In Matthew’s account of the events leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion during the Passover, he has related how the religious leaders were seeking to put Him to death, but not during the Passover for fear of a riot among those who supported Jesus. That changed to accomplish God’s perfect timing to have the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world die at the very time the Passover lambs who prefigured Him were also being put to death. For Judas, who was one of His twelve closest disciples, offered to deliver Him up to them in exchange for money. Not unlike so many throughout history, he was deceived by his own worldly ambitions to suppose that godliness was a means of gain (1Ti 6:5), and so fell to perdition.
As the chief priests bargained with Judas, what emerged as the price they agreed to pay him to deliver up Jesus to them? See Mat 26:15. Was 30 silvers a large or small sum? What would it purchase? See Exo 21:32, Mat 27:7, Act 1:18. What is the significance in regard to Judas’ traitorous deed that it came to purchase the field of a potter? See Rom 9:21; cf. Jer 18:2-10. What is the significance in regard to the Jewish religious leaders who would have Jesus put to death that they would use the field purchased with Jesus’ blood money as a final resting place for strangers (i.e., foreigners, non-Jews) who died in Jerusalem? See Eph 2:12-13,19, Heb 11:13. What does this remind us about the place God has always had in His heart for those strangers and aliens who forsake their homes in this world to follow the light of the truth that leads them to the heavenly Jerusalem? How does this help us to understand who Jesus had in mind when He spoke of strangers in the parable of the sheep and goats? See Mat 25:35,38,43,44; cf. 3Jo 1:5.
What is the significance that the price Judas negotiated with the religious leaders to deliver up Jesus to them was that of a slave or servant? See Zec 11:12-13, Isa 52:13, 53:4,8,11, Mat 20:25-28, Luk 22:27, Phil 2:7. Consider then that in the providence of God, he who was a slave to sin sold Him who was free from sin for the price of a slave in order that He might become a sin offering for us, and we might be set free from sin to obtain His righteousness; cf. Joh 8:34-36, 2Co 5:21. What does this again teach us about the marvelous ways of God Who is able to sovereignly turn even the most evil of circumstances around to accomplish His purposes? Cf. Rom 8:28. What other son who was his father’s delight was also sold by his brother for a slave as a type of the salvation that God would provide through His own dear Son? See Gen 37:26-28.
Did Judas obtain possession of the 30 silvers at the time he made the deal with the chief priests? See Mat 26:15 and notice that the NAS “weighed out to him” is literally “caused to stand for him” which the KJV translates as “covenanted with him”. I.e., they held the amount in escrow for him until he followed through on what he had agreed to do; cf. Mar 14:11, Luk 22:5. As Judas did eventually come to possess the promised amount (Mat 27:3-5) when must he have obtained it? Cf. Mat 26:47. Could Judas then have easily changed his mind between the time it first entered his heart to betray Jesus, and even after he had gone to the chief priests? What effect did his own greed have in enticing him to sin, and then the promised sum have upon him to follow through with his deed? See Mat 26:16. What does this remind us about the importance of the prayer Jesus repeatedly urged His disciples to pray? See Luk 22:40,46; cf. Mat 6:13. What does Judas’ example teach us about the great danger of yielding to initial temptations? Do they not lead to circumstances that are even more difficult for our flesh to resist, even if we came to our senses and wanted to escape? In addition to praying that we not enter into temptation in the first place, what also must we do when we are tempted? See Jam 4:7, 1Pe 5:8-9. Do we understand that when we resist temptation we are resisting the devil, but when we give in to temptation we are giving him an opportunity to enter into us, as he did Judas (Luk 22:3-4, Joh 13:2)? Cf. Eph 4:27.
The Atonement of Christ's Blood: Understanding How the Blood of Christ Saves and Reconciles us to God
- What is the relationship between Jesus’ sacrifice and our redemption, forgiveness and receiving an inheritance per the terms of the covenant / will that was effected by His death?
- From what, and to what, are we saved? Is it Jesus’ death alone that saves us? What part does His resurrection have in our salvation?
- Does the justice of God demand the satisfaction of blood before He will forgive, similar to what pagans throughout history have believed?
- What was the purpose of the Old Testament sacrifices?
- Does blood alone atone for sin?
- How does Christ’s death render powerless the devil?
- To whom was Christ’s life given as a ransom? From what are we ransomed?
- Why did Jesus not only die, but suffer and die? If all that was necessary was His shed blood, why didn’t God sovereignly ordain a more merciful death for His own dear Son?
- What is the relationship between a will or testament, and a covenant? What was willed to Jesus as an inheritance from His Father, and what was willed to us through the new testament in His blood?