Year 7, Day 231: Luke 22

Theological Commentary: Click Here

As Jesus approaches the cross, the conflict between the divine will and the human will intensifies.  Human beings want their own way.  The more stress and pressure we are under, the more we are likely to try and get our way through direct or even aggressive means.  Yet, God is all-powerful.  His way will happen if He desires it to happen.

We see this conflict all over the Gospels as Jesus’ death draws near.  We begin this chapter with words of the plot to kill Jesus.  The religious leaders are feeling the conflict of having Jesus around.  They realize they need to get rid of him, and soon.  They begin to plot and scheme and overtly accomplish His death.  Their human will is clashing with God’s will.

Take the stories about Peter and His denial.  Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Him.  Peter denies that!  Peter’s human will rises up against God’s will in a massive conflict against Him.

Look at Judas.  Here is one of Jesus’ own disciples.  For whatever reason – I’d like to attribute it to a horribly misguided attempt to force Jesus into overthrowing the religious leaders – Judas agrees to identify Jesus publicly when they come to arrest Jesus.  Judas rises up to assert his human will and have his way.

Here’s the thing.  In all of these stories, what the people fail to see is that God’s will shall ultimately be done.  God’s will is the most powerful force there is.  It is immutable when he wants it to be.

When the religious leaders desire to get rid of Jesus, God is working to bring a path to Him through forgiveness and atonement.  When Peter denies Jesus three times he realizes that no matter much he would speak his love, the reality is that God knows Peter better than Peter knows himself.  When Judas comes out to identify Jesus, Jesus already knew that it would happen and God’s will is being done.

We can writhe against God’s will.  We can force our will to dominate our life.  We can make our existence the sheer and utter pursuit of our own desires.  When we do that, though, we stop following God.  In those moments – like the religious leaders, Peter, and Judas – we stop being a part of God’s plan and find ourselves at odds with God and His people.  Fortunately, like Peter, we can find forgiveness should we realize our place and repent.

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