was pouring forth from Jesus's lips, and history was
about to be altered.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
Love one another. Jesus said, this is my commandment. Just
as I have loved you, you are to love one another.
It is by your love for one another that people
will know you are my disciples. They will come to
strike me down, Jesus said, and you all will fall
away from as was prophesied by Zachariah. I will strike
(26:04):
the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, but rest assured.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
After I rise.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
Again, I will come back to you in Galilee. You
will be restored, and I will give you the helper,
the comforter my spirit.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
Peter stood to his feet and beat his chest, saying.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
They will all fall away, Lord, but not I.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I will stand with you till the bitter end. I
will stay by your side and fight.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Jesus shook his head.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
Peter, son of Jonah, I tell you that this very night,
before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Peter shook his head and refused, I.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Would rather die before denying you, Jesus.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
The rest of the disciples beat their fists against the
table and agreed. They vowed to stick by Jesus's side
no matter what Jesus knew their hearts. He did not
hold their ignorance against them. However, the son of Man
was destined to march up the hill alone. The men
(27:13):
continued eating. Jesus listened to their laughter filled the room
like a sweet aroma. His love for them was like
a bottomless well. Although his heart ached for what would happen,
he felt a sense of joy set before him. He
would take all their shortcomings, sins and shame, and bury
(27:38):
it in the grave. It would require everything from him.
So Jesus grabbed a loaf of bread and raised it high.
He blessed it and broke it into eleven pieces and
handed them to the disciples. Take this, Jesus said, This
represents my body. It is procin so that you may
(27:59):
be made. All the disciples took the bread and ate it.
Then Jesus poured a cup of wine. He raised it
in the air and blessed it. He handed it to John,
who was next to him, gesturing for him to take
a sip and pass it on.
Speaker 6 (28:18):
This is my covenant, Take and drink of it.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Long ago, a covenant had been made between God and Abraham.
God promised to bless Abraham and through his seed all
the nations would be blessed. The fulfillment of that covenant
was upon them. God had brought his promised seed, Jesus.
(28:44):
Now is time for a new covenant, a bond between
God and man. The words of the prophet Jeremiah echoed
from the time of exile long ago. He had prophesight
of this new covenant when he.
Speaker 7 (28:58):
Said, behold, the days are coming when I will make
a new covenant with the people of Israel. It will
not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
They broke that covenant.
Speaker 7 (29:11):
For this is the covenant that I will make with
my children. I will plant my law within them, and
I will write it on their hearts, and I will
be their God, and they shall be my people.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
The cup of wine passed along the table.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
This is my blood that is shed for you eat
and drink in remembrance of me. However, I will not
drink until the day I am with you. In my father's.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Kingdom, Jesus had instituted a sacred tradition, one that would
stretch as far as the Passover itself. Hundreds, then thousands,
then millions of people would gather around the world to
eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Jesus's body
being broken and blood being shed. For the remission of sins.
(30:03):
It would be a symbol of the new covenant, a
covenant written in blood. After saying these things, Jesus rose
to his feet. He began to sing, leading the disciples
in an ancient hymn. His voice was low and methodic.
The disciples joined in, as did the angels in heaven.
(30:27):
Outside the storm clouds circled in the skies. They raged
like caged beasts. Jesus set his gaze to the Mount
of Olives. He and his disciples hiked up the mountain
to pray. The olive trees whisped gently to the wind.
(30:48):
Not too far behind them, Judas lurked behind the trees
with a hundred armed guards. Death was awaiting the Lamb
of God.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
The Bible is more than just a set of rules
or moral codes. It isn't a history book or a
collection of Hebrew fables. The Bible is an interwoven story,
ultimately building up to the work and words of Jesus Christ.
The prelude to this story is the ultimate example of
that concept. The blood of the Lamb protected people from
the judgment of God in the same way Jesus is
(31:22):
our passover lamb. His blood covers Us from the judgment
of God. This episode and the others leading up to
the crucifixion will take place during Passover. It is not
only poetic, but providential that the lamb would be slain
on Passover. The entire system of sacrifice, cleansing, and ceremony
and the Old Testament was pointing to Jesus. He is
(31:44):
our ultimate sacrifice. He washes us clean. It is him
we celebrate. The episode began with betrayal. Judas, one of
the Chosen twelve Disciples, set his heart on betraying Jesus.
The last few episodes teased that this would happened, dropping
hints that Judas's loyalty was on shaky ground. In our
last episode, when Jesus was confronting the priest, we got
(32:08):
a hint They needed to wait for the perfect moment
to strike. They pursued the group of disciples, following closely
behind Jesus. One of them met their eyes with a
look of curiosity. Jesus met their gaze, then they turned
back to Jesus. The high priest Caiaphas, tilted his head
and smirked. Perhaps he had found a chink in the armor.
(32:29):
We were also given a hint in episode fourteen, when
Mary was anointing Jesus with expensive ointment, Mary the sister
of Lazarus, came with an alabaster flax of spikenard and
expensive ointment. No doubt, it was her life savings and
the only financial security she had, Yet she was content
to adorn Jesus with it. She poured out the flask
(32:51):
and it spilled onto his hair and feet. The fragrance
filled the room. It was an ointment used for burial.
Judas watched from the corner of his room. What is
she doing? He shouted. His outburst caught the attention of everyone.
That is expensive ointment. Why not sell it and give
the money to the poor. Judas was in charge of
the money bag and would often help himself to whatever
(33:14):
was put into it. His outcry to sell the ointment
was not out of altruism but greed. Leave her alone,
Jesus said, see that she keeps the rest for my burial,
for you will always have the poor. But my time
here is almost done, Jesus saw through the heart of Judas.
Mary was willing to lay down her livelihood to glorify Jesus.
Yet Judas, even with all the exposure to the acts
(33:37):
of Jesus was gripped by the love of money in
a moment of weakness. He would soon learn just how
much damage the love of money can do to a man.
I want to draw a contrast between Judas and Mary.
Mary thought Jesus was worth sacrificing everything for, while Judas
thought Jesus was worth sacrificing. To marry Jesus was worth
(33:59):
her lifelihood. To Judas, Jesus was worth thirty pieces of silver.
Many people scarf at the weakness of Judas, But may
I offer up a different perspective. It is possible that
you and I have sold Jesus out for far less
than thirty pieces of silver. Think about how often you
and I have chosen cheap materialism or popularity over Christ.
(34:21):
If it was truly our sin that nailed Jesus to
the cross, then there are some pretty cheap sins that
sold him out for. I don't say this as a condemnation,
but as a shift in perspective. As evil as Judas's
act was, we are guilty of the same sins. Praise
be to God that he loves us and serves us
despite our betrayal. One of the more powerful moments in
(34:44):
this episode is when Jesus was washing the feet of
his disciples. Foot Washing was nasty business. Back in those days.
There were no paved roads and no public cleaning system.
The roads were laced with excrement of livestock, dirt, and
all sorts of filth. On top of that, everyone wore sandals.
You can imagine how dirty feet were back then. It
(35:06):
was a dishonorable job to wash feet, so much so
that it was a job only for gentile slaves. But
there Jesus was cloth wrapped around his waist washing his
disciples feet. The dirt and grime from their feet splashed
up onto the towel and made Jesus dirty. He wore
their filth. This was an image of what he would
(35:26):
do on the cross. He would wear our filthiness so
that we might wear his righteousness. He even washed the
feet of Judas, knowing full well that he would betray him.
Jesus still served his enemies, and he called us to
do the same. What a beautiful picture of God's love
for us. The disciples sat down with Jesus for the
(35:46):
Passover meal. They exchanged stories, prayers, and laughter. I wish
I could have been there to see Jesus laughing with
his disciples. Those pure moments must have been a wonder
to see. However, the levity of the evening was pause
when Jesus said, truly, I say to you, one of
you will betray me. What a jarring thing to say.
(36:07):
Can you imagine the disciples dismayed when Jesus said that,
do you know what I love most about this scene?
The disciples didn't look around the room and start guessing
who was going to betray Jesus. They didn't speculate based
on people's faithfulness or judge based on appearance. They turned
to themselves and asked, Lord, is it I I love
(36:28):
that I love? The purity of that question they all
looked inward and saw their own potential for betraying Jesus.
This is one of the major themes of this epistle.
We are all capable of evil and dependent on God's
spirit to guide our hearts into righteousness. Jesus did not
hold Judas's temptation against him. We're all flawed people and
(36:49):
capable of sin. That's why Jesus gave Judas a choice.
He extended the peace of bread to him, and if
Judas took it, he would seal his faith. In that moment,
Judas could have repented. He could have looked Jesus in
the eyes and beg for forgiveness. The pouch filled with
silver in his pocket was heavy, like Adam and Eve
(37:10):
with the forbidden fruit in the garden. Jesus gave Judas
a choice. Would he refuse to eat and live a
life with Jesus, or would he take the food and
betray his creator. He took the bread, then looked up
at Jesus with a trembling hand. He took it from
Jesus and ate. We're all given a choice, and Jesus
always offers a better path to follow. When the lives
(37:31):
of the enemy tempt us, Jesus is there with an
outstretched hand, giving us another way. The episode ends with
Jesus establishing a covenant with his disciples. He breaks the
bread and gives it to them, representing his body that
would be broken on their behalf. He then gives them
the cup of wine, representing the blood that would be
shed for him. Jesus's words have significance here, especially as
(37:55):
it pertains to the cup. This is my covenant, taking
drink of it, said and handed the cup to his disciples.
This phrase, this is my covenant, taking drink of it
was a Semitic idiom used for marriage proposals. When a
man desired to marry a woman, he would go to
his father and request an audience with the woman's family.
The two families would gather and discuss a bride price.
(38:19):
The bride price was not a dowry or buying the
woman like property. The bride price was buying a chance
to propose to the woman so she could say yes
or no. With the families gathered together, the man would
pour a cup of wine and hand it to the
woman and say, this is my covenant, Take and drink
from it. In other words, he was asking her will
(38:40):
you marry me, And if the woman took a sip
from the cup, she was essentially saying yes, I will
marry you. From that point forward, the woman referred to
as one who was bought with a price. The man
would leave her for a while to build a home,
which was called a mansion. The best man would be
the one to relay messages back and forth while the
(39:01):
woman got herself ready anticipating the day the trumpets sounded
so she could be brought to the groom when the
father deemed the mansion ready, and only when the Father
deemed the groom would be allowed to retrieve his bride
and they would have a feast and celebrate their union together.
Do you see the parallels? Scripture refers to Jesus as
the groom and us as the bride. He offers us
(39:24):
the cup of his covenant through his sacrifice, the bride
price was his life. By putting our faith in him,
we say yes. Jesus communicates to us through the Holy Spirit,
his best man, and when God the Father deems heaven
fit for us, Jesus will return with trumpets to retrieve us.
Communion is far more than a tradition when we remember
(39:46):
Jesus's sacrifice. Communion is a continual practice of remembering the
promises exchanged between Us and Jesus. I pray this story
inspired you to see your relationship with God in a
whole new light. As we continue, may we be continually
contemplating Christ's sacrifice and love for us. In our next episode,
(40:07):
the brutality of Christ's death begins. Yet even in the
trial beating in mockery, we never get the sense that
Jesus is a victim. He is a conquering hero. He
is a devoted groom doing whatever it takes to retrieve
his bride. Join us next time for episode seventeen, God
on Trial. Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories,
(40:28):
daily prayers and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to
pray dot com. And to expand your heroes in the
Bible journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at
Tonyevans dot org. Forwards flash heroes share this podcast with
a family member or friend so that they can know
Jesus Christ in a personal way. You never know how
great of an impact the Bible and this podcast can
(40:50):
have on someone's life. God bless
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed
it and break it and gave it to the disciples
and said, take eat. This is my body Matthew twenty six,
twenty six. Because you value service to others above all,
I thank you, Jesus that even at the Last Supper,
(00:23):
you chose to wash the feet of your disciples. In
the midst of your most trying time, you did not
focus on yourself, but place the focus on serving others.
As this truth is illuminated before me, I will make
sure that this same character trait will remain in me
(00:46):
even in the midst of my own trials. I will
not take my eyes off of your commission to love
and to serve one another. When others around me seek
to betray me for simple pleasures, I thank you that
their betrayal is the prerequisite to my promotion. Whether it's
(01:06):
the Last Supper or the last dance, I will cherish
each moment I get to break bread and fellowship with
my loved ones as you did, Jesus, I will remember
that loving and leading others is what legacy is all about.
Your passover will not pass over my heart, but will
(01:30):
be planted deep so that you will be able to
grow and flourish beautifully in my life in Jesus name. Amen,
stay tuned to immerse yourself in the Greatest Stories Ever Told.
From pray do dot COM's podcast Heroes in the Bible.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Hi, I'm back to Tony Evans, your host for Heroes
in the Bible Jesus. If you've enjoyed this podcast so far,
please share it with your family and friends so that
they can know Jesus Christ in a personal way. Because
knowing Jesus is the key to understanding the Bible. Welcome
to the greatest story ever told. It is a story
of a shepherd's heart for his sheep, a father's love
(02:13):
for his children, and a hero's triumph over death and darkness.
This is a story that continues to shape and mold
the world around us, bringing the divine heart of God
right into the hearts of you and me. This episode
takes us high and low. We will crawl into deep
shadows with Judas and scale into the warm upper room
with Jesus. Darkness and light are separated by a thin veil,
(02:37):
and we will be left at the end both fearful
and hopeful at the same time. This episode is rich
with imagery. It is interwoven into the finer details of
the story. This episode will unpack the themes of worship, love, betrayal,
and sin. As you listen to this episode, do not
shy away from seeing it as a mirror. Allow the
(02:57):
actions of Judas to jar you O wake enough to
ask the question, am I capable of that same sin?
We will begin this story with the prelude, a story
captured from another time in space. We will be taken
back to Egypt, where Moses pleaded with Pharaoh to let
God's people go free. He refused, therefore inviting the judgment
of God upon him and his people. The prelude is
(03:20):
a booking of sords. The first passover Lamb pointed toward
a greater sacrifice to come. Jesus is the final passover Lamb.
I can't wait to go through this episode with you.
Stay tuned afterwards and unpack some of its themes with me.
Here is episode sixteen, the Last Supper.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Prelude to chapter sixteen. Listen, Moses said, banging on the
courthouse walls, its echoes were haunting. As they made their
way into the throne, Pharaoh sat there, looming over Moses
in a shroud of darkness.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
A final plague is coming.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Every first born in the land of Egypt will die.
Your entire nation will cry out in the same agony
God's people once did when you tossed their children into
the Nile. Do you even hear what I am saying?
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Pharaoh sat there in silence. God had sent nine other plagues,
all of them hardened his heart even more. Moses stood there,
fuming at the ignorance of his childhood friend he had
grown up in Egypt. Although they were now his enemies,
not even he wanted to see them killed. However, Pharaoh
(04:39):
and his pride would not budge. It was time for
the wrath of God to be fully shown to him.
Moses stormed out of the palace and ran to the
slave quarter of the city. He gathered all the elders
together and said.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Go and select lambs for yourselves, kill them, and spread
their blood on your doorsteps. Do this, cook the lamb,
and enjoy a nice meal with your family. But whenever
you do, do not go outside until morning. The destroyer
is being set.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
The people of Israel did as they were told. They
sacrificed to lamb, and its blood was poured out into
a basin. They spread its blood over the doors for protection. Then,
like a thief and the dead of night, the destroyer came,
and the wrath of God was poured out on all
(05:32):
those who were not covered by the blood of the lamb. Enrage, agony,
and shame. Pharaoh let the slaves of Israel go. Because
a lamb was slain, the people were able to escape
death and live in freedom. It was for this reason
the people of God instituted a special day, a day
(05:56):
to remember the deliverance of God, to remember a time
when they were enslaved and how God's judgment passed over them.
This feast would be celebrated for generations. It would help
them endure captivity, poverty, and political unrest. For thousands of generations,
(06:18):
people would look to that day as a symbol of
God's faithfulness. The Passover was a day of salvation. Chapter sixteen,
The Last Supper. The midnight stars were hidden by the
storm clouds looming above Jerusalem. They had not left since
(06:41):
Jesus entered the city. The city's torches had been snuffed,
and all of Jerusalem and its inhabitants were sleeping soundly.
Yet there was one dim light flickering near the temple
estates down a dark stone hallway through a large wooden
door Chiaphe sat back at his table, staring intently at
(07:03):
his guests. The chief priests, pharisees, scribes, and sadducees had
bickered into the night on how to put an end
to Jesus. The plan had been to arrest him when
he walked into the city. However, he was too popular
to seize in public. Caiaphus rested his chin on his
(07:24):
folded hands, allowing the circular arguing to fill the room.
He gave a loud sigh, loud enough for the room
to go quiet. It must be by stealth, Caiphus said,
as I have said before.
Speaker 5 (07:40):
It cannot be with the people watching, nor can it
be within the temple gates. Too many loyal eyes will
be upon him. How will we know his whereabouts?
Speaker 3 (07:50):
One of the pharisees asked, I suspect we will need
someone who knows where he will be. Caiaphas replied, stroking
his beard.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
It will not be easy, for I know his followers
are devoted to him. They treat him like Jehovah himself.
You well need many soldiers.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
A scribe replied, surely a man who can raise the
dead can stop a sword or two.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
We must be ready.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Caiaphas nodded and gestured to the captain of the temple guard,
standing at the door.
Speaker 5 (08:22):
We will insure his capture. Our men will be ready
when the time.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
He is right.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
As he said these things, the men could hear a
shuffle down the hallway. The temple guards drew their swords.
The footsteps grew louder and louder, until stopping at the door.
The captain of the guard approached with his sword drawn.
There was a small knock, followed by silence. The guard
peeked through an opening to see a hooded figure standing
(08:50):
at the entrance. He opened the door, violently, grabbing the
man and pressing the blade to his throat. The guard
threw him to the ground and forced him to his knees.
The hooded figure bowed with his head low and hands raised.
Caiaphus stood to his feet. Reveal yourself, he demanded. The
hooded man raised his head slightly and removed his hood.
(09:14):
It was a younger man with keen eyes. He stared
at the high priest, intently waiting for him to recognize him.
Caiaphas tilted his head and walked forward. I know you,
Caiaphas said.
Speaker 5 (09:28):
You are one of them, one of the twelve. Has
that blasphemer Jesus sent you here to deliver a message.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
The man simply shook his head, not wanting to speak
unless prompted.
Speaker 5 (09:41):
Do not waste my time, disciple, Why are you here?
Speak before I have my guard forced out of you.
Speaker 6 (09:48):
I am Judas. Judas is scariot, my lord. I I
have come to offer up my services.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Judas spoke with a slightly panicked and paranoid tone. Caiaphas
looked down at him, then looked at the other religious
leaders in the room. He snarled at Judas and said.
Speaker 5 (10:05):
You would betray your teacher. I thought he was your messiah.
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Judas held his head low in shame. He paused for
a moment, considering what he was doing.
Speaker 6 (10:18):
Am I really ready to do this?
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Judas thought to himself, Am.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I ready to betray Jesus?
Speaker 3 (10:24):
After all I've witnessed? Judas looked up at Caiaphas. He
gumped and reassured his heart that money was a far
better reward than living outside with Jesus and a bunch
of fishermen.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
What will you give me if I deliver him over
to you.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Judas asked. The entire room laughed. Caiaphas looked around and mused.
At Judas's reply, he nodded to one of the crimes.
The man reached into his cloak and grabbed a bag
of silver. Caiaphas took it and counted the coins in
his hands.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
Thirty pieces of silver for your masters whereabouts on the
night of passover. Caiaphas said, I want the exact place
he will be, and I want Hugh to direct my
guards to him. Can you do this? Judas nodded, very well,
here is your coin, take it and leave me. Send
for us when the time is right.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
Caiaphus tossed the coins to him, then gestured for the
guards to escort him out. Judas held the sack of
coins under the darkened sky. Its weight was heavy in
his hands. He looked down at it for a long while,
contemplating what he had just done. It had only taken
(11:39):
a few moments for him to betray the Son of God,
The Messiah himself would be put to death all for
a few pieces of silver. Had he made a mistake
was it too late to turn back? Would Jesus know?
Judas blocked these thoughts from his mind. The purpose for
(12:00):
sin always requires a willing ignorance. He breathed in, deeply,
smiled at his coins, and merely walked back to the camp,
where Jesus and the others slept soundly. Watching Judas leave.
Was the serpent from ancient days, the deceiver and accuser.
(12:22):
Grinned as Judas walked, with silver clanging in his pocket.
He had won over his heart. Soon enough, he would
have victory. The sun rose behind the clouded sky. Its
orange hue was covered behind the brewing storm. A gray
(12:42):
haze overshadowed the city of Jerusalem. However, the city below
was bustling with life as the passover feast approached. Jesus
sat on a small hill taking in the city. Despite
the darkness dwelling above, the city below, oh was vibrant
and colorful. Men and women filled the streets, singing and
(13:05):
preparing for the feast. Jesus looked a little way into
the distance. The storm clouds were centering themselves over the hills.
In the distance. Goncarthur was preparing itself. There you are, Master,
Andrew said, climbing up a few stones. Jesus smiled and
(13:26):
gestured for him to have a seat next to him.
Andrew sat and looked out at the horizon for a
moment with.
Speaker 7 (13:33):
Jesus, where would you have us eat for the passover?
Speaker 6 (13:36):
Andrew asked, go into the city. Jesus replied, go to
a certain man. You will know him when you see him.
Simply tell him that the Lord has need of his house,
and he will offer it up to us.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
Andrew nodded, a bit skeptical. His last mission was to
retrieve a colt for Jesus, and that ended with a
few cracked ribs. Nevertheless, Andrew took a few of the
disciples and departed into the city. As they entered, there
was a man standing outside his home sweeping. Andrew did
(14:09):
not know if he was the man Jesus told him about. However,
he thought it would not hurt to ask, sir.
Speaker 1 (14:16):
Andrew called out, the Lord has need of your home
this evening.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
The man ceased his sweeping and looked up. His eyes
widened as he saw the disciples approaching. God had clearly
spoken to him the night before. He bowed and offered
off his home. So the twelve and a few others
prepared the Passover meal. They laughed, sang old hymns, and
(14:44):
enjoyed the process of celebration. However, Judas remained silent. His
heart had already grown bitterly cold, unable to be warmed
by good company. The supper begun, Delicious food had flowed
from the kitchen, and the disciples laughed and sang with
(15:06):
one another. The Passover meal had been a cherished tradition
for every generation since the exodus from Egypt. They kept
it closely to their hearts, remembering God's faithfulness to their ancestors.
The Passover meal was a constant reminder that God would
go to great lengths to protect and provide for his children.
(15:30):
This night was set aside for gratitude, contemplation, and worship.
Jesus looked among his disciples. He knew that his final
moments had come. He looked at each of them, filled
with love, overflowing love. Jesus was reminded of what it
(15:53):
was once like walking in the garden of Eden. He
longed for that again. He would go to great lengths
to restore that relationship. Jesus bowed his head and smiled
while the disciples were still talking amongst each other. Jesus
stood to his feet and walked over to the entrance
(16:15):
of the room. Near the door was a large pot
of water and a basin. Jesus removed his outer garments
and wrapped a towel round his waist. He poured the
water into a large basin and brought it over to
the disciples without a word. Jesus took Philip's feet and
(16:38):
began to wash them. The dirt and grime from the
day's travels washed out into the basin. Jesus took the
towel on his waist and tried off his feet. He
did the same with Bartholomew, scrubbing his feet and drying
them off. Dirty water splashed onto Jesus's chest as he washed.
(17:00):
The disciples were speechless. As Jesus proceeded to wash the
feet of Thomas Matthew James, Jude Simon James, the son
of Zebedee John and Andrew the entire room washed As
Jesus knelt down into the grime and dirt. Washing feet
(17:25):
was a job only for gentile slaves. Yet Jesus was
content to kneel down and wash the dirt, grime, and
excrement off their feet. Jesus eventually made his way to Judas.
Jesus looked up, smiling, then poured clean water into the basin.
(17:48):
He took Judas his feet and washed them. He gave
just as much time and attention as he did the others.
There was no partiality in Jesus, although he knew what
Judas was going to do. Judas's heart beat swiftly in
his chest. He averted his case from Jesus, ashamed. Then
(18:13):
Jesus made his way to Peter. Before he could grab
his feet, Peter.
Speaker 5 (18:17):
Pulled back, Lord, are you really going to wash my feet?
Speaker 3 (18:22):
He asked. Jesus nodded and replied.
Speaker 6 (18:25):
I have washed the others, have I not. Do not fret, Peter,
what I am doing you do not yet understand, but
trust me, soon you will understand the meaning behind what
I am doing.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Jesus poured clean water back into the basin and proceeded
to reach for Peter's feet. He stood, shaking his head.
Peter was flustered. He was uncomfortable with the man he
considered a king kneeling down and washing his feet. It
was a job for servants. If anything, Peter should have
(18:56):
been washing Jesus's feet.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
No, Peter exclaimed, you shall never wash my feet.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Jesus never.
Speaker 3 (19:04):
Jesus sat back for a moment. He could see how
upset this made Peter. Jesus opened up his hands and said.
Speaker 6 (19:13):
Peter, if I do not wash you clean, you cannot
share this life with me.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
Peter tilted his head in confusion. It was yet another
metaphor he did not understand. He looked down at the
water near his feet. It rippled Jesus's reflection. He looked
up to see Jesus's warm smile. Well, then Peter began,
(19:39):
I suppose you should not only wash my feet, but
also my hands and my head. Jesus laughed and shook
his head.
Speaker 6 (19:48):
Peter, if you've not been washed clean, you do not
need to be washed again. However, the feet still need
to be washed every now and again.
Speaker 3 (19:56):
Jesus darted his eyes quickly at Judas, then at Peter.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
Not all of you are clean.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Then he washed Peter's feet, put his garment back on,
and sat back at the table.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Do you understand what I've done here?
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Jesus said to them.
Speaker 6 (20:13):
You all call me teacher and lord, and you're right
to do so. For I am surely both those things.
So if I, then, being your teacher and lord, am
willing to bend down and get dirty to bless you,
so you also should be willing to do for one another.
I have given you the ultimate example, wash one another's feet.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
The disciples nodded, understanding the meaning of Jesus's words. He
was establishing a new way to lead. He was showcasing
the ultimate call of every teacher, leader, and shepherd.
Speaker 6 (20:48):
A servant is no greater than his master. If you
understand these simple truths, blessed.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Are you, Jesus said. The evening drew on and theciples
settled into the comfort of the table. The group enjoyed food, wine,
and laughter. The warmth of fellowship filled the room like
the aroma of fresh bread. Jesus laughed with them, However,
(21:15):
his heart ached. He knew the hour was close. He
could hear the winds shift in the distance. The storm
clouds had not ceased their marching. John was reclined on
Jesus's chest. He was the youngest of the disciples, no
older than sixteen. Jesus loved him dearly and allowed him
(21:38):
to remain close as the final hour approached. On his
other side was Judas. He kept to himself, mostly looking
down at his food. Jesus scanned the rest of the
table and said.
Speaker 6 (21:53):
Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
The clanging of cups ceased and silence filled the room.
The disciples looked at Jesus, unable to comprehend such a thing.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Lord, is it i?
Speaker 3 (22:10):
Philip passed. All of the disciples, asked Jesus if it
was them. They all were keenly aware of their potential
for wickedness. Being close to Jesus had taught them that,
compared to him, their righteous acts were like filthy rags.
The disciples were debating amongst each other, confused and alarmed.
(22:31):
As they spoke, John leaned over to Jesus and whispered.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
Who is it.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
Lord. Jesus looked at John, then dipped a morsel of
bread into the dish in front of him. It was
a symbol of honor to give a guest a dip
piece of bread. Jesus took it and looked at John.
Speaker 6 (22:50):
It will be the man who receives a dipped morsel
of bread.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
He answered. Then he gave the morsel of bread to Judas,
who was next to him. Judas looked down at the
piece of bread. It lingered there for a while. In
that moment, Judas could have repented. He could have looked
Jesus in the eyes and begged forgiveness. The pouch filled
(23:17):
with silver in his pocket was heavy, like Adam and
Eve with the forbidden fruit in the garden. Jesus gave
Judas a choice when he refused to eat and live
a life with Jesus, or would he take the food
and betray his creator. He looked at the bread, then
(23:39):
up at Jesus to the trembling hand. He took it
from Jesus and ate. It was at that moment the
enemy had fully taken hold of Judas's heart. Satan, who
had crawled his way to the twelve, finally found his victim.
(24:01):
Jesus looked at Judas. The other disciples were still talking
amongst themselves. He placed his hand on Judas's shoulder and said, what.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
You are about to do, do it quickly.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Judas's eyes widened, and he stumbled back and left the
room in a hurry. No one at the table knew
what Jesus told Judas. They had assumed he went to
buy more food for the feast. Judas ran down the
stairs into the streets. Torches illuminated the dark, dirty pathway
leading up to the temple. Estates he knew where Jesus
(24:37):
was going to next, and now he knew that Jesus
would go without a struggle. So he set his gaze
on the temple and ran to go tell Caiaphas. Jesus
looked out the window. The moonlight was barely visible through
the dense clouds above.
Speaker 6 (24:56):
The time has come for God to be glorified.
Speaker 3 (24:59):
He whispered. He gestured to the eleven remaining disciples and
caught their attention.
Speaker 6 (25:05):
I tell you it is time for the Son of
Man to be glorified, and for God to be glorified
in him. Little children, I am only with you for
a little while longer where I am going, you cannot
come while I am gone. I have a new commandment
to give you.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
The disciples leaned in intently. Jesus was about to give
a new commandment in addition to the ancient law of Moses.
Scripture was pouring forth from Jesus's lips, and history was
about to be altered.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
Love one another. Jesus said, this is my commandment. Just
as I have loved you, you are to love one another.
It is by your love for one another that people
will know you are my disciples. They will come to
strike me down, Jesus said, and you all will fall
away from as was prophesied by Zachariah. I will strike
(26:04):
the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, but rest assured.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
After I rise.
Speaker 6 (26:10):
Again, I will come back to you in Galilee. You
will be restored, and I will give you the helper,
the comforter my spirit.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
Peter stood to his feet and beat his chest, saying.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
They will all fall away, Lord, but not I.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
I will stand with you till the bitter end. I
will stay by your side and fight.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Jesus shook his head.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
Peter, son of Jonah, I tell you that this very night,
before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
Peter shook his head and refused, I.
Speaker 5 (26:46):
Would rather die before denying you, Jesus.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
The rest of the disciples beat their fists against the
table and agreed. They vowed to stick by Jesus's side
no matter what Jesus knew their hearts. He did not
hold their ignorance against them. However, the son of Man
was destined to march up the hill alone. The men
(27:13):
continued eating. Jesus listened to their laughter filled the room
like a sweet aroma. His love for them was like
a bottomless well. Although his heart ached for what would happen,
he felt a sense of joy set before him. He
would take all their shortcomings, sins and shame, and bury
(27:38):
it in the grave. It would require everything from him.
So Jesus grabbed a loaf of bread and raised it high.
He blessed it and broke it into eleven pieces and
handed them to the disciples. Take this, Jesus said, This
represents my body. It is procin so that you may
(27:59):
be made. All the disciples took the bread and ate it.
Then Jesus poured a cup of wine. He raised it
in the air and blessed it. He handed it to John,
who was next to him, gesturing for him to take
a sip and pass it on.
Speaker 6 (28:18):
This is my covenant, Take and drink of it.
Speaker 3 (28:22):
Long ago, a covenant had been made between God and Abraham.
God promised to bless Abraham and through his seed all
the nations would be blessed. The fulfillment of that covenant
was upon them. God had brought his promised seed, Jesus.
(28:44):
Now is time for a new covenant, a bond between
God and man. The words of the prophet Jeremiah echoed
from the time of exile long ago. He had prophesight
of this new covenant when he.
Speaker 7 (28:58):
Said, behold, the days are coming when I will make
a new covenant with the people of Israel. It will
not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
They broke that covenant.
Speaker 7 (29:11):
For this is the covenant that I will make with
my children. I will plant my law within them, and
I will write it on their hearts, and I will
be their God, and they shall be my people.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
The cup of wine passed along the table.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
This is my blood that is shed for you eat
and drink in remembrance of me. However, I will not
drink until the day I am with you. In my father's.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
Kingdom, Jesus had instituted a sacred tradition, one that would
stretch as far as the Passover itself. Hundreds, then thousands,
then millions of people would gather around the world to
eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Jesus's body
being broken and blood being shed. For the remission of sins.
(30:03):
It would be a symbol of the new covenant, a
covenant written in blood. After saying these things, Jesus rose
to his feet. He began to sing, leading the disciples
in an ancient hymn. His voice was low and methodic.
The disciples joined in, as did the angels in heaven.
(30:27):
Outside the storm clouds circled in the skies. They raged
like caged beasts. Jesus set his gaze to the Mount
of Olives. He and his disciples hiked up the mountain
to pray. The olive trees whisped gently to the wind.
(30:48):
Not too far behind them, Judas lurked behind the trees
with a hundred armed guards. Death was awaiting the Lamb
of God.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
The Bible is more than just a set of rules
or moral codes. It isn't a history book or a
collection of Hebrew fables. The Bible is an interwoven story,
ultimately building up to the work and words of Jesus Christ.
The prelude to this story is the ultimate example of
that concept. The blood of the Lamb protected people from
the judgment of God in the same way Jesus is
(31:22):
our passover lamb. His blood covers Us from the judgment
of God. This episode and the others leading up to
the crucifixion will take place during Passover. It is not
only poetic, but providential that the lamb would be slain
on Passover. The entire system of sacrifice, cleansing, and ceremony
and the Old Testament was pointing to Jesus. He is
(31:44):
our ultimate sacrifice. He washes us clean. It is him
we celebrate. The episode began with betrayal. Judas, one of
the Chosen twelve Disciples, set his heart on betraying Jesus.
The last few episodes teased that this would happened, dropping
hints that Judas's loyalty was on shaky ground. In our
last episode, when Jesus was confronting the priest, we got
(32:08):
a hint They needed to wait for the perfect moment
to strike. They pursued the group of disciples, following closely
behind Jesus. One of them met their eyes with a
look of curiosity. Jesus met their gaze, then they turned
back to Jesus. The high priest Caiaphas, tilted his head
and smirked. Perhaps he had found a chink in the armor.
(32:29):
We were also given a hint in episode fourteen, when
Mary was anointing Jesus with expensive ointment, Mary the sister
of Lazarus, came with an alabaster flax of spikenard and
expensive ointment. No doubt, it was her life savings and
the only financial security she had, Yet she was content
to adorn Jesus with it. She poured out the flask
(32:51):
and it spilled onto his hair and feet. The fragrance
filled the room. It was an ointment used for burial.
Judas watched from the corner of his room. What is
she doing? He shouted. His outburst caught the attention of everyone.
That is expensive ointment. Why not sell it and give
the money to the poor. Judas was in charge of
the money bag and would often help himself to whatever
(33:14):
was put into it. His outcry to sell the ointment
was not out of altruism but greed. Leave her alone,
Jesus said, see that she keeps the rest for my burial,
for you will always have the poor. But my time
here is almost done, Jesus saw through the heart of Judas.
Mary was willing to lay down her livelihood to glorify Jesus.
Yet Judas, even with all the exposure to the acts
(33:37):
of Jesus was gripped by the love of money in
a moment of weakness. He would soon learn just how
much damage the love of money can do to a man.
I want to draw a contrast between Judas and Mary.
Mary thought Jesus was worth sacrificing everything for, while Judas
thought Jesus was worth sacrificing. To marry Jesus was worth
(33:59):
her lifelihood. To Judas, Jesus was worth thirty pieces of silver.
Many people scarf at the weakness of Judas, But may
I offer up a different perspective. It is possible that
you and I have sold Jesus out for far less
than thirty pieces of silver. Think about how often you
and I have chosen cheap materialism or popularity over Christ.
(34:21):
If it was truly our sin that nailed Jesus to
the cross, then there are some pretty cheap sins that
sold him out for. I don't say this as a condemnation,
but as a shift in perspective. As evil as Judas's
act was, we are guilty of the same sins. Praise
be to God that he loves us and serves us
despite our betrayal. One of the more powerful moments in
(34:44):
this episode is when Jesus was washing the feet of
his disciples. Foot Washing was nasty business. Back in those days.
There were no paved roads and no public cleaning system.
The roads were laced with excrement of livestock, dirt, and
all sorts of filth. On top of that, everyone wore sandals.
You can imagine how dirty feet were back then. It
(35:06):
was a dishonorable job to wash feet, so much so
that it was a job only for gentile slaves. But
there Jesus was cloth wrapped around his waist washing his
disciples feet. The dirt and grime from their feet splashed
up onto the towel and made Jesus dirty. He wore
their filth. This was an image of what he would
(35:26):
do on the cross. He would wear our filthiness so
that we might wear his righteousness. He even washed the
feet of Judas, knowing full well that he would betray him.
Jesus still served his enemies, and he called us to
do the same. What a beautiful picture of God's love
for us. The disciples sat down with Jesus for the
(35:46):
Passover meal. They exchanged stories, prayers, and laughter. I wish
I could have been there to see Jesus laughing with
his disciples. Those pure moments must have been a wonder
to see. However, the levity of the evening was pause
when Jesus said, truly, I say to you, one of
you will betray me. What a jarring thing to say.
(36:07):
Can you imagine the disciples dismayed when Jesus said that,
do you know what I love most about this scene?
The disciples didn't look around the room and start guessing
who was going to betray Jesus. They didn't speculate based
on people's faithfulness or judge based on appearance. They turned
to themselves and asked, Lord, is it I I love
(36:28):
that I love? The purity of that question they all
looked inward and saw their own potential for betraying Jesus.
This is one of the major themes of this epistle.
We are all capable of evil and dependent on God's
spirit to guide our hearts into righteousness. Jesus did not
hold Judas's temptation against him. We're all flawed people and
(36:49):
capable of sin. That's why Jesus gave Judas a choice.
He extended the peace of bread to him, and if
Judas took it, he would seal his faith. In that moment,
Judas could have repented. He could have looked Jesus in
the eyes and beg for forgiveness. The pouch filled with
silver in his pocket was heavy, like Adam and Eve
(37:10):
with the forbidden fruit in the garden. Jesus gave Judas
a choice. Would he refuse to eat and live a
life with Jesus, or would he take the food and
betray his creator. He took the bread, then looked up
at Jesus with a trembling hand. He took it from
Jesus and ate. We're all given a choice, and Jesus
always offers a better path to follow. When the lives
(37:31):
of the enemy tempt us, Jesus is there with an
outstretched hand, giving us another way. The episode ends with
Jesus establishing a covenant with his disciples. He breaks the
bread and gives it to them, representing his body that
would be broken on their behalf. He then gives them
the cup of wine, representing the blood that would be
shed for him. Jesus's words have significance here, especially as
(37:55):
it pertains to the cup. This is my covenant, taking
drink of it, said and handed the cup to his disciples.
This phrase, this is my covenant, taking drink of it
was a Semitic idiom used for marriage proposals. When a
man desired to marry a woman, he would go to
his father and request an audience with the woman's family.
The two families would gather and discuss a bride price.
(38:19):
The bride price was not a dowry or buying the
woman like property. The bride price was buying a chance
to propose to the woman so she could say yes
or no. With the families gathered together, the man would
pour a cup of wine and hand it to the
woman and say, this is my covenant, Take and drink
from it. In other words, he was asking her will
(38:40):
you marry me, And if the woman took a sip
from the cup, she was essentially saying yes, I will
marry you. From that point forward, the woman referred to
as one who was bought with a price. The man
would leave her for a while to build a home,
which was called a mansion. The best man would be
the one to relay messages back and forth while the
(39:01):
woman got herself ready anticipating the day the trumpets sounded
so she could be brought to the groom when the
father deemed the mansion ready, and only when the Father
deemed the groom would be allowed to retrieve his bride
and they would have a feast and celebrate their union together.
Do you see the parallels? Scripture refers to Jesus as
the groom and us as the bride. He offers us
(39:24):
the cup of his covenant through his sacrifice, the bride
price was his life. By putting our faith in him,
we say yes. Jesus communicates to us through the Holy Spirit,
his best man, and when God the Father deems heaven
fit for us, Jesus will return with trumpets to retrieve us.
Communion is far more than a tradition when we remember
(39:46):
Jesus's sacrifice. Communion is a continual practice of remembering the
promises exchanged between Us and Jesus. I pray this story
inspired you to see your relationship with God in a
whole new light. As we continue, may we be continually
contemplating Christ's sacrifice and love for us. In our next episode,
(40:07):
the brutality of Christ's death begins. Yet even in the
trial beating in mockery, we never get the sense that
Jesus is a victim. He is a conquering hero. He
is a devoted groom doing whatever it takes to retrieve
his bride. Join us next time for episode seventeen, God
on Trial. Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories,
(40:28):
daily prayers and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to
pray dot com. And to expand your heroes in the
Bible journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at
Tonyevans dot org. Forwards flash heroes share this podcast with
a family member or friend so that they can know
Jesus Christ in a personal way. You never know how
great of an impact the Bible and this podcast can
(40:50):
have on someone's life. God bless
Host
Dr. Tony Evans
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