The gospel writers repeatedly emphasized that the Temple leaders wanted to kill Jesus, but they were afraid of the "the crowd" that effectively protected him. John explains their thinking: "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation." (John 11:48) Jesus presented a huge threat to both Roman and Jewish authorities, but harming him could start a riot in the city filled with Passover pilgrims.
On Wednesday, the contrast of worst and best centered on individuals. The Temple authorities had given up trying to trap Jesus - until Judas appeared and offered to identify their enemy (who had been very visible in the community for four days.) Meanwhile, Jesus and his followers had supper with friends in Bethany. The gospels disagree whose house they were at: - Simon the Leper, Mary and Martha, or a Pharisee - but they tell the story that must have been well known, about a woman who appeared and anointed Jesus with costly ointment from an expensive alabaster jar. Against criticism that the unguent should have been sold to help the poor, Jesus used this incident to praise this nameless woman for preparing his body for burial. The disciples protested, still in denial that Jesus was going to die for his actions in Jerusalem.

Lenten Devotions
March 31, 2021