The Feast of Passover and the cross

With the previous passage, Jesus’ sermon on the Mount of Olives (the Olivet discourse) has concluded. According to Matthew 26:1-5, immediately afterward, Jesus speaks to his disciples about the prophecy of the crucifixion. This marks the fourth prophecy of the crucifixion. In this prophecy, it is foretold that during the Feast of Passover, Jesus will be handed over to be crucified. Mark notes, “Now the Passover and Unleavened Bread were two days away” (v 1). The Feast of Passover is a festival commemorating Israel’s liberation from slavery in Egypt. This is a one-day festival and is followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts for seven days. In the New Testament era, these two festivals were often referred to as one festival, totaling eight days.

Satan’s scheme

During that time, the Jewish leaders who sought to kill Jesus gathered at the house of the high priest Caiaphas, plotting their scheme. (1) Among them were the Sadducees (priests) and Pharisees (scribes), who were usually at odds but now sat together. (2) They devised a plan to deceive and arrest Jesus, plotting to kill Him. To “arrest Him covertly” implies taking Jesus into custody away from the public eye. Judas Iscariot was willing to assist them. (3) Fearing a public riot, they discussed not to seize Jesus during the Feast of Passover. We must not overlook the presence of Satan behind this discussion. The Lamb of God, Jesus, needed to die on the cross during the Feast of Passover. This was necessary because at no other time or by any other means could the work of atonement for sin be completed. Therefore, Satan devised a plan to kill Jesus outside the Passover period and by means other than the cross. If things had happened as Satan schemed, God’s plan to redeem humanity through the death on the cross would have been thwarted. However, God is not one to be swayed by human intentions or Satan’s schemes. He is the one who unfailingly fulfills His own plan. How do you think your way of life be changed, if you believe that God’s plan will inevitably be fulfilled? Let’s continue to pray today, seeking God’s will be done.