Jesus' Suffering, Death and ResurrectionSample

The plot to kill Jesus

“The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him [Jesus] to death, for they feared the people.” (Luke 22:2)

Jesus was popular with the people. This is completely understandable, for He healed the sick and freed people from their demonic captivity. He had even raised some people from the dead! He was clearly a special man — perhaps He was the promised Messiah!

However, there were also people who were hostile to Jesus. Luke mentions “the chief priests, scribes, and the principal men of the people.” They formed the religious and social elite and felt their authority was threatened. This, too, is understandable, for Jesus explicitly denounced their hypocrisy (see, for example, Luke 20:45-47).

At the Feast of Passover, the tension came to a boiling point. Jesus spoke and acted with authority, and the people obeyed His word. His opponents saw only one way out: this man must die. They received support from an unexpected side when one of Jesus' disciples joined them, prompted to do so by Satan (Luke 22:3). Now they were waiting for the right opportunity to secretly arrest Jesus without the crowds getting wind of it and starting a riot.

Luke shows us how Satan works in the background and influences human actions, resulting in the plot to get Jesus out of the way. What do you think? Are people still being influenced by Satan today?