Today is Wednesday of Holy Week. It is also known as Spy Wednesday, since some theologians believe it was the day Judas Iscariot became a paid informant to the chief priests. That could be true.
Many believe that Matthew 26:14-16 took place on Wednesday. “Then one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?’ They counted out thirty silver coins and gave them to him. From then on Judas was looking for a chance to hand Jesus over to them.” But what else might have been going on that day? Scripture is nearly silent, leaving us to only imagine.
We know that Jesus spent most of His evenings during Holy Week at the home of Mary and Martha in Bethany. Bethany is about two miles outside Jerusalem. Jerusalem itself would have been extremely crowded and chaotic during the Passover Week. So it makes sense for Jesus to have stayed in Bethany with friends and walked the two miles each day. We know that it was on this walk that Jesus curst the fig tree. We also know that Jesus spend at least one evening in the home of Simon the Leper. Most likely Simon was a neighbor, since Mary is said to have been there, and that she anointed Jesus’ head and feet with expensive oils. Judas was outraged by the waste of a resource that should have been sold to raise money for the poor.
There are those who speculate Judas wasn’t concerned about the poor, but rather had planned to keep the money for himself. He is often portrayed as greedy. It is easier to see him as an evil man. It somehow makes his actions easier to accept. Had he been a good man, we would be left wondering how a good man could have betrayed our Lord and Savior. However; this might not have been an accurate picture. First off, Jesus picked him to be a part of the twelve. And his role was that of treasurer for the twelve; handling the money, paying the bill, running the financial aspects of His ministry. Like any business-minded man, Judas would have hated to see waste of their resources, especially since the ministry so often struggled, relaying on the generosity of Christ’s followers. It may not have been greed that swayed Judas’ decisions. Judas might not have realized Christ would die. We know that upon Jesus’ death, Judas took his own life. Such is not the action of a self-serving man driven by his own greed.
We know that Thursday would have been the final meal, Christ’s last supper. It would have been part of the Passover festivities. There would have been much work to do, provisions to procure, a meal to prepare, and a location needed to be found. We can assume the twelve, and perhaps Mary and Martha, were busy with such tasks. This would have created an opportunity for Judas, disgusted by the anointing, and in need to fill the coffers, the opportunity he needed to slip away unnoticed.
We can only guess what Jesus might have done to occupy his time on Holy Wednesday. He knew that His betrayal was close at hand. He knew that His death was soon. He had to be filled with dred. While Jesus was Lord, He was made flesh. His body would have suffered greatly. It would be reasonable to assume Christ spent time on Holy Wednesday alone, in prayer. Perhaps we too should imitate our Lord, and spend quite time in prayer with our Heavenly Father.
You, O Lord, are always faithful and true.
We may stumble and lose our way
Yet You are always steadfast and sure.
Give us the grace to endure our struggles
As Christ endured the Cross
For our salvation and the glory of Your kingdom
We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit.
One God for ever and ever. Amen.
Oniony French Dip Biscuit Bombs
1/2 Yellow Onion
1 (16 oz) can Refrigerated Southern Biscuits (8-count)
8 oz think-sliced Roast Beef
2 tablespoons Prepared Horseradish or to taste
1 package Knorr Au Jus Gravy Mix
1 cup Beef Stock
Cut onion in half from root to tip. Reserve half of the onion for another purpose, peel and thinly slice remaining half. Sauté onions in a skillet until golden brown and just beginning to crisp. Set aside.
While the onions sauté, heat oven to 400-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Open biscuits. First break apart into 8 full biscuits, then cut each biscuit in half to create a top and bottom for each biscuit bomb. Lay biscuits, cut side up, on a flat surface. Spread a little horseradish on each biscuit half. Working with one slice of roast beef at a time, fold the beef and cut in half to fit onto a biscuit bottom. Press into place. Repeat until all the bottom biscuits have a layer of roast beef. Top the roast beef with grilled onions. Place the top half of the biscuit, horseradish side down, over the filling. Pinch the edges to create a seal. Tuck excess dough under to create a clean circle.
Arrange Biscuit Bombs on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the heated oven and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
While the biscuits are baking, empty Au Jus mix in a small sauce pan. Add beef stock, warm according to package directions.
When ready to serve, lade Au Jus into individual small bowl such as ramekin cups. Arrange biscuits around the cups. Serve with Fries and enjoy.
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