The Eye Witness at our Maundy Thursday Communion Service in the Agape Service offered us a different perspective on the events around the Last Supper and all that led up to it...
he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to
them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of
me." 20 In
the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the
new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand
of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.
Luke 22:19-21 (ANIV)
I was
there at the table with him… as I had been many times before… and I suppose it
was me he was talking about… But before
we go any further, let’s get this clear, it had nothing to do with the money...
I just had to do something. The others think the same as me, but they'd never
do anything... All talk and no trousers. It’s always the same... It’s left to
people like me to get blood on our hands... It was the same with the
resistance. No-one likes the imperial occupiers, but it was left to people like
me to do what needed to be done... Did you not know I worked for the
resistance? Thought it was only Simon, the Zealot, who had served the cause?
No. I did my bit.
But
I was a specialist… an assassin... That's where I got my nick name...
Sicarious... The knifeman... (produces a flick-knife) And you have to wield a knife
sometimes... You have to cut deep... But Jesus is only scratching the
surface... He needs to wake up... Well, if this doesn't force his hand nothing
will... And if he does nothing... Well, we'll just have to look for someone
else to lead us...
I
mean, where HAS Jesus led us? I thought it was all coming together with the
entrance into the city – fulfilling all the prophecies about the entrance of
coming messiah - and then when he overturned the tables of those leeches in the
temple... That was straight out of the prophets too; Malachi I think:
"Then suddenly, the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple..."
The
time was right... We could have taken back what is ours, and set up the Kingdom
again. But no... He turns his back on the city and goes out to Bethany ...
And
there while we were sharing that table he sits back and allows that
whore to bathe his head and feet in expensive perfume...
Everyone
was amazed. I said it wasn't right... "What about the poor?" I
said... Three hundred silver pieces that perfume would have raised. A year’s
wages.
But
he said "Leave her alone. She's done a beautiful thing for me. There'll
always be poor people... But you won't always have me."
I
don't understand... all his talk of a new kingdom where the first will be last
and the last will be first... And then he allows himself to be pampered like
that... It's not right... Why should he be any different from the rest of us?
Of
course the rest of them all said I was only interested in getting my cut as the
treasurer. They're all jealous... They're always talking about me behind my
back... Its because they're all from up north, while I'm from round here…
They're always saying I'm light fingered...
If
they'd wanted light fingered they should have given the job to Matthew, the tax
collector... He'd have robbed them blind... Well, they'll talk about me now all
right... But I don't care... History will prove me right...
300
silver coins... Its not the money... But 300 silver coins poured on his feet.
He could have had all that and more when the Kingdom was established, but no,
he wanted it here and now... He's not prepared to make the necessary
sacrifices... Not prepared to get blood on his precious hands... or feet...
He'd rather have them bathed in perfume.
So
when I went to Caiaphas and he asked me my price... I told him 30 silver
pieces... a tenth of what that whore's perfume would have raised... A tithe for
doing God's work. We all have our price. The question now is what price is
Jesus prepared to pay?
Prayer:
Lord,
In place of impatience
grant us faith in your purposes;
In place of pride grant us a humble reliance upon you;
In place of cynicism
grant us an openness to others;
In place of selfishness
grant us generosity of spirit;.
In place of
self-righteousness grant us a right relationship with you and with others.
Through Jesus Christ
your Son, AMEN
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