Lent

[Suzi]

I can see that...

[Paula]

Luke 20:46-21:4
[46] “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. [47] They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

[1] As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. [2] He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. [3] “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. [4] All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Jesus hated hypocrisy, particularly amongst the teachers of the law and priests - they were supposed to teach Israel about God, and the majority were hypocrites who took from the people and rarely listened to their own, often severe rules and teaching.

As a sharp contrast, in this passage he sees the teachers of the law who had everything they could have wanted, and still took from those who had least. He also sees the rich making a show of donating large sums, which they could easily afford. Contrast this with the widow who would have had nothing in this time before the welfare state, who still gave her very last coin to God.

The following commentary really challenges me:

‘The real issue isn’t ultimately about money, is it? It’s about the heart. But too often our money sticks to our heart......... When you become a disciple of Jesus, you give him all you are and have. But have you gradually been taking it back? What difference does it make to remember that Jesus gave everything he had for you?’

[Suzi]

I loved that story when I was growing up and it's always been relevant to my life. I've never been able to place notes into the offertory or donate large sums of money to the Church etc, but I've always felt that the "gifts" I was giving - which may just have been 20p were just as, or more valuable to those who can gift £100s at a drop of a hat itms?
It has always reminds me of the Carol "In the bleak midwinter..."

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a Shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

[Paula]

Luke 22:1-6
[1] Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, [2] and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. [3] Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. [4] And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. [5] They were delighted and agreed to give him money. [6] He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.


This passage always hurts. To think that one of the people who had been Jesus’ most trusted disciples, who’d been with him for 3 years, every single day, decided to betray Jesus for money. I think it hurts the most because it resonates with my faith history. I was brought up as a Christian and firmly believed, as a teenager, that my faith was solid. Then, at the first big hurdle, I fell away. I am so grateful that God accepted me back into his family....

[Suzi]

It resonates with my faith history too...
However, I've always wondered whether there was more to it than money for Judas... I firmly believe that there was something more to make him betray Jesus - his friend and teacher... Not sure I go with the concept of Satan taking over either.... I just don't think it'd have come back to money vs friendship, loyalty, admiration etc

[Paula]

My commentary led to this passage, Jesus talking to the disciples:

John 13:10-11
[10] Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” [11] For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

Basically saying, I think, that Judas was never fully committed to Jesus

[selena]

Thank you, Paula, for sharing these amazing passages.

The Lent began from Monday in the Eastern Orthodox Church (main church in my country). This year, the Orthodox Easter will be on May 2.

Usually, we keep a harsh nearly vegan Lent for 7 weeks. I have refused only from meat during Lent because of certain health reasons.

[Suzi]

Can I ask what health reasons love? I have complex medical issues and am always vegan

Paula - I don't know. I still have hope that actually Judas did dedicate himself to Jesus, but that there was some other reason that the betrayal happened....

[Paula]

That’s because all your ugly ducklings are swans, love..... the way I see it, if there were any mitigating circumstances, it would have been mentioned later in the New Testament. As it was, I don’t think this mention in Acts would have been quite so stark...

Acts 1:18-19
[18] (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. [19] Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

[selena]

That is calcium deficiency and the doctor strongly advised to maintain dairy products.