Spy Wednesday

I had never heard of the Wednesday of Holy Week being referred to as Spy Wednesday until this year.

So called because this is the day Judas Iscariot makes the deal with temple authorities to turn Jesus over to them at the first possible opportunity. 

In the book The Day Christ Died by Jim Bishop, Mr. Bishop's research indicates that the temple powers that be wanted the arrest and trial of Jesus done quickly and more importantly, quietly. They did not want to provoke the followers of Jesus to riot and thereby risk the wrath of Pontias Pilate and Rome.

Until it was too late, Judas Iscariot did not realize he was a pawn in a power move between the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities. When he finally glimpsed the truth, he despaired so deeply that he took his own life, driven mad by the knowledge that he had turned over a kind and gentle man.

Bishop implies that if Judas believed in Jesus as the Messiah he might have asked~and been granted~forgiveness for his betrayal. 

Lord, please grant to me the sure knowledge of your Divine nature that I might not betray you.

Forgive me when I do, not intentionally, but because of fear and weakness.

I love you. Increase my love and devotion. 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.