Holy Wednesday
Posted on April 16, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. Luke 22:1-23 (NKJV)
22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.
7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”
9 So they said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare?”
10 And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. 11 Then you shall say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?” ’ 12 Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.”
13 So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. 15 Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
17 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
20 Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.
21 But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”
23 Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.
Devotion
On account of his public chastisement by the Lord Jesus, Judas Iscariot allows Satan to enter into his heart. Faith in the Christ has been replaced with greed and hatred for the Lord. In his rebellious state he goes to the chief priests and scribes and agrees with them to betray the Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. From this time forth he sought an opportunity to betray the Lord apart from the crowds, in secret.
The Lord Jesus, fully aware that He will be betrayed and that He will be delivered up into the hands of sinful man, makes preparations of His own. He sends St. Peter and St. John to prepare a place for them to eat the Passover meal. At this Passover meal—which is eaten after twilight, so technically it is Friday—our Lord Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, where the bread and wine which the disciples ate and drank are the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus. He will offer up His Body and shed His Blood on the cross by the end of this Friday. He will win forgiveness, life, and salvation for all those who believe on Him. And they will receive these gifts when they eat and drink His Body and Blood in, with, and under the bread and wine, for the remission of their sins.
The betrayal of Judas Iscariot will lead to our Lord’s triumph over death and the grave, so that all those who believe on Him will live with Him forever.
Collect: Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds are continually afflicted, may mercifully be relieved by the Passion of Thine Only-begotten Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
