Not much is known about Wednesday of Holy Week and the activities of the LORD and His disciples. Perhaps since Tuesday was so busy, and the Passover (betrayal, trials, crucifixion) was just ahead, it was a day of rest in Bethany for Jesus and His friends. The only people who seem to be busy are those conspiring to arrest and kill Jesus.
“Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and they conspired to arrest Jesus in a treacherous way and kill Him. ‘Not during the festival,” they said, “so there won’t be rioting among the people.’” [Matthew 26:3-5 HCSB]
Where does the hatred come from that causes people to seek the harm of others? The chief priests and elders did not like what Jesus said. They did not like what he did. They did not like that the people were attracted to Jesus more than they regarded them. So, their solution was to destroy him.
Not that much has changed, has it? We still seek to silence those who do not think like us or speak like us or act like us. We still regard as an enemy anyone who is different or whose political, social, or religious beliefs differ.
We can look back on Silent Wednesday and see the evil resident in men’s hearts and think we have become too civilized to respond in like manner. We may think we are too enlightened to hang people on a cross, or too sophisticated to act like those in the past.
But are we? We may not crucify literally, but how many people have we seen destroyed by the media, or public opinion (many of whom were later found to be innocent of what they were accused). How many times have we seen someone ruined because someone else put a target on their back simply out of spite? How many times have we seen the church “kill her wounded?”
No, the hearts of mankind are still deceitfully wicked … that is why Jesus came, that is why He willingly died on that cross, that is why He gave Himself for us … gave Himself even for those who conspired against Him that Silent Wednesday.
Something to think about this Silent Wednesday.
