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Woeful Contrasts on a Night of Wide Mercy
Luke 22:1-23
As we near the end of the life of Christ on earth, we’re also nearing the climax. And the stage has been set for a collision of worlds. Since the beginning of time, this collision has been prophesied, where the serpent’s head and the seed’s heal will be crushed. We’ve already seen this collision in the temple - how the leaders all tried to trap Jesus in his words - to crush him. But in his divine wisdom, he turned the tables and pronounced judgment upon their hypocrisy - to crush them. And everyone heard it - especially his disciples - especially Judas Iscariot. He also heard the pronouncement of judgment on Jerusalem - her destruction for her sins and unbelief. And he would’ve also heard the clear offer of mercy to all who would repent. Yet, despite the clear light of Christ’s teaching of the dark judgment on the nation, there was a high-handed sin being conceived - during a season of mercy.
This was the deepest irony - the night of mercy was over-shadowed by a plot of treachery. But this passage forces us to look at our own hearts. It shows us that proximity to grace doesn’t guarantee reception of grace. But it also reveals the great sovereignty of God who uses even the schemes of evil men to accomplish the salvation of his people. We’ll explore these passages in 2 points. Firstly, a high-handed sin plotted despite the season of mercy. Secondly, a high-handed sinner predicted amidst the supper of mercy.
Firstly, a high-handed sin plotted despite the season of mercy. The first contrast we see is between the season itself and the sin it contained. It’s a high-handed sin, a deliberate act of rebellion, plotted in the very presence of the Lamb. In verse 1, Luke anchors the narrative to a very specific time - “Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.” For the faithful Jew, this was the season of mercy where God’s forgiveness of sinners was pictured by a slain lamb. It celebrated the night when the Angel of Death passed over the Israelite homes, because he saw the blood of a slain lamb on the doors. But households without the blood would be destroyed. This was the gospel in action in the Old Testament - a substitute died so sinners might escape deserved judgment and live. And every year after that, the feast was celebrated to remember God’s grace. Now, Luke mentioned 2 names - the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover. They are related, but different feasts. The Passover meal was held first - a one night observance commemorating the night of mercy. The Feast of Unleavened Bread immediately followed the next day for 7 days to celebrate Israel’s departure from slavery. Though distinct in origin, the two are celebrated back to back, and often referenced interchangeably.
The Passover meal, by the time of Jesus, consisted of eating lamb prepared with bitter herbs, drinking 4 cups of wine, and eating unleavened bread. The herbs symbolized their difficult life as slaves, the four cups symbolized God’s 4 promises in Exodus 6:6-7, where he said to Israel - “I will bring you out, I will deliver you, I will redeem you, and I will take you for a people.” The first cup acknowledged God as the one who took them out of slavery. The second cup honored the actual moment of deliverance. The third cup celebrated the ultimate rescue when the Red Sea parted. And the fourth cup - the covenant at Sinai where they formally became God’s people. The un-yeasted bread symbolized the haste they left Egypt and a life lived without sin. And the roasted lamb celebrated deliverance by sacrifice. After the bread was broken, it would be eaten together with the lamb. Thereafter the third cup of wine would be drunk. They would then sing a psalm followed by the fourth cup - to remember that they were God’s people who’d bring them into the Promised Land. The whole week following would require the removal of leaven from the home with the use of fire, to represent a life of purity as one redeemed. So in this sacrament, all the elements were touched and tasted and explained to help them remember their salvation from slavery.
So during this time, leading up to the Passover, the air in Jerusalem would’ve been filled with celebration! The pilgrims arrived to celebrate the feast with sacrifices and singing. There, they’d make arrangements to worship at the temple and rent dining spaces for the meal - all to remember God’s deliverance. Yet, during this season of mercy, a plot of murder was being hatched. Proximity to the symbol didn’t translate into submission to reality. This warns us that external religion, which celebrates forgiveness, is utterly useless unless the heart is captivated by it.
That’s why in the midst of mercy, we see that slaughter was planned by evil men - the slaughter of the supreme Lord. Verse 2 tells us the chief priests and scribes were seeking how to put him to death. The very men who oversaw the sacrificial system were conspiring to commit the greatest act of unjust murder in history. In a season of forgiveness, they were hardened to commit high-handed sin. They were guardians of the temple and teachers of mercy, but their hearts rebelled against the true High Priest. Yes, they’d already shown their true colors when they tried to trap him. But because they couldn’t, they now resort to such treachery. But they were restrained from so doing because they were afraid of the people. Note they weren’t afraid of God, but of the people. Why? These people had followed Jesus and especially saw his miracle at Bethany with Lazarus. And they welcomed him into Jerusalem. So the religious leaders had no means to kill him. But their malice was real. The words “they sought how” showed their intent. They schemed how to break the sixth commandment.
But in the middle of their quandary, they had help. We see here the betrayal promised by a disgruntled man. We see the hinge of the conspiracy. Verses 3-4 say it was here, likely a Wednesday, after the Olivet Discourse on Tuesday, that Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, one of the 12, so that he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. This was another contrast. The sin of the priests and Pharisees was high-handed - they knew the law and the meaning of the feast day. But this sin of betrayal was a higher handed sin. It’s the sin of an insider. He walked with Jesus, heard his sermons, and witnessed his miracles for 3 years. His sin was “high-handed” because it was a deliberate act of apostasy - a rejection of all he had received. Now, he was disgruntled, likely for 3 reasons.
Firstly, Jesus didn’t fit his nationalistic, political expectations of a conquering Messiah. He wanted a king to empower him; but he couldn’t stomach the King who’d go to the cross. Secondly, Jesus foretold the destruction of Jerusalem. Who could destroy Jerusalem at that time but the Romans? Why wasn’t Jesus fighting it if he knew it was going to happen? Thirdly, he was shamed by Christ’s words when he praised Mary for anointing him. His ego couldn’t bear it. And so in verse 5, he betrayed Christ for money. We know he asked for money because they agreed to give him money. They were glad to do it. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. They became co-conspirators. And they gave him 30 pieces of silver - the average price for a slave then. So in this season to commemorate their redemption from slavery, there was a transaction of slavery, where Judas sold himself as a slave to Satan. That’s another contrast. So this is the extent of human depravity. Even in the presence of the Son of God and the sacrificial lamb that pointed to redemption, the heart that loves the world more than salvation will never change. That’s the contrast.
Secondly, we see yet another contrast - a high-handed sinner predicted amidst the supper of mercy. If it wasn’t already bad, this contrast would be a whole lot starker. Verse 7 says that the day of the unleavened bread starting had arrived. So this was a Thursday, where they’d celebrate the Passover at night. Remember the Hebrew day was from sundown to sundown - the Passover would be Thursday sundown to Friday sundown. But we learn the arrangements for the meal had already been made by Christ - the Lamb to be slain. In verses 7-13, he sent Peter and John from Bethany to Jerusalem to prepare the passover so they could eat it that evening. So they’d buy the sacrificed lamb to roast, with all the trimmings like bread, herbs, and wine, and set it up. But while these things could be bought, it was too late to book a venue. That’s why they asked in verse 9 - where do you want us to prepare the meal? They thought they’d be in Bethany, but no - it was Jerusalem. But we learn in verse 10 onwards that the Lord already prepared a place and gave them instructions to follow a man with a pitcher of water - servant - there and ask the owner on behalf of Jesus where the guest room was for dinner. The Lord said he’d show them a large upper room already furnished and set up. There, they’d lay out the food. And it was as the Lord had said. Verse 13 - “And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.” Every detail was orchestrated by Christ. Just as he had control over the donkey for his entry, he 7 had control over the the guest room for his exit. It wasn’t haphazard that the Lamb of God was preparing for his own death. He was in complete control of the events leading up to it. As he said - his life wouldn’t be taken from him, he’d lay it down. He wasn’t a victim of circumstances, but a master of them. Our salvation is all planned and organized for us.
And he prepared this Old Covenant feast in order to transform it into a New Covenant feast. So while the Passover pointed to him, he now stood ready to fulfill it. We see his active obedience - even arranging the very room where he’d institute this new sacrament. In verse 14 onwards, he gave it new meaning. Why? It wasn’t remembering a sacrifice of the lamb in Egypt, it would now be a sacrament personifying a suffering man. Verses 14-15 - “And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.” He knew he’d suffer. But in the midst of that, there was love. “With desire I have desired to eat.” He earnestly desired to share this final passover - with them. He made reference to this throughout the meal. Verse 16 - “For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Similarly, when the second cup was passed around, he said he’d not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God comes. Meaning, only when thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, shall he feast with them again - but not until then - only at the marriage supper of the lamb.
But he’d institute a love feast for them to keep until then. So while the whole passover consisted of 4 cups, a lamb, bread, and bitter herbs, this new feast consisted of one bread and one cup. Why? The Passover pointed Israel to their past deliverance - but how about their final deliverance? All the sacrifices were only shadows, they were not effective. So Christ would come to be that effective sacrifice. And so a new sacrament was needed to point to our final deliverance by Christ’s death. So how did he change it?
Luke started the record from the second cup. This means the meal had already started with a blessing, with the first cup, and the bitter herbs. So following the second cup, in verse 19 was the moment of transition, where shadow would meet the substance. When he got to the bread, he took it, gave thanks and broke it, giving it to them “saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” This breaking of the bread was previously done to symbolize the haste they left Egypt to live a life without sin. It was crisp bread - not time to leaven it. This followed by eating more bitter herbs and the roast lamb. So Jesus now incorporated into one element, the meaning of separation, purity, and final joy through sacrifice. Then after the supper, verse 20, he took the third cup saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” This third cup celebrated the ultimate rescue when the Red Sea parted, freeing them and destroying Pharaoh. Passover wine was sweet and lightly fermented. So while the crisp bread showed a pure life from slavery to sin by Christ’s sacrifice, the wine would show the leaven of the gospel and the sweetness of deliverance. Just like how Miram and Israel sang with joy after their rescue, we are to rejoice in taking the cup. So from this sacrament of the new covenant, they were to know their final deliverance wasn’t by an animal, but the Son of God; the blood was not of goats and calves, but the Shepherd. It would celebrate his sacrifice that would separate them from sin, purify them, make them a joyful people, and deliver them to heaven. Mercy was personified in him.
And that’s why the contrast was so stark. Despite all of this mercy, there was a traitor. And here, the Lord revealed to them the betrayal of an inside man. The Lord dropped the bombshell: -
“But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table” verse 21. Can you feel the contrast? This is the height of mercy - the Lord’s Supper, the forgiveness of sins, the inauguration of the New Covenant. And in that very moment, the presence of a betrayer is unmasked. The high-handed sinner is predicted right in the midst of the Supper of Mercy. The one who dipped his bread in the same bowl as the Son of God was the one who’d sell Him for a few coins. Now, the Lord didn’t name him outright. He gave him space to repent. There was wide mercy in the warning. But Judas’s heart was fixed. He ate the supper unworthily. And this is the most damning indictment - he could hold the bread of the New Covenant in his hand while harboring the malice of the devil in his heart. The proximity to grace only magnified his guilt.
Now, naturally, the rest of the disciple questioned who it was, whether it could even be themselves. This state of confusion and self-examination was natural because of the display of mercy. But while there’s was genuine, Judas’ was feigned. But while the sin of Judas was high-handed, the sovereignty of God was higher. The betrayal is meant for evil, but God meant it for good. But never doubt that Judas’ slavery to sin was his own doing.
Beloved, what do we do with this contrast? We may not be in that room on that night of mercy, but we’re all in this room, when the sacrament is administered. The question is not “Who is Judas?” but “Am I Judas?” We’re prone to point fingers to the Liberals, Legalists, and Loyalists. We’re quick to condemn the chief priests, scribes, and even the traitor. But this text is a mirror. It shows us the sinfulness of our own hearts. We, like Judas, have betrayed Christ in our thoughts and actions. We’ve sold Him for the fleeting pleasures of this world. We’ve been near the mercy of God in the Word, in the sacraments, and in the fellowship of the church, and yet we have allowed sin to plot in our hearts.
Beloved, he gave us a sacrament to touch, taste, and eat assure us, to stir our hearts towards purity, and hope of heaven. It’s not for the worthy, but for the broken. It’s not for the rebel, but for the redeemed. After this delectable meal, the Lord’s body was broken and his blood was spilled. At the cross, he tasted bitter wine, he heard bitter words, and experienced bitter darkness. And that’s also another contrast - the Son whom the Father loved - was suffering, and the Loving God forsook him - so he could deliver us.
1. A High Handed Sin Plotted Despite the Season of Mercy (1-6)
A. The forgiveness pictured by a slain lamb (1)
B. The slaughter planned by evil men (2)
C. The betrayal promised by a disgruntled man (3-6)
2. A High Handed Sinner Predicted Amidst the Supper of Mercy (7-23)
A. The arrangements made by the Lamb to be slain (7-13)
B. The sacrament personifying a suffering man (14-20)
C. The betrayal predicted of an inside man (21-23)
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
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