Jesus had waited some great length of time to fulfill what was seen in the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life. He had been on this planet for 33 years and had participated in the memorial of the release from Egypt and no doubt noticed the indifference of those who ate of that lamb on the night of the Passover. Customs had changed, men no longer had to eat with their families, Christ ate the last-ever Passover with His disciples (including Judas) commanded by Moses. The wedding ring on the finger of the Jewish Covenant was to be prominently viewed for the last time. It is hard to imagine the patience of Christ in bringing about His Father’s Will. Think about the previous year (for this seemed to be a regular occurrence with Christ and the disciples), and the year before (which had to be the first of this practice; and think about being Christ. How did He keep His mouth from blurting out the information that had to be so constantly on His mind? How empty He must have felt at each Passover to feel, so empty as He left the Old Covenant meal knowing this remembrance was corrupt comparing it to that that He would introduce. Conjecture and questioning left aside, one has to appreciate His emotions leading up to this—the time of all times. Imagine going to this Supper for the past two years and knowing that Judas was to be seated right beside you in the most honored place and especially this specific night of all nights!! No disciple was close enough to Christ for Him to let anyone gather from His demeanor that anything would have been out of order.
“Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world,” is just too powerful to overlook!! I wish some of my brethren would read this passage and stop and listen to what it says!! “When Jesus knew” is just too powerful for anyone to think He did not have His mind already made up before His prayers in Gethsemane!! How long “before” the feast of the Passover He knew? How about around an eternity??
Some have spent their last night before an operation, leaving for active service, at the bedside of our mothers and fathers immediately before death, and can understand how this special event would not want to be wasted on eating beside a traitor!! Some have been unfortunate enough to endure these events with those we would rather not have had there. There are things we cannot control but this is not so of our Lord and King. I think Gethsemane just might have been one of the easiest things the Master went through that night!! Had Judas fully made up his mind when he sat down by the Lord to betray Him is not really important, the fact that God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit had their minds made up—the time was NOW, THAT is what was important!! All things were ready, if Satan and his henchmen were not, God was!! Jesus knew these things before the Passover Supper began, the time of surprises was over, God had been working on this play for over 6,000 years. He that had synchronized the heavens and the earth, the sun and moon, the stars and the planets had this whole night choreographed to perfection!! You see, Jesus was on His way back home and no man, angel, nor any type of creation was going to stop Him. “When Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father,” the Devil may have not had all things planned but God DID!! Listen: “I foresaw the Lord always before My face; for He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved.” Acts 2:25 Again: “Father, the hour is come: glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.” John 17:1 Judas was a part of the plan, but not in any sense a controlling part!!
