Mt. 26:14-16, 21-25, The Delivered One

What I want to do on this day is post something that was part of our teaching in yesterday’s Resurrection message from Acts 2:22-24.  We noted that Jesus is “the Delivered One.”  Ac. 2:23 can be translated, “by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, the Delivered One you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death.”  The term “delivered” is an adjective.  It seems to be the same as the references to Satan as “the Wicked one” (e.g. 1 John 5:19). 

A good question to ask is, “who delivered up Jesus?”  It’s a good question because Scripture has some definite answers.

·       Matt. 26:16: Judas delivered Jesus up to the Chief Priests.  The word for “betrayed” (Greek paradidomi) is in the same family as our word “delivered” (Greek exdotus, dotus being a derivative of didomi).

·       Acts 3:13: The people of Israel delivered Jesus up to Pilate.  The way they did this is truly amazing, revealing how determined they were to rid themselves of Jesus.  Not only did they cry out “Crucify” to Pilate.  They also told Pilate they had no king but Caesar (Jn. 19:15).  On any other day, at any other time, they would never have said that.  They despised Caesar.  Then they cried out, his blood be upon us and on our children (Mt. 27:25).  Truly, in 70AD the nation reaped the harvest of their rejection of Christ.

·         Mt. 27:26: Pilate, having scourged Jesus, delivered Him up to the soldiers, who mocked Him and then crucified Him.

·       Gal. 2:20: Jesus delivered Himself up for us.  You might not have noted this in your English translation, but it’s true.  This great passage ends, the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  “Gave” is Greek paradidomi.  Remember, that in all the abuses of justice perpetrated against Christ, He remained silent.  He had committed Himself to the will of His Father, throughout His life and ministry, and then afresh in Gethsemane.

·       Rom. 8:32: God, the Father, delivered Him up for us all.  What the Father did involved the entirety of the Incarnation.  This was the determined counsel of the Father.  Jesus was destined for the cross from eternity past, and in time, from the moment He left the glory of heaven.

Now we must note someone else who delivered up Jesus to the cross.  I did!  And so did you.  The last two passages tell us He was delivered up “for us.”  The word “for” is Greek huper, “on behalf of.”  He was delivered up on my behalf, to clear up a problem that I had.  Neither the Father nor the Son had my problem; but they loved me such that they were willing to solve the problem I could not solve myself.