David Bahn – Reflections

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. ² And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.

³ Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. ⁴ He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. ⁵ And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. ⁶ So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

⁷ Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸ So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” ⁹ They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” ¹⁰ He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters ¹¹ and tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹² And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there.” ¹³ And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

I’ve not leaned too heavily on the political overtones of the Passover, Jesus’ triumphant entry, and the Messianic hopes of the Jews of Jesus’ day. I’ve never denied it. But I’ve always hoped that people realized their hopes for an earthly king were secondary to their hope for God’s eternal redemption. I should have known better. I should have realized that people want the answers to their prayers on their schedule, according to their reckoning of good and evil, and in ways that make life better here and now. I don’t want to think that people would trade an eternity of glorious joy for a fleeting earthly favor.

But as I read this passage, it becomes so clear to me that the calculations of the Jewish leaders (!) were all about earthly and political concerns. They were not seeking to guide people toward a fuller encounter with God. They were seeking to keep the status quo, save their image, and their hide. They feared the people. Not God. Not good.

To top it off, they would use one of Jesus’ own to capture and arrest him. In the dark. Away from the crowds. With a contingent of soldiers. Political calculations all around.

On the other hand – even as these political calculations were being made Jesus was preparing his disciples for what lay ahead. He would proceed with the Passover celebration, eagerly desiring to eat that meal with them before he died. He sent his disciples to make the necessary preparations.

It’s not clear in the Bible how Jesus knew there would be a man carrying a jar of water to meet the disciples. It’s not revealed how the owner of the house knew to get things ready for them. The Chosen has this accomplished by a young boy, Mark, having a vision and persuading his father to let him prepare the room. His father sends him to fetch water to wash away some graffiti on his wall. It all comes together when the disciples meet the young man and his vision is confirmed, and his father is amazed. They are welcomed into the large upper room.

In whatever manner the events  of Holy Week unfolded, the fact remains that Jesus and his disciples were focusing on the deep spiritual meaning of the Passover while the Jewish leaders were counting votes. Jesus knew it was going to unfold toward his suffering and death. The Passover would soon be fulfilled for all time. That’s not a fleeting political calculation. That’s an eternal reality.