The Conspiracy against Jesus

In today’s Gospel reading, John 12: 1-11,   Mary anoints the head of Jesus with expensive oil.  Just prior to that, Jesus had told His disciples that he will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes to be crucified. In John’s account, John says that “[t]he chief priests and Pharisees had by now given the orders: anyone who knew where he [Jesus] was must inform them so that they could arrest him.” In Simon’s house, when Mary anoints Jesus’ head and the disciples, especially Judas objects, Jesus says:  “Leave her alone. Why are you upsetting her?   ….[S]he has anointed my body beforehand for its burial”(Mark 14: 9).  

Jesus knew that the end was near. His hour had come and He was prepared to go to Jerusalem and enter into His passion for our sakes. Many times, previous, the people had tried to kill him but the hour for his passion, death and resurrection had not yet arrived.  His life was in His Father’s hands and so was ours.  Jesus and the Father were one in their intention to bring about the salvation of the world.  At this dark hour, when the scribes and Pharisees and the leaders of the people were arguing about what to do with Jesus to avoid an uprising that would surely lead to the loss of many lives, Caiaphas prophesied: “It is better for one man to die for the people than for all to die.” 

Involved in the efforts of the chief priests to find a way to trick Jesus and thus arrest Him was Judas, who had gone to the high priest and asked what they would be willing to give him if he handed Jesus over to them. They offered him 30 pieces of silver, the price of the life of a slave. From that moment on, Judas sought a way to turn Jesus over to the authorities.

Jesus, not only knew that the authorities were seeking to arrest Him, He also knew that Judas was involved and would betray Him. Judas, I believe, saw this as an opportunity for Jesus to escape, as He had done so many other times, and this time to become the King of the Jews and take possession of the Kingdom of Israel.  Is it possible that Satan was tempting Judas in the same way as he tempted Jesus in the desert when the Father of Lies  offered Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world if He worshiped Him? Judas, I believe, was caught by the lure of power and riches and worldly kingdoms, as so many are today!  

For which  kingdom are you  and willing to betray our true self? For which kingdom are you and willing to betray others? For which kingdom are you and I willing to betray our Savior? None, I hope!