A Simple Little Execution : Matthew 27:1-2 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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A Simple Little Execution - Matthew 27:1-2

Early the next morning, all the leading priests and older leaders of the people decided to kill Jesus. They tied Jesus with chains. Then they led him to Pilate the governor. They gave Jesus to Pilate. (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

The religious leaders were looking for a simple little execution done behind the scenes so they could get Jesus out of their hair and keep things the same. He was a disruptive problem that had to be taken care of as soon as possible. So after their mock trial, they confirmed what they had decided long ago and had been plotting for months: "Jesus must die!" Where their reasons were many, they were all selfish and ungodly. But like most cowardly deeds done in darkness, they would not finish the deal. They could turn to Pilate and have the Romans do their dirty work. What am I blind about in my religious arrogance and hard-headedness? What injustice could I do to protect my power and the predictability of my "faith"? Could I have sided with these leaders and rejected Jesus so I could keep my place in the religious leadership? Mmmm!

Today's Prayer

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Holy and Almighty God, forgive me when my own arrogance and religious pride get in the way of your truth and those who seek it. Please keep my heart soft to your will and open to your Spirit's work. I never want to become like the religious leaders who killed Jesus to protect themselves and their positions. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

Early the next morning, all the leading priests and older leaders of the people decided to kill Jesus. They tied Jesus with chains. Then they led him to Pilate the governor. They gave Jesus to Pilate. Judas saw that they had decided to kill Jesus. Judas was the one that gave Jesus {to his enemies}. When Judas saw what happened, he was very sorry for what he did. So he took the 30 silver coins back to the priests and the leaders. Judas said, "I sinned. I gave you an innocent man to be killed." The Jewish leaders answered, "We don't care! That's a problem for you, not us." So Judas threw the money into the temple. Then Judas left that place and hanged himself. The leading priests picked up the silver coins in the temple. They said, "Our law does not allow us to keep this money with the temple money, because this money has paid for a man's death." So they decided to use the money to buy a field called Potter's Field. This field would be a place to bury people that died while visiting {in Jerusalem}. That is why that field is still called the Field of Blood. So the thing happened that Jeremiah the prophet said: "They took 30 silver coins. That was how much the Jewish people decided to pay for his life. They used those 30 silver coins to buy the potter's field, like the Lord commanded me."

— Matthew 27:1-10 (ERV)

There were many Jews that came to visit Mary. They saw what Jesus did. And many of these Jews believed in Jesus. But some of the Jews went to the Pharisees. They told the Pharisees what Jesus did. Then the leading priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish council. They said, "What should we do? This man (Jesus) is doing many miracles. If we let him continue doing these things, all the people will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and take away our temple and our nation." One of the men there was Caiaphas. He was the high priest that year. Caiaphas said, "You people know nothing! It is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed. But you don't realize this." Caiaphas did not think of this himself. He was high priest that year. So he was really prophesying that Jesus would die for the Jewish people. Yes, Jesus would die for the Jewish people. But Jesus would also die for God's other children that were scattered {in all the world}. He would die to bring them all together and make them one people. That day the Jewish leaders began planning to kill Jesus.
John 11:45-53 (ERV)

But the leading priests and the Pharisees had given a special order about Jesus. They said that if any person knew where Jesus was, the person must tell them. Then the leading priests and the Pharisees could arrest Jesus.
John 11:57 (ERV)

Many of the Jews heard that Jesus was in Bethany. So they went there to see Jesus. They also went there to see Lazarus. Lazarus was the one Jesus raised from death.
John 12:9 (ERV)

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HEARTLIGHT^® Magazine is produced by Heartlight, Inc. HEARTLIGHT is a registered service mark of Heartlight, Inc. PO Box 7044, Abilene, TX, USA 79608-7044. Copyright © 1996-2009. Heartlight is supported by Westover Hills Church, Southern Hills Church, and loving Christians from around the world. Scripture quotations are taken from the Easy-to-Read Version copyright © 2001 by World Bible Translation Center. Used by permission. All rights reserved.