Opportunity to Betray - Matthew 26:16

Matthew the apostle wrote, “ one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse sixteen of his book, Matthew writes how Judas looked for an, “opportunity to betray him” where we read:

And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

The verse reads, “And from that time ...” Matthew began with Jesus' words, “and from” which means “and apart from” “that time” or “the moment he made the agreement with the chief priests”. Matthew shared how Judas departed from the agreement with the chief priests and began the following process.

The verse continues, “... he sought opportunity to betray him.” Matthew added the words, “he sought opportunity” which means “Judas looked and searched for a seasonable time and favorable occasion” “to betray him” which means “to deliver up treacherously and commit Jesus to the chief priests”. Matthew shared how Judas looked for a favorable time and place to deliver Jesus over to the “chief priests”.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Judas acted upon his agreement with the religious leaders. Their offer of “thirty pieces of silver” motivated Judas to look for the best time and place to “betray” Jesus, and now, rather than the “Kingdom of God” as his focus, Judas had his own intentions as his drive. God desires to have a relationship with people through His Son Jesus, and rather than be like Judas who betrayed Him, let all who read these words yield their lives to Him and make Jesus their personal “Savior and Lord”.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus' disciples ask Him, “where will you that we prepare for you to eat the passover?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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