¹⁸And [Jesus] said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’”

Jesus, on the last night before His execution, was in full control of His life, even to the details of planning the final meal with His faithful followers. He was Lord and also Teacher (John 13:14). As their teacher, He had one last extension training session planned for them before He died. This was to take place over a Passover meal in what Luke’s account called the “upper room” (Luke 22:12).

Of the four gospel accounts, John’s contains the most extensive record of what Jesus taught, comprising five chapters (John 13-17). Matthew, Mark, and Luke, in contrast, present only brief accounts, focusing on the continuous symbolic reenactment in what we now call “the Lord’s Supper” (variously called “communion” (1 Cor. 10:16 NKJV), “the Lord’s Table” (1 Cor. 10:21), or “breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42).

In our passage above, we read that Jesus knew that all the elements were now in place to bring His mission on earth to its predetermined conclusion. He said, “My time is near.” His disciples probably thought He was referring to the Passover festivities. But because we know how the story plays out we understand that He was inferring that the time of crucifixion was nearing.

Peter later put the pieces together in His first public speech after the resurrection when he boldly taught about Jesus to the large crowd in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. His death was not just an unfortunate turn of events that blindsided God and the disciples. No, the crucifixion was planned by none other than God Himself. The human players were merely His instruments to accomplish His purpose in bringing salvation to the world through the death of the one symbolized by the Passover Lamb, namely, Jesus:

“This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.” (Acts 2:23)

While we leave it for another time and place to wrestle with the relationship between God’s plans and human responsibility, we must not forget what the patriarch Joseph told his brothers who had betrayed him and left him for dead:

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Gen. 50:20)

In Joseph’s case, the betrayal by his siblings led to their being saved from the famine and starvation. In Jesus’ case, the betrayal and crucifixion by His fellow countrymen led to His sacrificial death on the cross so that all who believe in Him might be saved. Everything was going according to God’s plan, and He was orchestrating it all.

Father God, thank You for the predetermined plan for sending Your Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins, as my Passover Lamb. Indeed, worthy is the Lamb!