February 7 - Matthew 27: Unwittingly

The first ten verses of Matthew 27, Judas' confession, aren't recorded in any of the other gospels.  For reasons unknown to me, Matthew knew what happened with Judas at the end of his life and included it as part of Christ's story.  Some phrases in this passage intrigue me:

Judas, the one who betrayed him, realized that Jesus was doomed.  Overcome with remorse, he gave back the 30 silver coins to the high priest, saying, 'I've sinned.  I've betrayed an innocent man.'   (27:3-4)

Something dawned on Judas - his guilt and Jesus' innocence.  He was overcome with remorse, made an attempt at restitution by returning the silver coins, confessed his sin, and even pronounced Jesus' innocence to the high priests who had judged Him guilty.  But, Judas missed the one, most important thing, as Cici pointed out yesterday, he did not call Jesus his Savior and Lord.

Neither did the high priests.  They whitewashed their wrongdoing by throwing the money at a "cause," a burial place for the homeless to please the people and to assuage their guilt. They bought a field that  was later named, "Murder Meadow" (27:9).

And so they unwittingly followed the divine instructions to the letter.   (27:10)

Those "divine instructions" are recorded in the old testament prophecies, which the learned high priests surely knew, yet did not recognize in their own actions:

Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.   (Psalm 41:9, NKJV) 

...breaking the beautiful covenant I had made with all the peoples... The money-hungry owners saw me do it and knew God was behind it.  Then I addressed them:  'Pay me what you think I'm worth.'  They paid me an insulting sum, counting out thirty silver coins.  God told me, 'Throw it in the poor box.'    (Zechariah 11:10-13, Msg)

' And so it's payday, and soon' - God's Decree! - 'this place will no longer be known as
Topheth or Valley of Ben-hinnom, but Massacre Meadows.'   (Jeremiah 19:6)

There is great security in  knowing that God's plans are never thwarted, His prophecies are always truth, as Jeremiah prayed to God, "there is nothing You can't do."  There is also great soberness that comes as I evaluate what I know of God's Word but do not recognize in my own life.  God's opening my eyes to some of that today and I'm sure it will come out over the next few weeks, as I examine where my focus has strayed from His purposes.

What about you all?  Anyone else feel like you're living, like Judas, without realizing you've missed Jesus' doom, His sacrifice for you?  Or, that you're in the "know" about God's Word, like the high priests, but unwittingly, unintentionally living?