Recently I saw on a game show the Wednesday before Easter is called Spy Wednesday in some Christian traditions. It recalls the day that Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot when he went to and conspired with the religious authorities. Judas was a radical. He expected Jesus to overthrow the Roman government and set himself up as king of Israel. Judas wanted to be one of the people who rode in on Jesus’ coattails and become a powerful person–and rich–in Jesus’ kingdom. But Jesus had other plans.
Jesus came to make a way for us to move through the veil and enter into the Holy of Holies. That way looked a lot different from what Judas expected and wanted. Judas was looking for a temporary fix for a temporary problem, the Roman empire. He was looking for a solution that would enrich his own life. He wanted to be on easy street, not being hunted down as a companion to Jesus. Judas wasn’t interested in an eternal fix for our eternal problem sin but Jesus came to do just that and give us eternal life.
Judas was called a spy because despite the fact he was in the inner circle, “one of the twelve”, he didn’t understand a thing so he betrayed Jesus. It is very jarring to think that one so close to Jesus could turn their back on Him who would save us. But when our expectations of what we think Jesus will do for us and what Jesus is doing for us don’t mesh up, the temptation is there to follow in Judas’ footsteps. Ironically, our expectations fall well short of what Jesus is doing. In terms of the temple, our expectations are to get into the country where the temple is. Jesus will take us into the temple, through the holy place, behind the veil and directly into the presence of God.
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. -1 Peter 5:7
