Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus found His disciples, “Peter, James and John” asleep while He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, and after allowing them to continue sleeping for a while said, “Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that does betray me. And while he yet spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse forty-eight of his book, Matthew writes how Judas, “gave them a sign, saying, whomsoever I shall kiss” where we read:
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying,
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
The verse reads, “Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, ...” Matthew began words, “now he that betrayed him” which means “at this time and moment Judas who delivered up Jesus treacherously and committed Him to the chief priests” “gave them” or “granted, furnished, supplied and bestowed to the chief priest and elders” “a sign” which refers to “a mark or token”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”. Matthew shared how Judas who “betrayed” Jesus provided a “token or mark” that would identify Jesus to the “high priests and elders”.
The verse continues, “... Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.” Matthew added the word, “whomsoever” which means “whatever person” “I shall kiss” or “Judas would show signs of love and fondness through a kiss”, “that same is he” which means “the person whom Judas would kiss is Jesus”: “hold him fast” or “get possession of, obtain, take hold of, seize and lay hands on one in order to get him into one's power”. Matthew shared how Judas told the “chief priests” and “elders” the person He “kissed fondly” would be Jesus, and they were to “take Him captive” after He was identified.
When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see the horror of Judas' “sign” given to the “chief priests and elders”. The idea that He would “kiss” Jesus “fondly” was hypocritical and the ultimate in deception and deceit. Judas planned this act of “betrayal” before He led the “religious leaders” and the multitude to where Jesus was located. Jesus knew in advance that Judas would “betray” Him, and He knew the torture and crucifixion that was in His future. He endured these things because sinful people needed to be “forgiven” and to have a personal relationship with Almighty God. God loves every person reading these words, and those who are wise shall yield themselves to Jesus and never align themselves with the likeness and “betrayal” of Judas.
Next time Matthew shares how Judas, “came to Jesus … and kissed him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment