Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Matthew 26:3 – 5

It seems incredible that the leaders of the Jews planned to kill Jesus.  The only thing that stood in their way was their realization that many Jews admired Jesus who was known as a healer.  So, they waited until the time was ripe – then they would carry out their plans.  That happened a few days later, on the night of Passover, after the feast, in the garden.  Out of sight.  As they participated in the high annual Passover feast they remembered how God protected the Jews by the offering of the Passover Lamb, whose blood was spilled and applied.  Little did they know that in an olive orchard that very night God’s Son was facing death as God’s Lamb, prepared from the foundation of the earth. His own people wanted him dead!

While the nation and the pious Jewish visitors were celebrating how the blood of the lamb saved them in Egypt, many long years ago, they were determined to kill Jesus Christ!  We recall that John the Baptist introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world.  He is the eternal sacrifice!

During this week, my mind is centered on this.  I stand with the children who gathered around Jesus as he entered Jerusalem at the beginning of the week, lifting high our palm branches as our flags of praise.  “Come in, Lord Jesus, and reign supreme in my life.”