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DAVID'S EMAIL BIBLE STUDY:
JUDAS Plus
A. INTRODUCTION
... We've arrived at the end. The PASSION of THE CHRIST. Jesus' last hours. Last Supper. Good Friday. The Cross. Death. "It is finished". Not quite. There's still Easter to come. Resurrection. But first, those hard last hours. Jesus has been pointing toward them, talking about them preparing the disciples for them. They weren't prepared. Everything that is about to happen surprises, shocks, disappoints. Until Easter, and a little beyond.
C. SUMMARY.
On Thursday of Holy Week Jesus and the disciples had the Passover meal together. They were remembering when Jews were slaves in Egypt, and God used Moses to lead them out to freedom. Ever since the Jews held an annual "Passover" meal to remember every aspect of their slavery and miraculous escape. Judas, one of Jesus' disciples, used this occasion to make his own preparations to betray Jesus that night. But first, Jesus and friends had Passover, what turned out to be "The Last Supper". During supper Jesus took two elements of Passover - unleavened bread and red wine - and added a new meaning. He gave the bread out and declared "this is my body about to be broken for you"; and the wine, "this is my blood".
From the other Gospels we learn of other parts of this Last Supper. He washed the disciples' feet; predicted his betrayal in general terms and by Peter specifically; offered a fervent prayer for unity; and the sang a hymn.
D. KEY POINTS
1. "The DEVIL made me do it" is an excuse made famous by comic Flip Wilson. But a well-worn excuse for many. It explains weakness, betrayal, failure, sin. Luke tells us that Satan (the Devil) "entered Judas", and that's why he betrayed Jesus. Everyone wonders why Judas would do it. Jesus chose him as a disciple. He followed Jesus for three years. He was the treasurer. Jesus entrusted responsibility to Judas. What happened? What turned Judas "bad"? Or anyone? Some theories: Judas was disappointed when Jesus wasn't militant, ready to lead a revolution against Rome; he was greedy (30 pieces of silver); ego; he saw things coming to a bad end, needed a way out. Or two contrary theories. One, Jesus made him do it. If the divine plan was for the very popular Jesus to end up on the cross to pay for our sins and be resurrected, someone had to help put him there. To wit, Judas had a role to play or a job to do. And id it. Or, two, "the devil entered". Which is not to say the devil made him do anything. Spiritually we are all subject to good and bad influences; angels or demons; right or wrong. We can be a welcome mat for Satan personally or evil generically. "Come in, make yourself at home, mi casa es su casa". Or we can say "no". The devil "enters" where there's an opening. 2. HOLY COMMUNION. Lord's Supper, Last Supper, Eucharist. "Cannibalism", the Romans called it, Christians eating flesh and drinking blood. For ½ the Christians in the world that is so. Through "transubstantiation" the priest changes the substance of the bread/wafer into Jesus' flesh, and the wine into Jesus' blood. If you've attended Catholic Mass, this is why the leftover crumbs are respectfully gathered, and every drop is drunk; and why it is called "the Host"; and even why those who don't think that way can't have it. For the other half of Christianity, the bread and juice are the symbols of Jesus' sacrifice. And the only rule for receiving communion, Jesus said, is "Do this in remembrance of me". Remember. We can focus on Judas' betrayal, the overall disciples' weakness, our own weakness. Or on Jesus' astounding, sacrificial, forgiving love. The power of Holy Week is that it is all there: love and hate, betrayal and courage, doubt and faith, Satan and God. We choose love, courage, faith and God.
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